Intro to the Viola

With its rich, warm, textural sound, the viola may be the most versatile and complex member of the strings family. As the instrument closest in pitch and fluidity to the human voice, this cousin of the violin appears in everything from timeless chamber music to 20th-century composition, adding emotional resonance wherever it goes. This tour through notable pieces written for or featuring the viola—from a broad range of composers and eras—handily shows off the viola's inherent facility for passion, romanticism, agitation and comfort in equal measure.