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The Viola Joke

Mark Seow explores the origins of the 鈥渧iola joke鈥�, from the 18th century. But the viola wasn鈥檛 laughed at by everyone. There's a rich solo canon for the instrument, as we find out.

What do you call someone who hangs around musicians? A viola player (lol)!

Mark Seow explores the historical roots for the 鈥渧iola joke鈥�, which goes back to at least 1752 when Johann Joachim Quantz wrote that 鈥渟o few violists devote as much industry to their work as they should... remaining chained to the viola to the end of their lives鈥�.

But the viola wasn鈥檛 considered a lowly instrument by everyone. It possessed a range and timbral quality that many Baroque composers associated with tenderness and love 鈥� made explicit by its stranger cousin, the viola d鈥檃more.

In this programme, we hear the viola come into its own as a sonorous solo instrument in music by Telemann, Bach, Biber, Rosenm眉ller and others.

Presented by Mark Seow, with jokes from comedians Helen Arney and Jonathan Mayor.

To listen to this programme using most smart speakers just say "Ask 蜜芽传媒 Sounds to play The Early Music Show".

59 minutes

Last on

Sun 23 Feb 2025 17:00
蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Viola Concerto in G major, TWV 51 G9, 1st movement

    Performer: Simon Standage. Orchestra: Collegium Musicum 90.
    • Chandos.

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Viola Concerto in G Major, TWV 51:G9: IV. Presto

    Performer: Alfonso Leal Del Ojo. Director: Harry Bicket. Orchestra: The English Concert.
    • Dall'Abaco, Porpora, Marcello, Tartini & Telemann: Concertos.
    • Signum Classics.

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Concerto in G major TWV.52:G3

    Performer: Antoine Tamestit. Performer: Sabine Fehlandt. Ensemble: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin. Director: Bernhard Forck.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Sinfonia from Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel f盲llt, BWV 18

    Singer: Barbara Schlick. Singer: Kai Wessel. Singer: Christoph Pr茅gardien. Singer: Klaus Mertens. Choir: Amsterdam Baroque Choir. Orchestra: Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Ton Koopman.
    • Challenge Classics.

  • Heinrich Biber

    Allamanda and Courante from Mensa sonora Pars 1

    Ensemble: Musica Antiqua K枚ln. Conductor: Reinhard Goebel.
    • Archiv Produktion.

  • Johann Rosenm眉ller

    Sonata da camera No 4 in G minor

    Ensemble: Acronym.
    • Olde Focus Recordings.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Largo e pianissimo, La Primavera movement 2

    Performer: Rachel Podger. Ensemble: Brecon Baroque.
    • CHANNEL.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Gloria Patri from Nisi Dominus, RV 608

    Ensemble: Ensemble Matheus. Singer: Philippe Jaroussky. Director: Jean鈥怌hristophe Spinosi.
    • Naive.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Ergiesse dich reichlich, du gottliche Quelle (Cantata BWV.5)

    Singer: James Gilchrist. Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Director: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Bach Cantatas.
    • SDG.
    • 10.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    "Ich bin deine" from La脽t uns sorgen, la脽t uns wachen, BWV 213

    Singer: Robin Blaze. Singer: Makoto Sakurada. Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan. Director: Masaaki Suzuki.
    • BIS.

Broadcast

  • Sun 23 Feb 2025 17:00
    蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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