The viola is a member of the violin family, but unlike its popular cousin, not many people know about this stringed instrument. Slightly larger than the violin, the viola produces a richer, deeper sound that adds warmth and depth to music.
Many people might not even be able to tell it apart from the violin, but the viola has its own fascinating history and unique features.
Curious to learn more about this instrument? In this article, we’ll share 16 fun and surprising facts about the viola that you might not know. Let’s get started!
1. The First Viola Was Created In The 16th Century
Let’s kick off the list by going back in time to the origin of violas and how they were created. The viola’s history is heavily interlinked with several other string instruments that belong to the violin family.
The modern viola was developed and played in Northern Italy in the early to mid-16th century. Two key figures in the creation of the modern viola were Andrea Amati from Cremona and Gaspare da Salo from Brescia.
The modern orchestral string instruments get their names from “viola da braccio,” meaning “on the arms,” to distinguish them from the viol.
2. Violas Have an Interesting Design
The process of making a traditional viola has stayed almost the same over the years. Violas are special because they are made from various carefully chosen materials to enhance their performance.
The top is usually made of spruce, while the neck, back, and sides are made of ebony or maple. These woods give the viola its beauty, hardness, and sturdiness. The pieces are carved, glued together, and varnished.
the four strings of the viola are added in addition to the tailpiece, the bridge, and other optional and smaller parts, such as the chinrest.
3. They’re Great A Workout To The Fingers And Arms
While violas are only slightly larger than average violins, there’s a noticeable difference between the weight of the two instruments. Bearing this extra weight can actually increase your arms’ strength!
In addition to the weight, violas are known for their relatively intricate style of play that can work a variety of muscles, including the fingers, the wrists, the biceps, and the triceps.
For this reason, many parents who want their children to strengthen their arms while playing music encourage them to play the viola!
4. Viola Players Are Scarce
Viola is often underrated and forgotten, which is why viola players are pretty rare.
On the plus side, this means that anyone who learns to play it has less competition and more lucrative career opportunities ahead of them.
Additionally, being a skilled violist can open doors to unique performance opportunities and collaborations with other musicians.
5. It Takes Years to Learn The Viola
Since the viola is pretty difficult to learn, it can take a beginner anywhere between 3 to 5 years to start playing the viola decently and about 10 years to play fluently.
This long learning curve requires patience and dedication, but the rewards are well worth it. Mastering the viola allows musicians to explore its rich, unique sound and make a significant impact in the music world.
6. The Viola Has A Unique Pitch
The viola has a remarkable pitch that makes it stand out among other instruments. Its pitch is higher than a cello (about one whole octave higher), so it doesn’t create the mournful effect of cellos.
Yet its pitch is a bit lower than a violin (one-fifth below) with a mellower and earthier tone, which is why many people regard it as a middle ground between the two to achieve harmony.
7. They Can Be A Bit Pricey
Like other string instruments of the violin family, buying one can be relatively more expensive than other instruments. This is because violas require years of craftsmanship and experience to perfect the manufacturing process.
Ideally, a beginner viola may set you back anywhere between $300 to $700, and you can typically find it in both brick-and-mortar and online stores.
Yet you should know that this is the entry-level range of violas. The most expensive one in the world was sold for $45 million! This viola was made by Stradivarius MacDonaldone, who is one of the best master luthiers in history.
9. Many Famous Musicians Played The Viola
While the viola isn’t as popular as its stringed cousins, many famous composers of the last few centuries have played it. This includes many names, such as Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Paganini, Dvorak, and Mendelssohn.
In addition to classic composers, there are a number of famous viola players too such as Niccolò Paganini and even Jimi Hendrix, who started his career in music playing the viola.
10. A Viola Player Goes By Many Names
A lot of music players have distinct names that are agreed upon within the musical community, such as guitarist, pianist, drummer, saxophonist, etc.
Despite this, it seems that the music community has failed to settle on a specific word to call a musician who plays the viola.
For instance, some people might call them “violists,” while others call them “violaists.” Yet there are others who succumb to the frustration and call them “viola players” to avoid offending any of the two sides of the argument!
11. The Viola Is Always A Part Of Large Ensembles
The fact that the viola isn’t as popular as the violin doesn’t make it any less important. In fact, the viola is regarded as a vital member of large chamber classical music ensembles and string quartets to this day.
In March 2011, the world record for the biggest viola ensemble was achieved in Porto, Portugal, by The Viola Association of Portugal at the Sala Suggia concert hall of the House of Music (Casa de Musica).
The ensemble consisted of 321 players and played Jean-Loup Lecomte’s “Bratchy Mambo” and Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Mirlitons.”
On the other hand, the largest viola caipira ensemble was achieved in October 2017 by a Brazilian group, which included 661 viola players.
12. There Are Electric Violas Too
A lot of string instruments are known for having an electric counterpart, especially the guitar. Surprisingly, there are electric violas too!
While old-school acoustic violas are usually made of wood and have organic wood colors, such as reddish-brown as well as dark or light brown, electric violas usually have bright colors to make them distinct, such as green, red, or blue.
Moreover, they can also use plastic rather than wood in construction. Since electric violas rely completely on amplification, there’s no need for soundboxes. For this reason, they’re usually smaller with little to no soundbox.
13. The Viola D’Amore Is Not A True Viola
A lot of instruments that are close to each other are usually bridged through a rather uncommon hybrid instrument. There’s a hybrid instrument between the violin and viol called the viola d’amore.
This unfretted instrument has origins dating back to the 18th century and belongs to the viol family, which is completely different from the viola family.
The viola d’amore has multiple sympathetic strings with six to seven melody strings, which is different from the 17th-century instrument with five strings that used to go by the same name.
14. There Are Plenty Of “Viola” Jokes
We all know that the interest can be a rough place, and when it comes to music, the viola gets the lion’s share of jokes!
In fact, you won’t have to scour the internet to stumble across one, as there is a specific Wikipedia page dedicated to the topic under the simple title of “viola jokes.”
The jokes about the viola most likely have to do with the viola being awkward and difficult to play, while the jokes about the violists are usually regarding their difficult choice of an instrument. There are even jokes that make fun of people who tell viola jokes!
15. It Was Created Differently In The Past
Violas are made in several sizes and many instrument makers are experimenting with the size of the viola to this day.
In fact, the first violas were slightly wider and larger than modern-day ones and used a slightly shorter curved bow.
These ongoing experiments aim to enhance the viola’s sound and playability, making it even more versatile for musicians.
16. You Don’t Need A Strong Reason To Learn The Viola
Ending on a high note, it’s fairly obvious that learning the viola is difficult and can be a true challenge for some.
However, the sole fact that you’re enjoying your time while learning and playing the viola is more than enough reason to pick this interesting instrument.
Nevertheless, you should always remember that the viola is a truly classic instrument that is always essential in orchestras. In fact, while tons of violinists are battling for the front spaces in an orchestra, a viola player always takes the front desk space!
Summing Up Our List Of Facts About The Viola
And that’s a wrap! We hope you enjoyed learning these fun facts about the viola. This often-overlooked instrument has so much to offer, from its rich history to its unique sound.
Thanks for joining us on this journey through the world of the viola. Next time you listen to classical music or attend a concert, keep an ear out for its lovely sound. You might find a newfound appreciation for this amazing instrument and its talented players.
