Body & string lengths.
A modern adaptation of an original concept.
Inspired by necessity.
Follow the construction of a viola from start to finish
Perhaps the viola today finds itself in a not dissimilar position to that of the violin of the period c.1700 to c.1750. During this ‘golden age’ the violin consort was adapted and developed in direct response to changing musical styles as the true polyphonic potential of the group began to be recognised. The current challenge for contemporary Luthiers is to now produce a contralto instrument which will truly represent the middle voice that separates the soprano from the bass.
The larger instruments, from 16¾ in., to 17½ in., offer powerful ‘tenor’ timbres, while the smaller models display exceptional sonority. The individual choice of instrument, however, is determined by both personal preference and playing style. All of the violas offer a powerful tone and good projection; each individual model displaying qualities distinctive of the violas unique tonal colour.
The larger instruments, from 16¾ in., to 17½ in., offer powerful ‘tenor’ timbres, while the smaller models display exceptional sonority. The individual choice of instrument, however, is determined by both personal preference and playing style. All of the violas offer a powerful tone and good projection; each individual model displaying qualities distinctive of the violas unique tonal colour.
Unlike the violin or cello, there is currently no accepted ‘standard’, either regarding body dimension, string length, or indeed the accepted timbre of the viola, this is of course directly related to the violas size.
The viola has always enjoyed the unusual attribute of having two extremes of size which share a common tuning. It is just that today we regard the viola as a ‘singular’ voice, something to which the viola does not easily lend itself, and the reason why later attempts to reach an optimum ‘standard’ proportion have proved illusive. Why should the relative qualities of the distinctive alto and tenor voices be compromised in favour of a singular idealized standard? Indeed, players come in different sizes, so why shouldn’t the instruments reflect this and embrace the subtle differences in timbre also?
All viola sizes appear to be in demand. Central to this design are the qualities and characteristics exhibited by the viola across a broad range of tonal sizes. I regard my approach as being ‘traditional’ in the sense that it has been driven by a very practical workshop need to be able to produce a scaled group of instruments. To achieve this aim the modern Luthier concerned with viola making needs to have a thorough understanding of the design principals which underlie their craft. It is not simply a case of making copies of individual historical instruments, but a workshop design principal which needs to be understood and applied.
I offer a highly individual and original group of violas, which extend in available size from the smaller sizes characterized by the popular 15 ¾ in., to the larger, more characteristically tenor style of viola.
The inspiration behind this original model is the unique inheritance of the qualities of the violas traditional variation in size which enable this instrument to encompass such a broad tonal range. I strongly feel that at this time the viola should be recognised as a developing instrument, one that must respond to the demands of both players, composers and also realise audience expectations.
The viola has always enjoyed the unusual attribute of having two extremes of size which share a common tuning. It is just that today we regard the viola as a ‘singular’ voice, something to which the viola does not easily lend itself, and the reason why later attempts to reach an optimum ‘standard’ proportion have proved illusive. Why should the relative qualities of the distinctive alto and tenor voices be compromised in favour of a singular idealized standard? Indeed, players come in different sizes, so why shouldn’t the instruments reflect this and embrace the subtle differences in timbre also?
All viola sizes appear to be in demand. Central to this design are the qualities and characteristics exhibited by the viola across a broad range of tonal sizes. I regard my approach as being ‘traditional’ in the sense that it has been driven by a very practical workshop need to be able to produce a scaled group of instruments. To achieve this aim the modern Luthier concerned with viola making needs to have a thorough understanding of the design principals which underlie their craft. It is not simply a case of making copies of individual historical instruments, but a workshop design principal which needs to be understood and applied.
I offer a highly individual and original group of violas, which extend in available size from the smaller sizes characterized by the popular 15 ¾ in., to the larger, more characteristically tenor style of viola.
The inspiration behind this original model is the unique inheritance of the qualities of the violas traditional variation in size which enable this instrument to encompass such a broad tonal range. I strongly feel that at this time the viola should be recognised as a developing instrument, one that must respond to the demands of both players, composers and also realise audience expectations.
“Modern viola design should, whilst maintaining the unity of form of the traditional violin family, respond to the demands of the player engaged in today’s performance environment.”
Violas, from 15¼ in., to 17½ in. are offered, characterizing the contralto form of instrument considered to represent the modern standard.
Soundtrack: Telemann; Concerto for Viola & Strings in G The featured viola is a 17 ¼ in., model that I made in 1999