# Looking for string quartet pieces where the viola plays the lead



## pianolearnerstride (Dec 17, 2014)

Looking for string quartet pieces where the viola is the main soloist. Any suggestions? Thanks.


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## Fagotterdammerung (Jan 15, 2015)

With due respect, in general, the string quartet literature doesn't have much solo work for any of the members except as momentary passages, especially into Romantic and 20th century works ( a number of Classical era quartets have a lot of first violin with accompaniment music, but even by mature Mozart and Haydn, it's a team effort ).

Perhaps your best bet is arrangements that give solo lines to viola. I've seen a few of these - and they're plenty easy to make yourself if you know string technique. 

Here is a set that did just that:

http://www.boosey.com/shop/prod/Various-Viola-Dream-String-Quartets-score-parts/2089254


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## pianolearnerstride (Dec 17, 2014)

Thanks Fagotterdammerung.


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## ddavewes (Dec 7, 2014)

Shostakovich's 13th quartet was dedicated to Vadim Borisovsky, violist of the Beethoven Quartet. The solo viola begins the piece. I wouldn't describe the quartet being dominated by the viola however.


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## pianolearnerstride (Dec 17, 2014)

ddavewes said:


> Shostakovich's 13th quartet was dedicated to Vadim Borisovsky, violist of the Beethoven Quartet. The solo viola begins the piece. I wouldn't describe the quartet being dominated by the viola however.


Thanks ddavewes. I will check it out.


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## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

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Dvorak, No. 12, viola is all over the place.


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