JAVS Fall 2005

Berlioz, Hector and Richard Srrauss. li·eatisc on Lnstrumentation. Translared by Theodore Front. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., J 99 1. Marcuse, Sibyl. "Viola alra." In Musical lnstrumencs: a Comprehensive Dicrionary, 566. Garden Ciry, N.Y.: Doubleday & Company, L964.

Most accounts of the vio la alta's history attribute its descent in to obscurity to its cumbersome size. T he las t men tion of th e vio la

and wished to explo it the viola's unique sound would be unbal anced and uncharacterist ic o n larger, more physical ly "ideal" instruments. Perh aps the most eloquent argument for ma intain ing the vio.la's standa rd smalle r size comes from Arthur Froggatt, writing in defense of the viola in 19 10: "J t seems to be forgotten by many that t he very defect of the vio la has come to be its chief virtue; and that to the fact that its strings are too heavy fo r the size of the body, irs rich and somber tone-colo ur is chiefly owing. T he modern o rchestra, with all its magnificence, is not so rich in variet ies of tone-co lour that it can affo rd to dispense wit h o ne of them." 22 Even as today's luthiers continue Ritter's experimenr by inc reasing the vio la's physical and acous ti cal size, the rise and fa ll of the viola alta serves as a reminder tha t the physically imperfect viola's unique tone colo r has endeared the instrument to com posers for cenruries. 8 Boyden, David D. and Ann M. Woodward. "Viola." In Grove Music Online, cd. L. Macy. Accessed 30 March 2005. dmp://www.grovemusic.com>. Castleman, Heidi. "Five Common Causes of Physical Injury for Violists: Comments from a Master Teacher on Approad1 co the L1Strumenc. " Medical Problems ofPerforming Arrisrs 17 (Seprember 2002): L28-30. Forbes, Warson. "Ri rter, I-Iermann." In Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy. Accessed 4 March 2005. . Bibliography

Riley, Maurice W The Hisrory of the Viola. An n Arbor: Braun-Brumfid d, 1980.

Ritter, Hermann. Die Geschichtc der Viola Alra unci die Grundsiitze ihres Baues. Germany: Unveranderter Ncudruck, 1969.

Ri tter, Hermann. Die Viola alta odcr Altgeigc. Leipzig: Carl Me rscburgcr, 1885.

chnapp. Friedrich. "L.iszt: A Forgotten Romance." Music & L.cucrs 34:3 Uuly 1953): 232-235. Sciannamco, Franco. "The Viola Aha and Felix Dracskc's Sonatas." American String 'l bd1cr 18:3 (August 1998): 58-65. Sheppard, Leslie. "The Problems ofViola Size: The Creation of d1e Tenor-Viola." The Srrad 9 L(December L980): 567-70. Strevens, Thomas. 'The Tenor Viol or Violren." Proceedings of d1e Musical Associarion 3 1stScss. (1904-5): L42-7. Thomson, John M. "From Bayreuth ro the Ureweras: Michael Balling and the Reviva l of rhe Viola Alra." The Turnbull Library Record 23:2 (October 1990): 157-168.

Wagner, Richard. On Conducring. 'Transla red by Edward Dannreurher. London: Bookseller Limited, 1940.

Endnotes

' Les lie Sheppard, "The Problems ofViola Size: The Creation of the Tenor-Viola," The Srrad 91 (December 1980): 569. ' Hector Berli oz ;md Richard Strauss, Trearise on Instrumenra rion, rrans. Theodore Fronr (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1991), 60.

' Ibid.

FrOgj,'ll tl , Arrhur 1~ "Tht! Viola."The Musica l ·limes 51:812 ( I Ocrober 1910): 638-40.

' Ibid.

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