I hope I'm replying correctly - but I'm from the states - we get easily confused, you know (a little stateside humor).

I played violin in my youth (a LONG time ago) and I have decided to pick up the viola - played the last couple of days - love it; wanted to ask about setup? I got a very cheap 16" (Star viola setup - don't faint) - my thinking is I'll get started on that and when I'm decent look for a good one; it doesn't sound horrible but some shoddy workmanship (there's no pain where the fingerboard and body come together);

about setup - I basically raised the bridge and tuned it up out of the box; feels like the action is very high, but don't know if that is how a viola should be or if it's because the bridge needs to be shaved; is it obviously ridiculous to just play it out of a box without a setup? I had a setup on my violin and it's much better; can someone tell me why I should get a setup? I was going to do it and then thought with such a cheap model maybe I can get away with it; any advice on pros and cons of setup are appreciated - I'm certainly enjoying it and looking forward to getting good; but my fingers are getting tired - is that just the viola as opposed to violin or the setup issue?

Violin seems so tiny after the viola! Thank you for any advice - wish me luck!

P.S. Any suggestions about repertoire are appreciated.

I'm not a violist i'm a violinist but i've had some experience with cheap badly made violas (hope thats not offensive)
Could you post us a picture of the problem points (bridge etc.) and we could tell you if theres any changes you need to make or if it's ok

Hi there Welcome to the forum.

I started out with a cheap viola and I did have a proper 'set-up' on it - it made a vast difference to the sound of the instrument and to the ease of playing so I would thoroughly recommend.

A luthier will also be able to put the sound-post in the correct place relative to the bridge which will also optimise the quality of sound that the viola is capable of producing bearing in mind it's fairly inexpensive instrument. A luthier would also adjust the height of your strings for you because it should never be that uncomfortable to play! The bridge also needs to be 'fitted' correctly so that the feet sit absolutely snug to the body of the instrument.

Just another thought... I switched to a 15.5" viola and occasionally play both but there is a massive difference in stretch for the fingers from violin to viola. To start with my fingers became extremely tired very quickly with the viola simply because of the change but gradually you adjust and it gets easier. I had no idea several years ago when I first started violin that my fingers would adapt so much as to find the viola comfortable and the more I play the more flexible they become.

Urggghh... I've just been too busy to play Hannah for a week so I snuck in a quick half-hour this morning. i sounded awful... but then I probably shouldn't be warming up with a Bach suite!!!


So am I EVER going to get three-octave scales in tune? My hand just doesn't feel big enough and my pinky won't behave and keeps locking. I feel like I've just gone back a whole year and it's only been a WEEK!!!


C'mon violists - what have you been up to? Tell me it gets better.....

I haven't touched my poor viola in the last 2 weeks or so... I expect I will be much the same as you when I finally get round to playing it again.

It does get better! Even if you have regressed by a year (which you won't have done), it definitely won't take a year to get back into it. Give it a couple of days. Meanwhile, listen to some fab viola music to remind yourself why you love it so much.

The height of the bridge should be optimised for the sound of the instrument. If it is higher than the optimum (your luthier should be able to tell you), the correct lower one would, of course, lower the action, but if it is right for the sound, the correct change for the action is to the angle of the fingerboard.

If I could play viola (I tried in 1956) I would get together a string trio, quartet or quintet with players of about my standard, and play Haydn or Mozart.

Just don't want the viola-thread to disappear off the planet but I now haven't been able to play very much for a couple of weeks.

My BIG exhibition is this time next week and I still have loads to do so I won't be able to spend much time with Hannah just now. But hopefully the week after the show I can play to my heart's content!!!



Oh and I had just picked her up to play the other day and was on my first scale when hubby came home from work so I had to stop But he said it was so loud he could hear me on the road outside!!!

Hey viola players - how is it all going with you?

Updates please - what are you playing and how are things going?


I managed 20 minutes this morning after a break of a few weeks. At first my three-octave C scale sounded brilliant but when I tried a second and third shot at it my intonation left the room and banged the door behind it AND I need to get hold of the new scales requirements - how much has it changed?

I've all but abandoned ideas of Grade 5 in November due to lack of practice time but never say never. I'm going to try and install a new practice regime first thing in the morning, even if it is only half an hour.

