Why I love the viola
A couple of months ago I borrowed a viola just for fun, and to make a long story short: I am in love – and for 2 very good reasons. First of all, I love the sound of it. There’s something about the slightly melancholic and very singing, smooth sound of the viola that speaks to me. It seems, at least to me to be closer to the human voice. I also discovered that it fits my body like a glove. I have very long arms and long fingers, and surprisingly some of the things I struggle with on the violin, becomes easy and natural on the viola. With the violin, my left elbow is very closed, and in recent months that has created some discomfort during the long opera performances I have been involved in – playing the viola opens up my elbow more, and the discomfort is gone. Of course, violists do get performance related injuries even more often than violinists, and certainly run the risk over contracting the pectoralis minor. I believe, as I do for violin playing, that the key is learning to suppurt the instrument more with the left hand, also during shifting.
Over all, I am seriously contemplating focusing on the viola, i.e. become a “real” violist. I love the violin, and will certainly continue playing it, but maybe the viola will suit my personality better? I am about to find out in the coming months.