Alto Clef for Violinists

8/8/2019 Alto Clef for Violinists

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EXERCISES FOR VIOLINISTS LEARNING ALTO CLEF

While various transposition schemes can help a violinist quickly play viola parts, actuallylearning 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 thesame on the staff regardless of clef, and that you already know what a printed intervalsignifies in terms of possible left hand shapes between fingers.

In the exercises below from Hans Sitts Practical Viola Method , use your visual, tactileand aural senses of interval recognition to become oriented in alto clef on viola. While itwould be possible to play these exercises exclusively by ear or tactile sense, make theadditional association of note names as you play. After learning the exercises in firstposition with open strings, play them again with 4 th fingers instead of open strings, andthen in other positions and with shifts. Test yourself by skipping around to play any bar atrandom.

The Rolla Harmonic Labyrinth can also be played to some extent by ear, but there aresurprising twists and turns, and it is valuable experience to identify each key by name asyou travel through the exercise. Try starting at various random points to test your readingskills.

Scales and arpeggios, especially those of one-octave shifting up one string, as well asSchradieck volume I, Sevcik Op. 8 shifting exercises, the first position double stopexercises by Marjorie Trott, and Violaerobics by Katrina Wreede are effective resourcesto solidify both clef reading skills and left hand accuracy. Take care to insure that the 4 th 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 intofirst and third.

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Th e c l e f r e g u l a r l y

i n d i c a t e s th e p o s i t i o nC l e f s .

The Clefs and Nota t ion for the Vio la

C C l e f ; w h i c hTreble and Bass

C

Notes that would necess i ta te cont inuous use of leger l ines above the s taff a re of ten wri t ten

in the G or Treble Clef . somet imes ca l led the Viol in Clef . ,

# * ' c u ! d b e e a s i e r t o * ' r i t e - d r e a c . t h u s : @c d e g a g e d

v c d e g a g e d

Th e four stringsl C, G D, A are tuned in 5ths, like th e Violin strings,but beginning on C, a 5th belowth e Violin "G"string. Therefore the Viola is said to be pitched a fifth lower than th e violin.

t h e i d e n t i c a l s o u n d s w o u l d b e w r i t t e n0

in the 2' and $ clefs , thus:

employed in wri t ing music for theo f " M i d d l e C ] ' a l s o s h o w n f o r s a k e

Vi o l a i s t h e A l t o o ro f c o m p a r i s o n i n t h e

Violin

Vi o l a

Ce1 lo

Th e 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 tocarry th e viola into th e high register to preserve continuity of tone color in a passaS'e' or where the

p e c u l i a r t o n e q u a l i t y o f t he v i o l a A s t r i n g w a s P u r P o s e l y s o u g h t .

? 3 0 3 6 - Y r


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The Posi t ions

TABLE OF RANGE AND FINGERING OF THE

FIRST FIVE POSITIONS

3{>

4-o-c

4{>

4-o.c

A > ( r < > r . } = g =

ffi rsrpositionC U

o

2nd posi t ion

3rd posi t ion

4t h position

5th pos i t ion

The above Table is wri t ten throughout in the Al to-c lef , whereas notes requir ing leger l inesabovethes ta

ar e generally written in the Treble clef.


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4

IntervalsSeconds

Thirds

Fourths

Fifths

Sixths


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Sevenths


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I t- , 'i V' .

1 g ; " '

Allegro non troppo A. Rolla, Giro armonico (Harmonisches abyrinth) op. p-:f, /=2 ,- .'=-i. u

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Alto Clef for Violinists