It's all going well for me thank you just finished my last year of school (ever!) and so have no viola lessons but my plan is to prepare some grade 5/6 pieces so hopefully I can audition for an orchestra at uni (fingers crossed!) this however is how I just managed to spend ?37 on music!! so that should be arriving in a week or so but until then I'm just brushing up Vivaldi's concerto in A minor (d minor) still!

About the scales, as I'm not sure whether I'm going Trinity or abrsm for after grade 5, personally I'd be tempted to go straight for the next scale book (if I take abrsm), as I checked all the scale requirements against the old 1-5 scale book and there are only two scales not in there. There is no Bb major two octaves (scale and arpeggio) and ditto with F# minor. So it depends on whether you want a new book with those scales printed or whether A) they can be figured out although those two sound uh, not fun. Or B) they're somewhere on the Internet or another viola player on the forum can help out! anyway, the choice is yours oh and well done on your exhibition!! good luck also with the little bits of practise, some is better than none!

I too have had a few weeks out and my poor viola is feeling a bit neglected.

I'm looking forward to getting stuck back in over the weekend though, and it's nearly time to choose an exciting new piece to tackle. Two as yet unplayed pieces are working their way to the top of the pile. Hmm, what will it be - Brahms (Eb Sonata) or Hindemith (Kammermusik)? Votes for either are welcome!

OK, so I just fell in love with the viola, just like that, how did that happen!? I have always played the violin, and picked up daughter's viola last year to help fill in with local orchestra (no violas!) and quite enjoyed it. But today was different ......... was idly playing through a few things on her viola to try and choose some audition pieces / exam choices etc, and something suddenly clicked! The fact I was playing the Bach suites might have had something to do with it (love that music anyway), but it suddenly felt so lovely, and I had to drag myself away from it to take daughter to her violin lesson. I love my violin, but I think I may have been converted!

Same story... except I think I went in the opposite direction But I still love my viola... and now I have renewed appreciation for my bow - I was practicing last night and was getting really frustrated because even after around an hour everything was sounding terrible and scratchy no matter how I tried... and then I realized I was using my sister's bow rather than my own! Funny how different bows suit different instruments... her instrument is bigger than mine, and her bow is heavier (a real viola bow, unlike mine which I think is very close to a violin bow), and somehow the combination works, but when we mix and match bows we both sound stupid.

Um....so I may have bought a viola today......
Backstory: I already play cello (about to take grade 8, eek!) and a little bit of violin, and I think it'd be cool to know my way around all 4 string instruments. So I'm going to teach myself a bit of viola!
I've bought a stentor conservatoire viola, and it seems perfectly fine for what I want to do with it, although I might buy some better strings for it. It's got the beautiful mellow viola sound, which is what I want!
The aim is to take grade 1 or 2 for fun in the next session and do a little bit of ensemble stuff at school (we have a dire shortage of viola players).

Exciting stuff!!!!

I'm still trying to decide which viola to buy .
So difficult.

I had a lovely practice session today (I'm not playing enough really these days).

One of those days when you think woahhhh is this really 'me'?

Nice warm fingers now.


But don't be fooled - it was VERY FAR from perfect

Bet you sounded fab Lottie!!! Glad you're enjoying playing Hannah again

Nah, I sounded scratchy and squeaky but I was having fun Hannah IS lovely though.. I really should not be neglecting her

While Hannah is lying in her sick-bed I went a-wandering and found a sheet music shop in Aberdeen that I have not been into since I was a teenager. I didn't even know it was still on the go!!

They didn't have a huge viola section but still a very respectable one.

I bought the Telemann Sonata in A minor for Viola and basso-continuo which is utterly LOVELY


Click here for the DIVINE slow movement


Click here for the beautiful Allegro


I also bought the Vinci Sonata in Dmajor for Viola and Piano but I can't find a recording of it anywhere. Has anybody heard of it? Not a composer I know anything about... yet...

Not a composer I have ever heard of. A quick web search reveals that his dates are 1690-1730, which makes him a contemporary of Bach and Handel. Therefore it is probable that this sonata was not originally written for viola. Have you tried youtube to see if anyone has recorded a version? On viola or another instrument? Sorry, can't do youtube at work, so I can't look!

Hi viola-mad

Yes I tried Youtube but there was only one reference to Vinci as a composer and it was a flute sonata. It wasn't the one I had just bought either (ie it wasn't a transcription).

How intriguing... off to do some research!!

Hello fellow Viola'ites

This thread had nearly disappeared completely!! Sooooo...... time for an UPDATE!!!


