After 3 years, I'm finding I am really struggling to play Gemmy. Gemmy is a 15 1/2 inch Gliga viola to whom I have become very attached but I really do find it hard to stretch - and fingered octaves are a complete impossibility! By the end of a 2-hour orchestra rehearsal it becomes quite painful...

I know there are always remarks that 15 1/2 inches is 'tiny' for a viola but, as I have tiny hands, it seems rather big to me! I know that some of you out there are playing on 15 inch Gligas so I just wondered how significant is the difference in size? Are the smaller ones noticeably easier to play or just a little easier? Is there much of a compromise in tone quality?

Any comments welcome...

W

Surely there is some nice dealer out there who would send you a 15 inch on approval? ;-)

I can't imagine who that might be

I have just the dealer in mind - but I was hoping to make some preliminary enquiries first...

W

OK then, preliminary observations. I doubt if you will find a vast difference in the tone when the two violas are new. BUT your viola is now three years old and will be sounding very much better than it was when it was new, so a new 15 inch is likely to be a disappointment to start with, until it's thoroughly played in.

Liz

Perhaps, rather than just looking for a smaller body, you could check out string lengths? Having the same problem of small hand for playing cello, I found that there's quite a variety out there, even amongst full size instruments. I did, in the end, though, find a smaller instrument with shorter string and it's made life a lot easier (or at least should do when I've re-learnt all the finger distances!).