Like its larger brethren the double bass, the viola is often viewed as one of the awkward cousins of the string family when it comes to solo or chamber compositions. Instead, the viola is often relegated to the inner voices and focused on supporting rolls. While it's true that there have been plenty of sub-par compositions for the instrument, and there have been a number of viola soloists whose sound is not completely flattering, neither is the case on this album. Composer Arnold Bax, who is usually more well known for his ...
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Like its larger brethren the double bass, the viola is often viewed as one of the awkward cousins of the string family when it comes to solo or chamber compositions. Instead, the viola is often relegated to the inner voices and focused on supporting rolls. While it's true that there have been plenty of sub-par compositions for the instrument, and there have been a number of viola soloists whose sound is not completely flattering, neither is the case on this album. Composer Arnold Bax, who is usually more well known for his orchestral compositions, is highly gifted at writing to the strengths of the viola and suppressing the instrument's shortcomings. Likewise, violist Martin Outram produces an extremely satisfying sound. His playing on the G and C strings is robust and throaty without ever being muddy. Passages on the A string remain clear but never nasal, as can often be the case. Put these two components together and the result is very enjoyable chamber music CD. The two works on the album featuring...
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