Violin And The Viola? Options

[sarah-flute]

On the subject of how so many great violinists (eg, Menuhin) mastered both the violin and viola. I do not know, but I would like to some pictures of Menuhin playing the viola.

In that case, read his book called "Violin and Viola". He WAS a master of both instruments. Now its funny how you don't get many violinists mastering a 2nd instrument other than viola. It's also funny how the ABRSM allows Dip/LRSM/FRSM violinists/violists to also play the other instrument in their exam, but no other instrument. You really think that they are so different? Well I doubt all this is just pure coincidence.

But, they are examined as separate instruments: unlike, for example, oboe and cor anglais, or flute and piccolo. One is not simply a subsidiary of the other.

They are related, and a background in one will help to a certain extent in the other. It's a mistake just to treat the viola as a big violin though (or vice versa) because while there are many similarities, there are also significant differences.

A background in violin seems to help quite well in some ways for a cellist: but one would never call the cello "just a big violin", and using violinist-esque technique on it would still be wrong... the difference is bigger, yes - the principle is the same.

Edit: interestingly, when doing a cello diploma, a viola de gamba is an accepted related instrument, and several of the brass instruments link in together exactly as violin and viola do: eg baritone and euphonium, and the trumpet, Bb cornet, and flugelhorn (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[benjaminja]

They're different instruments, certainly, but I wouldn't say they are very different.

Might I suggest that you get your facts straight when saying this. The list is endless in differences between them. I am guessing that you play the viola in a violinists style. Whereby you think that you can hold the viola like a violin, but you can not. It must be up on the table of the shoulder, it is then much easier to hold, as it is not so heavy. The chin rest is not a chin rest, but a jaw bone rest. You must not grip. This is merely skimming the surface of an endless topic. Then there is the bow arm, how you should hold the bow, do each technique, etc. Then there is the left arm, and how to move from each position to the next, vibrato,etc. Then you can consider which school of playing you like, Russian, French, British (as above), and many more. Please do not think that the violin and viola are not much different to each other

The list of similarities is, I believe, much bigger than the list of differences between them. I'm not saying that you don't need to develop a different playing technique for the viola, but that it will be much more similar than, say, learning the trumpet or piano. Thanks for the lesson.

[purple viola]

On the subject of how so many great violinists (eg, Menuhin) mastered both the violin and viola. I do not know, but I would like to some pictures of Menuhin playing the viola.

In that case, read his book called "Violin and Viola". He WAS a master of both instruments.

The book you refer to "Violin and Viola" was written by Menuhin and Primrose. Primrose wrote the part of the book that refers to the viola, not Menuhin. William Primrose was probably the greatest viola player of his generation.

[Devil_Fiddler]

The Viola, so far you have only focused on the differences and I accept that there are a great many, especially to one who actually plays the instruments. But it is undisputable that they are similar, especially in looks to the extent that many non-musicians would find it hard to tell them apart. I think people are just coming at this from slightly different angles that you are looking closely at technique, position and such things and others are looking much more generally.
Actually a little while ago I tried to play viola but failed miserably, probably, I now realise, because I was trying to play it just as "a big violin". Maybe that is a future project for me to try and put aside all my violin technique and try and learn the viola as a completely different instrument.

[pianist_1210]

Although the two instruments are rather different, I enjoyed playing both of them. Lol...I have a double case and I always carry both of them with me all the time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[violinist/cellist mixed into 1]

I play the cello and violin, Ive often thought about adding another set of strings to my household,

Look at it this way, The viola has cello strings and bass cleff and the violin hold (apart from being a bit 'heftyer'!) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[meerkat]

um, maybe I've got a different kind of viola music, and I am very much a beginner, so maybe I'm wrong here, but... the viola is played in the alto clef, not the bass clef. If I was learning it in the bass clef, I'd be finding it a whole lot less difficult! And the strings are rather thinner than the cellos - which is why they sound an octave above it.

I'm curious as to whether the 'violas are just big violins' proponents actually play the viola?

[sarah-flute]

meerkat, you're absolutely right - viola music is in alto clef or, when it goes up high, treble - not bass clef.

& though some people who belong in the "they're the same really" camp seem to play both, a lot don't...

But it is undisputable that they are similar, especially in looks to the extent that many non-musicians would find it hard to tell them apart.

I'm not sure that looks are a good way to decide whether instruments are the same as each other though.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)