| Most of us have heard viola jokes throughout our musical lives. Why do we tell jokes about violas and violists? I'm not sure, but the jokes portray the viola as unattractive and violists as...shall we say a little slow? |
| A violist and a violinist went for a walk in a meadow. As they walked, the violinist saw a dead crow lying on the ground. The violinist said, "Look, it's a dead crow!" The violist looked skyward and asked, "Where?" |
| Viola History Or Maybe Viola Jokes |
| Even More Shirts and Other Merchandise Available at our CafePress Store (www.CafePress.com/violin_student) and Spreadshirt Store (https://www.spreadshirt.com/shop.php?sid=4167) |
| The viola is actually a lovely instrument! Tuned a fifth lower than the violin, its ancestry goes back to the viol family. The baryton was a member of the family, and had a similar tone, but is seldom seen today. |
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| There is also evidence that the Vikings prized the viola due to its ability to ward off wild animals. The Vikings had domesticated the wolf very early. Not only had they taught the animals to herd and to protect, they had even taught the animals to read and write, and to manufacture their own clothing to stay warm through the long, Norse Winter. Anthropologists also found these items in the same village. Note the love of the animals for their masters' instruments as well! |
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| Click Picture for Purchasing Information Click Here For Even More Viola Dog Apparel. |
| The Viola has evolved. And as improvements have been made to the instrument itself, music education has kept pace so that it is now possible to produce competent violists in sufficient numbers to fill the seats in all our major symphony orchestras and major ensembles much more quickly than in the past. The innovation which has allowed this to occur is pictured below. |
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| Further innovation has produced an even more radical model, but traditional violists have protested that this goes too far...making the viola accessible to ANYONE. |
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| The resulting plethora of violists has caused some somewhat unfair criticism of the current crop of violists' mental and musical prowess. How many Violists does it take to make a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies? 10. 1 to stir the batter, the other 9 to peel the M&M's. What is the latest crime wave in New York City? Drive-by Viola recitals. What is the range of a Viola? An NFL punter can sometimes reach up to 60 yards. Soccer goalies do slightly better. It was actually our German counterparts in this activity that gave the Viola its German name. Bratsche. That's the sound the viola makes when the soccer goalie attempts another distance record. Why do so many people take an instant dislike to the Viola? It saves time. But Violas do have practical uses in today's society! |
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| And surely, the similarity in size between a Viola and A Cicket Bat is not coincidental! |
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| Here is some Viola Sheet Music you may find interesting and fun! |
| It is not well-known, but the Vikings were avid violists. They were attracted to the instrument for several reasons. The tone, they believed, was the same pitch as the voice of a good cow or a dainty Viking maiden. So when they played the viola it reminded them of home and loved ones. They also found that the instrument was useful for more than music. Archeologists found this article of clothing in the ruins of a Viking village on the coast of North America. |
| When "Oetzi" the famous glacier mummy was found in the Alps, archeologists and anthropologists were mystified by the riddle of Oetzi's nature. The major question was, "How did he get under the ice fields?" A group of leading music-anthropologists delved into the mystery, and after intense study they reached a conclusion. Oetzi was a violist. How else could the glacier have caught up with him? |
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| Some Informative Reading about Violas and Violists from Amazon. Take a Look! (I especially recommend the Tipbook!) |
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| Do You Have a Favorite Viola Joke? e-mail it to me admin @ violinstudent.com. It just might show up here!!! |
| Many people are not aware of the role the Viola played in establishing the Modern Olympic Games in 1896. Archives show that the most popular event among competitors was the Viola Throw. |
