Classical pieces for the Viola

November 29, 2012 at 08:26 PM · Telemann wrote a fabulous viola concerto, and Stamitz wrote one or more of them. Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola is a classic. There are chamber pieces where viola has a prominent role such as Mozart's Kegelstatt Trio and some of his other chamber music. I think Harold in Italy also has a good viola solo. However, I think you get more for solo viola in the 20th century. I think Hindemith was really the first virtuoso violist composer to write significantly for the instrument. However, the violists on this site can fill you in more fully.

November 29, 2012 at 08:43 PM · Bachs cello suites

November 29, 2012 at 08:54 PM · Read here:

http://www.viola.com/rep.html

November 30, 2012 at 04:41 PM · Thanks for pointing out Hindemith to me!!

I love Telemann probably more than Bachs Cello Suites.

The only thing I can say is try the Werner Icking Archive (Look up WIMA online). Theres a lot of stuff there.

I've been trying to find more Viola Stuff myself.

December 2, 2012 at 04:30 PM · Look on imslp.org

They have a lot of viola repertoire available.

For the more advanced musicians, Hoffmeister and Stamitz wrote wonderful concerti for the viola.

Casadesus also wrote two under the names of JC Bach and Handel to make them more popular. Both are also very good.

In my opinion, one cannot go wrong with the sublime Walton viola concerto and the modern Bartok.

A few other composers to look into:

Accolay

Sitt

Vanhal

Hindemith

Bruch

And if you have a wonderful violinist to partner up with, look at:

Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia

Mozart Duos for Violin and Viola

Mozart Sinfonia Concertante

Bruch Double for Violin and Viola

Hope this piques your curiosity!

December 2, 2012 at 05:47 PM · I attended an orchestra concert yesterday at which the Handel/Casadesus Viola Concerto in B Minor was performed. Very nice piece! Recordings are hard to fine, but there are two complete versions on uTube including the Primrose recording with the RCA Victor Orchestra.

Additional viola music transcribed from original cello music includes:

1. Bach Cello Suites

2. Schubert Arpegionne Sonata

3. Elgar Cello Concerto

These are all very accessible on the viola, much easier than on the cello.

Andy

December 2, 2012 at 09:19 PM · If you like the Telemann, then there are some sonatas for Tenor Violin by William Flackton, which go very well with viola and Organ, although any other keyboards will work (within reason). Also for sheer Baroque fun there is the Eccles Sonata.

Schubert's Arpeggione is also as well suited to the viola as it is to the cello, being written for a now very little played instrument being like a cross between a viol and a guitar.

20th Century stuff includes the Glinka, and of course Gordon Jacob.

I have written two short pieces for viols , Abi and Katie, which are available from Orpheus Music of Australia And there are more contemporary string pieces by other composers there too.

Have fun!

December 3, 2012 at 01:29 AM · Check out Rebecca Clarke, I heard her piece "Morpheus" on Performance Today and really liked it. She wrote a lot of other stuff for viola as well. Another piece I really like, but you'll need a harpist and a flutist,

is Debussy's sonata for harp, viola and flute.

December 3, 2012 at 07:23 AM · Hello Carolyn,

If you like Telemann, you can try the Fantasias for violin solo or the Fantasias for flute solo. Both sets are transcribed/arranged for the viola. The latter are available since last month (see another post on this forum). Good luck!

December 3, 2012 at 02:09 PM · What relative level are you interested in?

December 3, 2012 at 05:49 PM · If you mean the classical time period; Stamitz, Hoffmeister, Zelter, Vanhal, JC Bach, Rolla.

December 6, 2012 at 02:51 PM · Oops!

I should have clarified.

I was asking for rep from the classical era.

However, all of these pieces are great! Thank you!

Hindemith is my favourite! And I am currently working on Rebecca Clarke's Sonata, so probably around a grade 10 level.

Thank you!!!!

December 18, 2012 at 08:17 PM · You might look at Ernst Bloch's Suite Hebraique and also his Meditation and Processional.

They are sensational works for viola. They are also published for violin but i think the viola version is much more powerful.

December 20, 2012 at 02:24 PM · Already played them :)

And they're twentieth century. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

December 21, 2012 at 05:12 AM · My favorite classical-period viola concerto (that I know) is Joseph Schubert's Concerto in C.

December 21, 2012 at 02:33 PM · My favorite piece is the Forsyth Viola Concerto

December 21, 2012 at 09:19 PM · Classical era viola sonatas are in short supply. The classical era is roughly defined from around 1750-1820, but if you extend this a bit to include composers who were making the transition to romanticism, then Mendelssohn's youthful Sonata in C minor (1824), Hummel's Sonata in Eb major, and the three sonatas by Georges Onslow would qualify. To my ears, their style is more classical than romantic.

Classical era concerti are more numerous. Themes from many examples in several levels of difficulty are shown in an article at my website: Let's Play Something Else - classical concerto alternatives to Stamitz and Hoffmeister, http://www.ashmontmusic.com

Since this article appeared, more works by Rolla and Anton Stamitz have come to light.

There are also worthwhile published viola transcriptions of Mozart violin, horn, clarinet and bassoon concerti, as well as Beethoven cello sonatas and concert pieces.

December 21, 2012 at 11:05 PM · Thank you, Patricia, your articles are very helpful.