A evolução da viola na criação musical do século XX

Abstract

Analyze the history, the technique and the teaching of the bow viola, one has to face total lack of a specific Brazilian bibliography. In addition to this, there is the fact that the teaching of the viola is more or less 100 years behind the teaching of other instruments. The viola became a major subject at the School of Music at U.F.R.J. (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) in 1988, while in Europe, it had been a major since the end of the 19th century. The foundation of the School of Music at U.F.R.J. happened in 1848, when Francisco Manuel da Silva inaugurated the classes at the Conservatory, which the Imperial Government authorized to found, through the passing of the Decree n. 238, of November 27, 1841. This Decree was regulated by the Decree n. 496, of January 21, 1947. The date of August 13, 1948 happens to be, then, the initial mark of the existence of this House (Azevedo, 1950, p. 81). It is worthwhile mentioning that famous works like "Harold en Italie", by Hector Berlioz and the "Sonata par la Grand Viola and Orchestra" by Niccolè Paganini were written at the time our Imperial Conservatory of Music was founded. The spreading of the symphonism started very late among us. It was not before the beginning of this Century that the great master Francisco Braga took the first steps into the divulgation of the symphonic repertoire. Our principal orchestras are, in average, 60 years old. Since 1920, composers like Villa-Lobos, Francisco Mignone, Camargo Guarnieri, Radamés Gnattli, Guerra Peixe, among others, have been writing works in which the parts for the viola demand a deep knowledge of the instrument from the violist. However, the teaching of the viola was done by violin teachers, which leads us to infer that the viola was considered similar to the violin by all. In spite of all these obstacles, which come up against the accomplishment of this work, we believe we are giving out a contribution to this instrument and, this way, we are stopping a gap, after so much time the viola has been forgetten by those who saw it, or still see it, in a reversed way.