EXERCISES FOR VIOLINISTS LEARNING ALTO CLEF While various transposition schemes can help a violinist quickly play

viola parts, actually learning to read the clef aids in passages with accidentals and facilitates choice of fingerings higher than first position. First, learn to recognize the printed notes corresponding to the open string pitches. Then, build on the fact that intervals look the same on the staff regardless of clef, and that you already know what a printed interval signifies in terms of possible left hand shapes between fingers. In the exercises below from Hans Sitts Practical Viola Method, use your visual, tactile and aural senses of interval recognition to become oriented in alto clef on viola. While it would be possible to play these exercises exclusively by ear or tactile sense, make the additional association of note names as you play. After learning the exercises in first position with open strings, play them again with 4th fingers instead of open strings, and then in other positions and with shifts. Test yourself by skipping around to play any bar at random. The Rolla Harmonic Labyrinth can also be played to some extent by ear, but there are surprising twists and turns, and it is valuable experience to identify each key by name as you travel through the exercise. Try starting at various random points to test your reading skills. Scales and arpeggios, especially those of one-octave shifting up one string, as well as Schradieck volume I, Sevcik Op. 8 shifting exercises, the first position double stop exercises by Marjorie Trott, and Violaerobics by Katrina Wreede are effective resources to solidify both clef reading skills and left hand accuracy. Take care to insure that the 4th finger plays high enough in first position to match the corresponding open string. Notice which keys fall more naturally into second, half positions and fourth positions than into first and third.

The Clefs and Notation for the Viola

The clef regularly indicates the position Clef s. employed in writing music for the Viola is the Alto or C Clef; which "Middle of C ] ' a l s o s h o w n f o r s a k e o f c o m p a r i s o n i n t h e Treble and Bass

C
Notes that would necessitate continuous use of leger lines in the G or Treble Clef. sometimes called the Violin Clef., above the staff are often written

# c d e g a g e d

*'cu!dbeeasierto*'rite a-d reac.thus: @ v

c d e g a g e d

The four stringsl C, G D, A are tuned in 5ths, like the Violin strings,but beginning on C, a 5th below "G"string. Therefore the Viola is said to be pitched a fifth lower than the violin. the Violin the identical sounds would
0

be written

in the 2' and $ clefs, thus:

Violin

Vi ola

Ce1lo

The full orchestral compass of the Viola

is as follows:

but the extreme upper notes would preferably be written for the violins except where it is necessary to carry the viola into the high register to preserve continuity of tone color in a passaS'e' or where the peculiar tone quality of the viola A string was PurPosely sought. ?3036- Yr

15

The Positions
TABLE OF RANGE AND FINGERING OF THE F IRST FIVE POSITIONS

3 {>

ffi
CU
o

rsrposition

2nd position

-o-

c
3rd position

4 <> {>
4th position

c
5th position

-o.

The above Table is written throughout inthe Alto-clef, are generally written in the Treble clef.

whereas notes requiring leger linesabovethestaff

>

<

>

Seconds

Intervals

Thirds

Fourths

Fifths

Sixths

Sevenths

I t-,

'i

V'.

1g

;"

'
A. Rolla, Giro armonico (Harmonisches Labyrinth) op. posth.
-:f, /=2 ,<>.'=-i. u<2

Allegro non troppo