I don't know anything about classical music, and yet the names Perlman, Du Pre, Ma, Rostropovich, and Heifetz are familiar to me because the violin and cello makes soloists world famous. Between the two instruments is the viola, which, while vital to an orchestra, seems largely disregarded as a solo instrument. Is it fair to say nobody gets world famous playing the viola, and that compared to kindred instruments, it's sort of disregarded? |