I have written a number of articles which I hope will go someway to explaining my approach when designing and making a modern viola.
These short essays are a way for me to set down in my own mind a clearer picture of the fuller complexity of the viola as we know it today, and, without ignoring the classical aesthetic, my reasoning for endeavouring to establish an individual pattern. I am writing from the point of view of a maker engaged in the everyday activity of making new instruments, rather than that of a historical researcher.
In writing this short article I have attempted to give an outline of the history of the viola and in doing so illustrate the influences which have given direction to my own work as a Luthier specializing in making new violas.
I was recently asked the question: ‘Why are there different sizes for the viola when both the cello and violin are represented by just a single size.’ This question is central to the issue of viola size and represents an inheritance that is worth preserving, but one that could be better understood.
The subject of viola size has been an area of controversy and confusion, not least among recent generations of luthiers.
