In Xavier Vidal i Roca we have a big stock of violas and accessories for all levels, adapting to violonist' needs and preferences. Also you can find violas, archs and baroque strings sections.
Viola is the string instrument that is between the violin and the cello in terms of tonality. His distinctive sound could be defined as sweet and dark, bordering on the melancholic between the violin lows and the cello sharps. It consists of four strings which are tuned in fifths intervals in the notes C-D-G-A (most severely sharper). Physically, it is very similar to the violin, but differs in size, being the viola largest. Violist acquires a position to play completely equal to the violinist, holding the instrument horizontally and supporting it under the chin while using the bow with the opposite hand.
This instrument was born as an evolution of the string viella in the XIV century. But it began to have artistic relevance into the next century. Over the time, history has been providing us different types of violas that differ from each other, for example, in the number of strings and other factors. We can then talk about the viola da gamba, which is similarly played like the cello, the viola da braccio, which is the most similar to the modern one and which also derives the viola d'amore. We also found other variants such as the viola pompous, five strings, or the bastard, which is also called lira viola. In these instruments we can see the evolution of the traditional opening in the middle of the soundboard, like the lute and the guitar, to a lateral C-shaped openings as we know them today. Also, the lateral cutting of the instrument derivate accentuating the curvature in order to facilitate the movement of the arc.
The viola as we know it today arose between the XVI and XVII centuries. Although at the beginning viola only was used to complete the harmony and bass, it was taking more important role in the XVIII century, when composers such as Bach and Telemann highlighted it in them works. This triggered a golden age for this instrument during the following decades. But were composers like Tertis, Hindemith, Borisovski and Primrose those who gave the solo viola value and excellent instrument. Currently, there are prominent violists as Joseph de Pasquale, Gérard Caussé, Viacheslay Dinerchtein, Tabea Zimmermann and Nobuko Imai.
Viola follows the pattern of the string instruments family. It consists of a soundboard, which is based on a top cover and a bottom cover closed by two wooden ribs on the side, a mast, which supports a fingerboard and nut, and a peg box that finishes off the instrument.
The soundboard is responsible for vibrating the air inside thanks to the vibration that arrives from the bridge, amplifying the sound. Inside the box awaits the sound post, a cylinder that is held by the pressure of the strings and the bridge transmitting vibrations to the other cover and keeping a lid securing the vaults. In the same way, we also find inside the box a fixed long part on the top cover called Bass-bar that sits just under the 4th string.
Located between the two F shaped openings on the upper cover we find the bridge. This will give us a better or worse transmission of vibrations to the box depending on its cut and quality. The four strings are arranged from the tailpiece to the peg box. In order to tune the strings, we moderate their tension by the pegs, and it is also normal the use of afinaprimas subject to the tailpiece to obtain a perfect sound by applying more pressure on the string itself.
The materials used for the construction of the viola are usually European red pine wood for the top cover and European maple wood for the bottom cover, ribs and bridge. Sometimes are also used as alternative materials the populus alba (poplar) and willow.
During the execution of the viola, the musicians require different needs that through supplements for the instrument will make it easier and will improve their performance. A key factor for playing any instrument is comfort, since exposing the body long time in an uncomfortable will reduce the efficiency.
Shoulders rest and chinrest are pieces designed to provide comfort to the violist. The shoulder rest is a support piece that holds the instrument at the bottom making more lightly to support the viola on the shoulder. Similarly, the chinrest allows us to support the chin on the top of the instrument comfortably by providing the subjection of this.
The bow is essential to get better results in the technical execution of the instrument. Besides it is a fundamental accessory to play the viola, as any bowed string instrument, this will determine the quality of the sound obtained when touched. Putting on a side the technical interpretation of the musician and the quality of the instrument, the bow takes an important role in the recipe, the good quality of this is necessary to complement it.
Compared with the violin bow, the viola one has a wider part of bow hair and it is few grams heavier. It is characterized by its round shape at the rectangular corner of the frog.
See more
There are 170 products.
