[Teraflame]

I love the sound of the viola but don't have many songs with them in prominence. So recommend away!

 

[kodreaming]

My favor one would be Telemann-Viola Concerto in G Major. I assume you are talking about classical music.

 

[mbhaub]

Get Berlioz's Harold in Italy -- a viola concerto in all but name.

 

[legatedm]

Kim Kashkashian playing a couple of Hindemith pieces (Hindemiith loved playing the viola) - Amazon.com: Hindemith: Sonatas for viola/piano & viola alone: Paul Hindemith,Robert Levin,Kim Kashkashian: Music

 

[calaf]

Bartok wrote a sweet Viola concerto just before dying. I have the Menuhin/Dorati recording which is available with a ton of Bartok's violin music as an EMI Duo

 

[pdennis]

I second the Hindemith recommendation, if you have any taste for 20th century music.

An alternative to the sonatas already suggested would be some larger scale works: his concerto and Kammermusik No. 5 are terrific viola vehicles. Look here.

 

[pdennis]

A followup... if you're not into 20th century music, are sensitive to dissonance, etc. then you might still like Debussy. One of the earliest composers to write for solo viola, and his trio for flute, viola and harp is quite beautiful. I haven't heard this disc, but it has the Debussy and it looks like some bonuses too.

 

[FalconP]

This looks extremely interesting.

 

[calaf]

let's not forget the grandma of the Viola, namely the Viola da Gamba. I guess this is as good as it gets as an introduction to its sound

 

[majid]

Brahms has some viola sonatas. Magnatunes sells lossless versions of them played by Shlomo Mintz and Itamar Golan.

Walton, Penderecki and Schnittke have also written concerti for viola.

 

[MTL]

Frank Bridge and Benjamin Britten also composed wonderful music for the viola.

 

[FalconP]

A beautiful work that is part of the standard repertoire of the viola is Shostakovich's very last composition: the viola sonata. I love the rendition of Mintz:

 

[Rlynn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdennis /img/forum/go_quote.gif A followup... if you're not into 20th century music, are sensitive to dissonance, etc. then you might still like Debussy. One of the earliest composers to write for solo viola, and his trio for flute, viola and harp is quite beautiful. I haven't heard this disc, but it has the Debussy and it looks like some bonuses too.

I have this disc and can recommend it. Very nice ensemble playing and an excellent program. Modern without being difficult. I purchased it for the Takemitsu, but really like the Britten Lachrymae also.

Cathy Basrak has this interesting CD: American Viola Works.

 

[MTL]

Oh, and while talking of Debussy: both, him and Arnold Bax wrote terrific trios for flute, viola and harp (and both in 1915/16, btw).

 

[JohnFerrier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rlynn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cathy Basrak has this interesting CD: American Viola Works.

Interesting label Cedille Records. Thanks for the lead.

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Regarding the recommendation of Berlioz's Harold in Italy, I look for a modern realization to add to the collection.

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Other than that, I found ... ?risonanze!... in my collection. Written in 1996-7, it's current day aesthetics. (Though relistening to it, it's relatively light.) The disc contains smaller works of a capable artist.