I posted this, rather pointlessly, to mouse's viola blog earlier: -

https://violaman.com/forum/for.....-10/#p2978

I think the biggest problem for me with the Bon Musica is that the flexibility of the metal body means that the friction between the feet and the violin is never enough, so that the rest is constantly moving about on the violin. The rest's body should be rigid, I feel, to prevent this.

I like the Kun and Artino expansion mechanisms (the Artino is more adjustable than the Kun). I have a need for the rest to extend over my shoulder (that was one of the original attractions of the Bon Musica), and you can achieve this, although the fastening nut becomes hard to access, but even there, since these rests are cheap, you can superglue the mechanism over your shoulder and just have the other foot adjustable.

Cheap Chinese instruments used to come with cheap wooden bows.

Nowadays it's possible they all come with cheap CF bows, if my Primavera viola is anything to go by. (perusing Fiddlershop's stock might confirm this)

I just tried out my new Coda GX viola bow on it ($900 bow on a $250 viola, lol).

Comparing the GX with the supplied cheap CF bow was very interesting.

You might argue that you don't get your money's worth, but you do get a lot of what matters for your money - the supplied bow was so supple as to be flabby, with no focus to the sound, and I assumed it was the A string that sounded horrible. With the GX there's much more focus and no problem with the A string. Further comparisons will have to wait until I can be sure the rosin loading is optimum.(neither bow came with any rosin on it)

It interests me because Pierre's review of the stiff Jon Paul Carrera is highly favourable, but I ended up with a flexible one. Now that it's obvious how poorly a flabby bow performs, I suppose one day I'll have to find a reputable supplier to supply me with a stiff JPC.

Inside my viola case.

Top: JonPaul Carrera

Coda GX

Clockwise: -

Zipped accessory bag (contains nail file, tuner, 2mm clutch pencil, eraser, rosin, earplugs, lens fluid and wipes, spare pencil leads, chinrest spanner). Spare strings beneath it.

Piece of chamois

paper tissues

French violin

Yellow cotton dusters

grey and green facecloths wrapped around music-glasses cases.

Artino shoulder rest.

The pieces my teacher and I have covered so far: -

Vivaldi Spring first two pages 8/2/24-22/2/24 (presented by me, but abandoned as too difficult)

Corelli 5.8 prelude, 8/2/24 - 15/5/24

Beethoven Spring Sonata 1st mov., 24/2/24 - 15/5/24

Elgar Salut d'Amour, 2/5/24 - 18/7/24

BWV1004 Allemanda, 15/5/24 - 15/11/24

Massenet Méditation, 18/7/24 - 21/11/24

Kreutzer #2, 21/11/24 - 14/5/25

Tchaik Lieu Cher 3, Mélodie, 19/12/24 - 14/5/25

BWV1001 Presto, 21/11/24 - ongoing

Kreutzer #3, 14/5/25 - 

Mozart K301, 14/5/25 - 

Mouse said
Some of those sound like piecesI did in cello lessons, especially the BWV's. I have the cello book for them all. I didn't get very far, or as good as I was hoping. I expected too much too fast with my cello lessons. Luckily, my last cello instructor was patient and told me to not expect it to come too quickly. He was a good instructor.

I should go back to those when I can do cello again. I could always try them on my viola, when I get back i to the swing of it. I like the pieces in that book, that were not too advanced,

Which were your favorites?

🐭

  

The viola can play either the violin or the cello pieces without too much trouble, apart from the obvious one of being able to play stuff that hard.

The BWV1001 is my favourite so far, followed closely by Beethoven and Massenet, although the Massenet is becoming overplayed. In fact our string orchestra's second desk wants to solo it at our next concert. At the rehearsal she was very nervous, so I don't know if she'll go through with it.

The BWV1001 adagio is a traditional grade 8 piece over here (I've played through it occasionally, but not practised it), so if I can persuade my teacher to do the fugue, that will be most of that sonata covered.

Here' the QR code.

It would be interesting to know if any of you can scan it. I've emailed the orchestra's sec, but she hasn't replied. I guess it's unimportant - these flyers were probably identical before QR codes were invented.