Viola
The viola is the tenor instrument of the string family, with violins being compared to soprano and alto voices and cellos and basses being compared to baritone and bass voices.
The viola has 3 of the same strings (and at the same octave) as the violin--G, D, and A. In addition, it has the exact same strings as the cello (C, G, D, A), but it sounds 1 octave higher than the cello.
The standard size for a viola is 15-1/2 to 16 inches (that's the measurement from the top of the body to the bottom). A violin can be strung as a viola if the regular body is too big for a musician to hold. Experimenters have tried to increase the size of the viola, in the interest of improving the instrument's sound. Hermann Ritter's viola alta, which measured about 19 inches, was intended for use in operas by Richard Wagner.
The viola has 3 of the same strings (and at the same octave) as the violin--G, D, and A. In addition, it has the exact same strings as the cello (C, G, D, A), but it sounds 1 octave higher than the cello.
The standard size for a viola is 15-1/2 to 16 inches (that's the measurement from the top of the body to the bottom). A violin can be strung as a viola if the regular body is too big for a musician to hold. Experimenters have tried to increase the size of the viola, in the interest of improving the instrument's sound. Hermann Ritter's viola alta, which measured about 19 inches, was intended for use in operas by Richard Wagner.