As a music nerd at heart, I can become quite defensive of the instruments that I favor, and the instrument that I am most defensive of is the viola. Unless they are or were, in some manner, actively involved in an orchestra, very few people are familiar with the viola. 

The viola is a member of the violin family (which are essentially the instruments that look similar to a violin) but is forever the forgotten child. The average person often mistakes it for being another violin (especially as it is held in the same manner), but there are some key differences that separate the viola as its own unique instrument. 

To begin, the viola is actually ever-so-slightly bigger than the violin. While the exact measurements will vary (for example, my 15” viola is smaller than many others), it will generally be larger than a violin, which are quite small (much smaller than many people think). However, the difference is still not as noticeable as the difference between, say, a violin and a cello and thus can be easily confused at a distance.

Additionally, the viola has a slightly different sound from the violin. It is often characterized as having a deeper, darker sound compared to its smaller counterpart, and the four strings of the viola reflect that. The viola casts aside the highest string of the violin (E) and replaces it with a lower string (C). The strings of the viola actually match the strings of the cello (in terms of notes), but are more similar in pitch to the violin, making it evident how the instrument could be lost in the orchestra.

The main difference that is not evident to an audience member or listener is that the music for the viola is different from that of other instruments. Music for violas is written in alto clef—different from the treble and bass clef that are commonly taught in elementary schools and used by most instruments. Though the viola is not the only instrument in the world to use this clef (another being the alto saxophone), it is the main instrument that the clef is intended for. 

There are, of course, still similarities between the viola and the other members of the violin family. The viola is credited to have originated in Italy and evolved over many years of experimentation with shape, materials, and tools. Like the violin and other string instruments, the strings of the viola were originally made from animal intestines wrapped in metal (for the concerned: despite still being referred to as “catgut,” the instruments are rarely, if ever, made using animals anymore). While distinct, it is still definitely part of the family.

Thus, the question remains: why is the viola so commonly forgotten? It is not so different as to be an odd one out, nor is it so similar that it does not have its own distinguished qualities, so how is it still so overlooked? The main reason that the viola is often missed by the average person is that it is often given a supportive or background role to the rest of the instruments. Often, in traditional classical music, the viola’s music is simply the same as the cello’s music or only serves to boost another instrument’s part with harmony. It is rarely given its (deserved) time to shine. 

There are the occasional pieces written to highlight the viola: Wolfgang Amadeas Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante,” Hector Berlioz’s “Harold in Italy,” and Richard Strauss’s “Don Quixote.” However, the majority of orchestral composers relegate the viola to the shadows of the orchestra. 

Overall, the viola is a beautiful instrument though it is often forgotten, and hopefully—dear reader—you can begin to appreciate the lovely qualities of this instrument.