What are you all up to and what are you playing or practising?


I have about six weeks until my Grade 4. I was getting on well with my Grade 5 preparation but lost my nerve really and panicked about the scales (as can be seen in the other thread ) so I've stepped back a grade The reason I'm doing the exam is to force me to work on technical issues!

Apart from the exam I'm working on a Handel sonata, the Telemann Sonata and Bach... occasionally looking at the Telemann concerto and thinking of buying the Stamitz viola concerto.

I also want to learn the Villa-lobos Aria from Bachianas Brasileriras which is very lovely. I'll buy it after my exam... hopefully... anyway click on this to hear it LOVELY VIOLA MUSIC :-)

I wish I could find a better recording because it really is a very beautiful piece and this girl's intonation in the double-stopping isn't quite spot-on She also doesn't do the repeats which throws the whole structure of the piece out the window!! The section 'con sordina' should be breath-takingly beautiful...

C'mon Violists - what's your news?

good luck with your grade 4 lottie!

I have an audition for my university orchestra on the 8th october eek!

I'm playing the last movement of the stamitz. I went for my first lesson in a year last weekend, had a 1.5 hour lesson, lunch, chats and tea before i finally left over 4 hours later. I'm feeling much better about the piece now. The only bit I haven't quite nailed is the second passage of six notes to a crotchet - the fast bit. I can play it but its still slightly under tempo. I've only been playing it since mid august though so its coming on pretty well. I also need to decide what tempo to take it but hopefully will settle on one nearer the time....

Good luck with your audition! You still have time yet I haven't seen the score for the Stamitz yet but it sounds great.

p.s. I wish I could have lessons like that!!!

Hi guys!

After a 4 year hiatus, I've decided to take the Viola back up. The last time I played any strings was my Grade 6 Violin exam in my last year at Secondary School!

Think I'm going to try to get my Grade 8 Viola under my belt - BRAVE DECISION RIGHT?! I have to admit I'm pleasantly surprised by the Scales requirements (unless I'm reading it wrong?) expecting some absolute horrors. Don't get me wrong, they are no easy task, but after 4 years break it doesn't seem like too much of a shock to the system.

What I would like now is a little guidance and your opinions on the new syllabus pieces. Let them flow! Also, I need a little guidance on buying a Viola. I'm a Student with a small budget, so I'm limited, hence to need for some help.

Thank you! It's great to be back

*Head over parapet and admits to not playing forever*

My playing has made a random improvement considering I have been entirely *ahem* "Resting my pieces" (not practicing them at all!) for a few months. I'm ticking over the grade 6 pieces for my Teaching Dip, and for "real" pieces I can't decide between the ubiquitous Hoffmeisterthat I was preparing at college years ago, advantage that I've already put some work into it so it's not entirely hideous. Disadvantage that all the same bits that frustrated me then are just as evil now.

Second choice is the Weber Andante e Rondo Ungarese And the "for a laugh" choice is The Schubert 3rd movement Rondo though I think I could take it at this speed. The CD I have the guy takes off at the speed of light

I don't really have anything to be preparing them for, so they have a bit of a tendency to just sit there and stew. Now if I could take a period diploma and avoid all that programme notes stuff... I keenly await the introduction of a "Leisure Play" style exam that goes above the grade system as there is nowhere to go for me. Performance assessment is a nice idea, but I'm afraid I need a certificate. Lovely feedback on my performance, really interesting comments you have there, now give me something I can put on my wall.

Helooo

Welcome back to viola-land! I can't really help with thoughts on the Grade 8 syllabus because I'm only at Grade 4 but anything BACH is a brilliant idea in my books (I do love Bach )

As for buying a viola - it's a common question on the Strings forum here and there are usually a couple of answers. One is to visit your local violin shop and ask to try things in your budget - even if it's a small budget they may have something you like the sound of. The second idea is the 'Gliga' range from www.elidatrading.co.uk These are very well made instruments and if you call Liz from Elida she is wonderfully helpful and can give you all the information about the instruments. The Gliga range seem to be better for build quality and quality of sound than the standard cheapish Stentors and Zellers etc.

