Absolute viola

The viola has always played a supporting role in a symphony concert, so the world's greatest living violist, Yuri Bashmet, stunned Shanghai music lovers and received a standing ovation just two weeks ago.

Now 24 violists from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music will again demonstrate the possibilities of the gentle-voiced instrument in a rare concert on January 26 that will be 100-percent absolute viola.

The viola is a "middle-voice" instrument between the higher-timbre violin and the deeper cello.

Russian master Bashmet himself last month compared the violin's voice to that of a young woman, the cello's to that of a mature man, and the viola's to the "gentlest man of all."

"It's not easy to stage a viola-only concert because the instrument has long been neglected as an important instrument," says local music critic Li Yanhuan.

Bigger than a violin but with a richer, more mellow timbre, the viola is an instrument with limitations, as well as possibilities. It has a far smaller repertoire than the violin and rare opportunities to stage as a solo instrument.

Shanghai Conservatory of Music opened the first major for viola in China since the 1960s and has nurtured a lot of talented violists, says Li.

The repertoire for the 100-percent viola concert will include solos, duos, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets and septets - and a 24-piece ensemble.

The concert will begin with viola variations on China's popular folk song "Jasmine Flower" and "Pastoral Sha Han-Kun" adapted from an eastern Mongolian folk theme. The repertoire includes Frank Bridge's "Lament for Two Violas," Vladimir Rosinski's "Music for Three Violas" and Richard Strauss' "String Sextet Cappricioso Op. 85."

Some pieces, such as Handel's "Passacaglia," were first for violin and viola, then adapted by these Shanghai musicians for pure viola interpretations, says Li.

He looks forward to the adaption of "Passacaglia" by Professor Ding Zhinuo from the conservatory to for 24 violas. A Strauss' "Emperor's Waltz" was adapted for 12 violas in an unusual work.

"Viola is an instrument with heavenly sound, very humanized but hard to play well," says Li. "There's a wrong stereotype that viola is a choice of those musicians who are incapable of playing a violin well. Actually most of the viola maestros that I'm familiar with were formerly professional violinists."

Date: January 26, 7:30pm
Venue: Shanghai Concert Hall, 523 Yan'an Rd E.
Tickets: 80-300 yuan
Tel: 021-6217-2426