Igudesman's first piece for solo viola played by Aliona!!!
Channel: Aleksey Igudesman
Date: 2023-09-08

get sheet music here: https://www.universaledition.com/violamania-for-viola-igudesman-aleksey-ue38026

"Romance" from "Violamania" performed by Aliona Komarovskaya.

The viola is a beautiful instrument. In spite of all the viola jokes. Or perhaps even because of them. When it’s played well, it’s a great and wonderful surprise!

The viola’s range goes up nearly as high as a violin, but having that beautiful Cstring at the bottom gives it the role of the tenor of the string instruments. Inthe world of opera, tenors are often the butt of jokes. 

Yet in spite of the all thetenor jokes, they are still the most sought-after singers.What many may not realise is that the viola came first. Not the chicken. Northe egg. Before there was any mention of a violin or a cello, people all playedviola. Admittedly, it had a different shape – or shapes, more like it. Every stringinstrument was a sort of viola at the beginning: Viola d’amore, viola da gambaand viola da braccio. 

The latter, later split into the violin (small viola) and inGerman: Bratsche. So you see, contrary to the myth, this German word does notderive from the sound it makes when you sit on it!However, I was not only inspired by the beautiful instrument but also bysome of the beautiful people who play it. This time it’s personal. Each piece isdedicated to a friend of mine, all of whom I have known for years and all ofthem viola players. 

Okay, I cheated a little, some of them also play the violin, butthe viola is still an instrument they play constantly and with great passion.Some of these pieces are simple and melodic, others are highly virtuosic. Thepiece for Antoine Tamestit, was performed by him at the end of his solo violarecital as the grand finale. 

Brexit Polka was Lawrence Power’s idea. It quotesone or two seconds from all of the national anthems of the European Unionand has the British National Anthem, as their somewhat disturbing counterpart,interrupting them.When I was looking for the right person to design the cover for Violamania, Icame across the extraordinary artist, Annamaria Kowalsky. Besides being apainter and photographer, she also happens to be a viola player and composer.

As her Facebook profile picture she has a photo of herself with an amazingpainting of hers and a text saying: ‘I am still a musician. I am just using my fullpotential.’ And that could easily be the credo of my life.