Good luck - let us know how you get on (violas are still a bit thin on the ground in here )




Heloooo

I don't really have many thoughts about the higher grade syllabuses but I think a 'Baroque' speciality would be a really interesting idea. Even if it were only available at just one grade (say Grade 8) I think it would be a fascinating little 'extra' to collect if you are an all-rounder but also it would be clear 'certification' alongside the standard syllabus for people who didn't want to (or can't) take the regular exam. ie. when I took my undergraduate degree in English Lit I also took courses in Business management and Economics and while I don't 'use' them as such I am glad I have that sort of knowledge in the background of what I do.

Oh and thinking of speed - one of my Grade 4 pieces is played very slowly on the CD compared to the tempo marking on the score I don't really know what to do I'm not a 'fast' player so I'm tempted to play it somewhere in the middle of the two speeds.

that's 'unusual', they tend to go the other way round....too fast more often than not

I'd be like you and stick to the slower or in the middle

Vinci was born in Strongoli but lived most of his life in Naples, working in the Royal Chapel and in the conservatory Poveri di Gesu Cristo where he had studied. He wrote mostly dramatic works: musical comedies in Neapolitan dialect and, later, serious operas, mostly for Naples, Rome or Venice, which were successful and influential.

Hi AntonPiano, and welcome back to the wonderful world of viola!

If you're looking to buy a viola, I would recommend you try out some of the modern hand-made Chinese models. These tend to be reasonably priced, and it's possible to get a pretty good instrument for your money.

An excellent decision to go for Grade 8 Viola, I must say! The current syllabus has 7 pieces on each list, so you've got plenty of choice. Try to set aside an hour or two when you can search and listen to them on you tube (the majority can be found on there somewhere). You might be able to strike a few off the list straight away if you don't much like them, or a couple might stand out as pieces that you absolutely have to play! It will be easier to advise you on them once you've done this.

But there's a great selection of pieces from the Baroque period to pieces by living composers; Bach, Mozart and Brahms to satisfy your 'traditional' classical music needs, through to light music by Leroy Anderson and jazz-influenced music by Paul Coletti. Enjoy exploring and choosing your pieces, and if you want to run any ideas by us, you're in the right place.

Well, bit of a change of plan in the Hannah House

I've had to pull out of my Grade 4 exam at the last minute due to family difficulties (my mother has had a stroke and wasn't expected to survive, she has, but it's all rather difficult and she's very ill).

However the lovely ABRSM are going to refund my fees and I'm going to enter GRADE FIVE in the next session It was originally supposed to be Grade 5 THIS time round but I lost my nerve a little and entered the lower exam. But I am finding the Grade 4 pieces easy-peasy now so there's not point playing them ALL the way through to next March. (I'm pulling out of the exam because I'll not have much chance to play at all in the next few weeks).

Time to put them away and when I get back to playing when the family stuff settles I'll start to take a good look at the Grade 5 syllabus. Meanwhile I'm still tiddling around with my Bach and Telemann.

Can't wait! Also going to be BOW shopping soon I hope In GLASGOW with Muzikalbadger


So what are all my viola colleagues up to these days?????

I'm glad to hear that ABRSM have been so thoughtful as to refund your fee. I've been thinking of you and your family lots over the past week or so. It must be nice to a little nice news at such a difficult time.

Grade 5 - Sounds like the perfect challenge for you. Do let us know what you decide to play.

I'm enjoying post exam noodling at the moment, starting slowly on Grade 7 scales, and looking at lots of pieces at grades 4, 5 and 6 to really try and focus on musicality. I'm not a naturally musical person and I need lots of work to get really develop my vibrato, intonation etc. Lots of work to do, but hey, this is a long term project so I'm just enjoying the journey.

Take lots of care of you and yours, Lottie.

Enjoy your bow shopping and I hope that Muzikalbadger is a thoroughly bad influence on you!

Hi - I haven't been on here for a bit, but I am still playing. At the moment I am working on the first 3 movements of the Telemann concerto. I'm supposed to be sorting out some sort of cadenza but I'm rather stuck - my copy doesn't have one written in and I'm not sure where to start, so any suggestions would be good.

I've also resurrected my Rebecca Clarke piece for the 3rd time. I love it to bits and would love to play it somewhere but so far have chickened out. I could do with a friendly accompanist who could spend some decent time going through it with me - I find that I tend to fall apart when the accompaniment appears.

I'm also playing in an orchestra and have been to some quartet days where we play quartets but as an orchestra with a tutor, which are great fun.

Has anyone done a course at Benslow? Next year they have a course in playing Baroque music on modern instruments which i would be really interested in, so any feedback on courses there would be good. I much prefer playing Baroque music on the viola than on the piano!

