Violin vs. Viola Playing the Same Pieces

Playing the exact same pieces on Violin and Viola to show their differences in tone, range, character, and playability.

Pieces performed:
Bach Cello Suite no. 1 in G major "Prelude"
Bach Violin Partita no. 3 in E major "Prelude"
Hindemith Viola Sonata Opus 11 no. 4
Beethoven Violin Sonata "Spring"
Walton Viola Concerto
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Kreisler "Liebesleid"

The violin is worth about 3x as much money as the viola used in this video. The viola is 16.75” which is about 2.75” longer than the average violin.

[lexilight]

As a violist reading these comments- I am so happy that viola is finally not slandered 😁

[giocosovelasco]

I can't put my finger on it, but I feel that the viola has a more thick tone than the violin. I never thought I'd say this but as a part of violin gang, I am now compelled to play viola lol

[josequins]

The viola sounds much richer and thicker. Like the difference between milk and cream. Just beautiful.

[elissahunt]

Both instruments are beautiful in their own way, but viola will always have my heart. 😍

[wreckoo]

A year ago I watched this video and as a member of violin gang I realized how warm and rich the tone of the viola is. Proud to say im a violist of...two weeks!

[nikolapetricevic]

Awesome playing. I personally prefer Viola, it has a more mellow, darker and rounded tone, while Violin is more piercing and can get kinda scratchy sounding. Both are great but I preffer the Viola. Thank you for the showcase!

[arianavasquez]

fit into society: violin
be happy: viola
🎻💖

[AstraLuxfera]

I play Violin, Viola, and Cello. I started with Violin as a child... the violin feels empty, shrill, lacking resonance. The Cello feels thick, bassy, and thunderous. The Viola is perfection- smooth, warm, dark, resonant, expressive.

[Amcsae]

Viola all the way!
Sincerely,
a cellist.

[elodieandre]

As both a violin and viola player, I've always felt that playing both was very similar and yet very different... Making the strings resonate correctly depending on the instrument requires lots of adjustments, some major, and some very small and yet essential!
Congrats on showing how those two beautiful instruments sound!

[matthiascheah]

As a violinist who not long ago started learning the viola, and fell in love with its voice, it always feels like I'm sort of cheating on my wife.. but I don't think I am going to stop anytime soon ;)

[CarlCiullaBenavides]

I’m a violinist of 18 years now and I absolutely love the viola!

[dragonrider]

Listening to them back to back shows the violins more chirpy almost overtone nature vs the viola with it's more rounded and softer notes, found out I prefer the viola more today

[danbuter]

I like both, but I have to say the viola is warmer and I'd enjoy listening to it for longer periods of time.

[britcommom]

You play both brilliantly, but the viola does each piece with more gravitas. Sibelius is awesome on viola.

[bettywyatt]

I loved this! Whenever I see violin-viola comparison videos, they always have the violin example be some difficult, classical piece then the viola comparison a completely different piece, style, techniques, tone, and note range so you don’t even know the difference because how could you compare the instruments using two different overall styles instead of what the same piece would sound on two different instruments.

[keishiafells]

The best way I can explain it to me is the Viola is September-December; and the Violin is January - April. Both are necessary and special in it own way.

[ALoonwolf]

Apparently the viola is the wrong size for the sound that it makes, but comparing it with the violin that really doesn't seem to matter at all. The viola gets it done!

[geee]

Both are great instruments, I am glad I chose viola though.

[Spnlgrl]

I might be biased being a Violist but I think it's so much richer and has a real deep tone compared to the Violin. The Viola just calls to me😊I feel it in my bones🥰