The modern viola was most likely part of a larger consort of instruments that made up the early violin family in the late 16th century. Two distinct forms, the smaller alto and the larger tenor, both shared a common tuning, although it has been speculated that the largest of these instruments may have been tuned down a fifth to encompass a tenor register. These larger ‘tenor’ instruments seem to have had only a brief existence at the end of the 16th century, eventually their role superseded, as the rapidly developing bass of the group, which as a consequence of improvements in string manufacture, eventually gave rise to the violoncello during the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. This, together with the emergence of an advanced shifting technique, resulted in the violoncello with its longer string length which being better suited 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. 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.  

  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.

 The 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 workshops?

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