Good to hear other viola players are still playing. Maybe we could get together for a viola day at some point - although we seem to live rather far apart!

I'd be up for a viola day.

I did that Baroque course at Benslow last year - it was very good!
I'd certainly be up for a viola day...

W

I have now declared on the Egham thread that I will play my Rebecca Clarke piece there - so I can't chicken out now! Can't practise at the moment though because yesterday I sliced throught the pad of my ring finger on my left hand It was really deep and wouldn't stop bleeding for ages! It's still wrapped in a plaster and goes across my finger just where the string would go. I'm hoping it might have healed enough for my lesson on Friday.

Onion - maybe we could get together sometime - I would love to play the Telemann canonic sonatas. I've played one with my teacher, but I'm not sure if they get harder through the book - I probably wouldn't get very far but would love to try!

*crawls away, undetected*

W

Ohhhhh yes.....

yes yes yes to a VIOLA day!!!!! What a BRILLIANT idea!!!

OR we could all do the Benslow course together? I don't know anything about Benslow but I'll go and have a look....

I've also given up orchestra just now due to the family stuff but after the New Year I should hopefully get back into everything. I'm booked into the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra workshoppy thing in June so can't wait for that

Meanwhile..... I'm sure muzikalbadger would be entirely angelic on a bow shopping expedition....






Is it the G major concerto? I think my copy might have a cadenza if you'd like to see it. I'll look it out.

Yay violas! I just practiced for 1.5 hours, at least .75 of which were spent just trying to play open strings/simple scales/random notes legato I still can't do it! My teacher is trying to get me to use my fingers to help make smooth bow changes, but even after WEEKS I don't understand the concept... it's particularly bad going from upbow to downbow But on a happier note - once I was sick of attempting legato, I moved on to the first two movements of the Arpeggione. I can't play them at all, but regardless Such a perfect, gorgeous piece for the viola. Even though the notes fit better into the cello range and it's much more virtuosic/impressive on the cello, I still prefer the viola version!

We can get together, play viola and eat cake (the last bit is my idea but I think it is a good one!)

The Telemann canonic sonatas look like fun, 2childmum. I don't know them, but should be able to bash through a few.

I do know that there is likely to be a viola playday in Primrose Hill in London in 2012, organised by one of my friends and led by Helen Sanders-Hewett. I'll let folk know more when I get the information.

I could fly down from Scotland - how do you take a viola on a plane? It wouldn't fit overhead and there's no way I would put Hannah in the hold!????

But otherwise CAKE is a very good friend and invited to all my social events (with her twin COFFEE of course )

Are you sure you couldn't take it on board with you? The measurements for musical instruments are more generous than for ordinary hand-luggage. My daughter's trombone is within the requirements and a 1/2 size cello is as well. I can't imagine that your viola is bigger than either of those. (I am always slightly amused that one of the instruments they give you as fitting within the requirements is a piccolo So do read the measurements and get out a tape measure).

When I did this for my diploma I wrote my own cadenza. I was advised to write a short simple one based on an ornamented scale . This is because the concerto was written before very long elaborate cadenzas became popular. I was performing the concerto in baroque style ( minimal vibrato etc), so this was the most appropriate type of cadenza for my performance.

Oh bother, I keep meaning to look at that website, and I've double booked myself on Cello Love weekend. Again

In an ideal world I would have worked out how to do multiple quotes on here but as the world is far from ideal I shall have to answer people thus:

lottie - yes it is in G major and I would love to see a copy of a cadenza if only to get me started!

onion - cake. Goes without saying - preferably several sorts. With icing. And Earl Grey tea 'cos that's what my teacher makes me when I go for a lesson and so it sort of goes with viola playing in my mind now. I don't have a copy of the Telemann but a chance to play them with someone might set off a spending spree!


Purple viola - yes, that simple sort of cadenza is what my teacher means but it still ain't happening! I need to put some serious thought into it really.



I've played a couple of nice viola ensemble bits my teacher printed off of the internet. I'll have to find the web address and then we would have lots of nice stuff to play together.

*remains invisible*

Sorry that you feel like that. I thought I included you! (I meant the for you and lottie!) I like playing duets with willobie, and at least one of my exam pieces have been chosen because you played it in a concert.
Would love to get together with you for duets etc! Lots of fun.

Would love to do a viola event - do let me know if you know of one...

W