t, the viola varied in size and style, as did its names.

The word viola originates from the Italian language.

The Italians often used the term viola da braccio meaning literally: 'of the arm'. "Brazzo" was another
Italian word for the viola, which the Germans adopted as Bratsche. The French had their own names:
cinquiesme was a small viola, haute contre was a large viola, and taile was a tenor. Today, the French
use the term alto, a reference to its range.

The viola was popular in the heyday of five-part harmony, up until the eighteenth century, taking three
lines of the harmony and occasionally playing the melody line. Music for the viola differs from most
other instruments in that it primarily uses the alto clef. When viola music has substantial sections in a
higher register, it switches to the treble clef to make it easier to read.

The viola often plays the "inner voices" in string quartets and symphonic writing, and it is more likely
than the first violin to play accompaniment parts. The viola occasionally plays a major, soloistic role in
orchestral music. Examples include the symphonic poem Don Quixote, by Richard Strauss, and the
symphony/concerto Harold en Italie, by Hector Berlioz. In the earlier part of the 20th century, more
composers began to write for the viola, encouraged by bouts and deeper ribs to promote a better tone,
is another slightly "nonstandard" shape that allows the player to use a larger instrument. Many
experiments with the acoustics of a viola, particularly increasing the size of the body, have resulted in a
much deeper tone, making it resemble the tone of a cello. Since many composers wrote for a
traditional-sized viola, particularly in orchestral music, changes in the tone of a viola can have
unintended consequences upon the balance in ensembles.

One of the most notable makers of violas of the twentieth century was Englishman A. E. Smith, whose
violas are sought after and highly valued. Many of his violas remain in Australia, his country of residence,
where during some decades the violists of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra had a dozen of them in their
section.

More recent (and more radically shaped) innovations have addressed the ergonomic problems
associated with playing the viola by making it shorter and lighter, while finding ways to keep the
traditional sound. These include the Otto Erdesz "cutaway" viola, which has one shoulder cut out to
make shifting easier;[9] the "Oak Leaf" viola, which has two extra bouts; viol-shaped violas such as
Joseph Curtin's "Evia" model, which also uses a moveable neck and maple-veneered carbon fibre back,
to reduce weight:[10] violas played in the same manner as cellos (see vertical viola); and the eye-
catching "Dalí-esque" shapes of both Bernard Sabatier's violas in fractional sizes—which appear to have
melted—and David Rivinus' Pellegrina model violas.[11]

Other experiments that deal with the "ergonomics vs. sound" problem have appeared. The American
composer Harry Partch fitted a viola with a cello neck to allow the use of his 43-tone scale, called the
"adapted viola". Luthiers have also created five-stringed violas, which allow a greater playing range.
Method of playing

Playing a 43 cm (17 in) viola in 3rd position.

Bow frogs, top to bottom: violin, viola, cello

A person who plays the viola is called a violist or a viola player. The technique required for playing a
viola has certain differences compared with that of a violin, partly because of its larger size: the notes
are spread out farther along the fingerboard and often require different fingerings. The viola's less
responsive strings and the heavier bow warrant a somewhat different bowing technique, and a violist
has to lean more intensely on the strings.[12]

The viola is held in the same manner as the violin; however, due to its larger size, some adjustments
must be made to accommodate. The viola, just like the violin, is placed on top of the left shoulder
between the shoulder and the left side of the face (chin). Because of the viola's size, violists with short
arms tend to use smaller-sized instruments for easier playing. The most immediately noticeable
adjustments that a player accustomed to playing the violin has to make are to use wider-spaced
fingerings. It is common for some players to use a wider and more intense vibrato in the left hand,
facilitated by employing the fleshier pad of the finger rather than the tip, and to hold the bow and right
arm farther away from the player's body. A violist must bring the left elbow farther forward or around,
so as to reach the lowest string, which allows the fingers to press firmly and so create a clearer tone.
Different positions are often used, including half position.

The viola is strung with thicker gauge strings than the violin.[13] This, combined with its larger size and
lower pitch range, results in a deeper and mellower tone. However, the thicker strings also mean that
the viola responds to changes in bowing more slowly. Practically speaking, if a violist and violinist are
playing together, the violist must begin moving the bow a fraction of a second sooner than the violinist.
The thicker strings also mean that more weight must be applied with the bow to make them vibrate.

The viola's bow has a wider band of horsehair than a violin's bow, which is particularly noticeable nthe
emergence of specialized soloists such as Lionel Tertis and William Primrose. English composers Arthur
Bliss, York Bowen, Benjamin Dale, Frank Bridge, Benjamin Britten, Rebecca Clarke and Ralph Vaughan
Williams all wrote substantial chamber and con