More about violas...

I offer violas broadly in the range 16 inch to 17½ inch, that aim to address an individual’s particular preference and requirements. The model is conceived from basic harmonic proportion, the vibrating string of the instrument central to the design. The violas are built to achieve a responsive instrument that is both acoustically and aesthetically rewarding, whilst maintaining continuity of form of the traditional violin group. Timbre will naturally change from one size to the next, but the playing characteristic and overall quality of sound production should extend fully across the range, as each viola shares the same acoustical principals. The concept is for a cohesive group of violas, rather than varying individual patterns. By this means I endeavour to produce contemporary violas that will naturally respond to the needs of today’ professional player, offering them a choice of both size and voice.

Controversial acceptance of the variability of size has given the viola the potential to enjoy a somewhat broader tonal focus.  The viola is the only member of the modern violin group whose variability of  basic dimension is the norm, a situation that has often led to disagreement amongst both players and makers, and not least the mistaken suggestion that the viola is too small to fully express its intended register.

The modern viola was of course originally conceived as part of a larger consort of instruments that made up the early violin family. Two distinct forms, the smaller alto and the larger tenor, both shared a common tuning, whilst the largest of these instruments may have been tuned down a fifth to encompass a tenor register. These larger instruments seem to have had only a brief existence at the end of the 16th century, eventually their role superseded by a preference for the rapidly developing bass of the group, which as a consequence of improvements in string manufacture, eventually gave rise to the violoncello during the mid 17th century. Together with the emergence of an advanced shifting technique, the violoncello with its longer string length was ultimately preferred to express this register. However, the concept of an instrument of two different proportions intended to express the same contralto register, is an inheritance that has, ironically, been preserved by virtue of the violas neglect during intervening centuries, and is one that has proved too enduring to ignore, as later attempts to standardize the violas dimension have proved.  Add to this a player’s natural dimensional capabilities blended with particular personal preference, then controversy soon follows; 'what is the ideal size of viola?', continues to be a popular topic among both players and makers.  

Devotees of the smaller instrument often talk of an acute tonal focus, whilst players preferring a larger model relish the delights of the violas natural tenor qualities. In reality each size has its own particular ‘voice’, only the model and the maker’s ability will determine the resulting quality of any instrument. A good tonal focus may easily be achieved in the larger models, whilst each different size of viola will have its own tonal spectrum and timbre. Ultimately, this should be seen as an important contribution to the broader tonal landscape expressed by an instrument that is unique in using different instrument sizes expressing the same register.  

I have found that current preferences seem to re enforce older divisions, players preferring either the 16 – 16¼ inch, or the 16¾ - 17 inch models. Ironically, call for instruments of a middling size appear limited, perhaps players preferring either to extend themselves to a larger model, or to play comfortably on the smaller size of instrument. Of course, this perceived preference may also be the result of trends among makers who do not feel confident in establishing their own patterns, and have as a consequence found difficulty in finding suitably sized older examples to copy, thereby limiting the choice available. A player, who is perhaps best suited to a particular size instrument, has often been faced with the decision of either going above this size or below it, depending upon availability, and also the variability, between different models.

Different string lengths often occur on violas of the same body length, which then give a completely different playing characteristic between these two equivalent sized instruments. Such is the variability between different models; one 16-inch viola can easily be a bigger instrument to play than another 16-inch viola resulting in a completely different intonation between these two ‘similar’ sized instruments. Naturally, a player will be limited by their physical capabilities and the quality of instruments available, but how often has this decision been dictated by size rather than inherent tone?  

However, as a maker I must confess to particular preferences, which also broadly fall into these two groups. Perhaps two different sized instruments after all best represent the contralto register, with the only limitation being the natural ability to play the larger sizes. Perhaps by a better appreciation of the different tonal qualities that the variation of viola size has to offer, a player might further enhance their technique?

To this end, my concept of a practical working workshop pattern for the viola aims to provide continuity of both acoustical and playing characteristic across all sizes of instrument that are made in my workshop. This I believe to be a basic practice necessary to producing a modern instrument, probably a philosophy not dissimilar to that employed in the earliest luthiers shops.

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