The viola long stood in the violin's shadow — the “undervoice,” the “secondary” voice of the orchestra. But the 20th century rehabilitated it: outstanding viola soloists emerged (Yuri Bashmet, Lionel Tertis, William Primrose), and composers began writing viola concertos.
The viola's sound is distinctive: not brilliant like the violin, but warm, deep, slightly melancholy. It is often called the “human voice” of the string quartet. Paul Hindemith — himself a distinguished violist — left the viola a whole series of sonatas and concertos full of deep thought. The Ukrainian violist Mykhailo Maliutkov is one of the most prominent contemporary performers.
