Why is the viola such an unpopular instrument?

I play the viola and the flute and find them both to be quite enjoyable, yet most people have treated viola players like dirt. Violas have longer, thicker and more lovely sounding strings that make them seem much nicer than a violin. So why has the viola, the first modern string instrument been made somewhat of a joke among musical players?

Why is the viola such an unpopular instrument?
I play in my high school's orchestra, and there are seven violists and four bass players.


This is rather strange, as one would expect to see many more violists than bass players.


However, I think that the viola is not popular because it is a "middle" instrument. This means two things.


One, the violinists and cellists get a lot more respect because they play on the edges of the orchestra. Obviously, they are the ones the audience can see most easily.


Two, the viola plays tones lower than those played by violins and higher than those played by cellos. One could argue that the first and second violins could play the high notes of the melody as well as the middle notes of the harmony and the cellos could play the low parts to keep the rest of the orchestra together, thus cutting out violists altogether. Of course, this is a foolish idea, as violists can have amazing solos as well.


Although the viola is seen as a boring instrument due to its "lack of range," I definitely respect violists, as one of my friends is an amazing viola player, and is currently playing at Juliard.
Reply:I never thought of the viola as a joke at all. I play fiddle but was taught by a woman who first played viola. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember her showing me the sheet music, and it was an alto clef, which I know is ridiculously hard to read (and if you can, that's wonderful, props to you, because I certainly can't!).





Also, viola, as a general statement tends to play second fiddle (no pun intended) in orchestra settings. Very rarely do you see violas playing the melody. I'm not saying that it's right, but more often than now, I think people take up a lead instrument if they can help it, which is often more associated with fiddles/violins.





But as a closing statement, I think the sound is absolutely beautiful and in many ways outdoes the higher strings of a violin. You're the underdog right now, my friend, keep playing!
Reply:Viola's aren't really a joke any more than violins are, and I find more people make fun of violins than violas. There are just fewer people who play the viola, so they tend to be ignored at times. The same is true for the bassoon and oboe in most ensembles.


All that matters is that you like it and how it sounds, just ignor juvenile comments from those who don't feel the same way.
Reply:Hey, keep up the viola! You're alot more likely to get scholarship money on viola than flute, simply because of the difference in numbers of competitors!





Viola's a great instrument. There's a pretty good section on them in Berry Green's "Ten Pathways"
Reply:There's an old stereotype that the really talented players would play violin, where the big money is. :)





It's no more true than any stereotype, but that's where the attitude comes from.
Reply:Maybe that's because the violin has a sound that even if you're not an expert in music you can recognize, and the same with the cello. The viola is somewhere in between a violin and a cello (in sound) and it's a little bigger than a violin, which makes it an unknown instrument for many people. I play the violin and I think the viola is a beautiful instrument and is very versatile, and I don't think is a joke among musical players. ;)
Reply:The viola..."somewhat of a joke"...


I don't find anything about the viola to be funny.


(okay, sorry i'm a nerd, bad joke!)





Ok, now, seriously...





I would think that its slightly larger size as well as density of the strings, would make it more difficult to play, and thus people would choose the violin, as an "easier" instrument to play.








Wikipedia offers this suggestion...


"Historically, the viola was used less often for solo concerti and sonatas than the violin and the cello. This was often attributed to its sound, which, being mellower and perhaps less sharp than that of the violin, was said to be less suited to virtuoso display."