# String Orchestra



## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

Do you think that it is a good idea to have two viola sections in a string orchestra? In the baroque period there were sometimes two, and it allows for greater harmony and texture.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

I'm not sure I've ever seen an orchestra rocking 2x your average 14 seater viola section! You might want to differentiate two sections and two parts

Brandenburg 6 has the 2 viola concertante parts but otherwise I'm not aware of the practice in baroque era music - I ain't no baroque scholar tho. Mozart goes two viola parts in his quintets which is nice and then this became a popular combo. For orchestral, there's always divisi - one section but multiple parts.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

dgee said:


> You might want to differentiate two sections and two parts


That was the idea - otherwise the violas would overpower everything else. Thank you for your reply though.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

MoonlightSonata said:


> Do you think that it is a good idea to have two viola sections in a string orchestra? In the baroque period there were sometimes two, and it allows for greater harmony and texture.


Composers of late romantic music often divided the string section up many times over. Richard Strauss in particular was fond of this:








The first violins, second violins, violas, and cellos are all divided up into three sections each, to get a very rich sound.


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

One of my favorites of this type of scoring is Ralph Vaughn Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. It is scored for double string orchestra and each orchestra is often divided into divisi parts. Very lush and has many goosebump moments.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Another nice British piece of that type is Tippett's Concerto for Double String Orchestra. I'm often not so fond of Tippett's music, but this is a great piece, especially the slow movement.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Mozart's String Quintets ~ 'Nuff said


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

YES i have heard music like string sextets that have 2 violas that sound great .There are string quintets that use 2 violas as well.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Mahlerian said:


> Composers of late romantic music often divided the string section up many times over. Richard Strauss in particular was fond of this:
> View attachment 40305
> 
> 
> The first violins, second violins, violas, and cellos are all divided up into three sections each, to get a very rich sound.


Re: Divisi strings, Ditto Debussy, Ravel, etc.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

Thank you everyone. I will (hopefully) post my work for this orchestra when it is finished.


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