What is a Viola?

The viola is a string instrument that sits between the violin and cello in pitch range. It functions as the alto voice of the string family, tuned a perfect fifth below the violin and an octave above the cello.

As a bowed string instrument, the viola resembles the violin but is larger and produces lower pitches. Body length typically measures between 15 and 17 inches, approximately 10% larger than a standard violin. Four strings are tuned to C, G, D, and A (from lowest to highest), a perfect fifth lower than the violin's G, D, A, and E tuning. Music for viola is primarily written in the alto clef, though treble clef is used for passages in higher registers.

Construction follows the same principles as other violin family instruments. The body is carved from wood, typically spruce for the top plate and maple for the back, ribs, and neck. A fingerboard, bridge, tailpiece, and four tuning pegs complete the basic structure.

Adult violas range from 15 to 17 inches in body length, with some models extending to 18 inches. This contrasts with violins, which are standardized at approximately 14 inches for adult players. Size variation in violas results from the acoustic compromise between ideal proportions for the instrument's pitch and practical playability for performers. Frequencies produced range between approximately 130 Hz (C3) and 1,000 Hz in standard playing. Timbre differs from the violin due to the longer, thicker strings and larger body cavity. In ensemble settings, the instrument fills middle-register harmonies and occasionally performs melodic passages.

Historical development occurred alongside other members of the violin family during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe. The viola evolved from the viola da braccio family during the 16th century. Italian instrument makers, including Andrea Amati (c. 1505-1577) in Cremona, produced violas alongside violins and cellos beginning in the mid-1500s. During the Baroque period (approximately 1600-1750), composers including Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) wrote viola parts in their orchestral and chamber works, typically assigning the instrument harmonic support roles. Violas during this period varied in size and tuning across different European regions, as standardization in construction or musical function had not yet been achieved.

Expansion of the viola's role in chamber music occurred during the Classical period (approximately 1750-1820). Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who performed on viola, composed the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat major, K. 364 in 1779, one of the earliest major works featuring viola as a solo instrument. Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) included viola parts in his 68 string quartets composed between 1755 and 1803. Instrument construction became more standardized during this period, though violas retained more size variation than violins.

Composers in the 19th century (Romantic period, approximately 1820-1900) wrote more prominent viola parts. Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) composed "Harold in Italy" (1834), a symphony with viola solo. Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) included substantial viola parts in his two string sextets (Op. 18 in 1860 and Op. 36 in 1865) and two string quintets (Op. 88 in 1882 and Op. 111 in 1890). Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) wrote for viola in his chamber works and orchestral compositions. These works expanded the technical and musical demands placed on viola performers in both solo and ensemble contexts.

A larger body of solo viola works emerged in the 20th century. Béla Bartók (1881-1945) wrote his Viola Concerto in 1945. Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) composed his Viola Sonata, Op. 147 in 1975. Paul Hindemith (1895-1963), who performed professionally as a violist, wrote several works including "Der Schwanendreher" (1935) and the Viola Sonata, Op. 11, No. 4 (1919). English violist Lionel Tertis (1876-1975) became one of the first viola players to achieve international fame, commissioning works from composers including Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst while serving as Professor of Viola at the Royal Academy of Music from 1900. Contemporary composers have continued to write for viola across classical, jazz, and other musical genres, with the instrument being amplified electronically and incorporated into non-classical musical contexts.

Playing technique differs from violin technique due to the instrument's larger size. Wider spacing between notes requires greater finger stretches, while thicker strings require more bow pressure to produce sound. Players must adjust bow weight and arm position compared to violin technique. Many professional violists begin training on violin before transitioning to viola, though fingering patterns and left-hand positions differ between the two instruments due to the size difference.

In orchestras, violas typically sit between the violin sections and the cellos. The standard string quartet formation, established in the 18th century, consists of two violins, one viola, and one cello. Within this configuration, the viola performs both harmonic support and melodic material. Professional symphony orchestras maintain viola sections that typically number between 10 and 14 players, smaller than the first and second violin sections but comparable to the cello section. Viola sections perform inner harmony parts in orchestral scores.

Functioning as the alto voice in the string family, the viola is positioned between the violin and cello in pitch range. Development began during the Renaissance period, prominence increased during the Classical and Romantic eras, and the solo repertoire expanded in the 20th century. Violas perform harmonic roles in orchestral and chamber music while also functioning as solo instruments in concertos and sonatas.