(Rein Pol is a Dutch artist, from Groningen)
I just realised that I had no user pics for musical entries. Before anyone "flames" (!) me to complain about a musical instrument being burnt, I have to explain a few things ....
1. I have to out myself as a viola player (or "violist") &
2. I have to explain the whole "viola Joke" thing
The viola player is considered to be the lowest of the low in any orchestra. There are many jokes about viola players (or trombone players) - based on the assumption that we are the worst musicians, who can't play in tune and can't hack it. Viola players are just failed violin players :-) For the interested amongst you, the viola is slightly larger than a violin, ranging from 15 inches in length to 16 or 17 inches. It has 4 strings, A D G and C, and is a fifth lower than the violin. It has a glorious, deep sound and often doubles up with the cellos in an orchestra (just an octave higher). More info here
So anyway, I chose this image because it always reminds me of my favourite viola joke....
Q: What's the difference between a violin and a viola?
A: A viola burns longer.
The title of the painting is "Viola con Brio" - in musical terms, "with spirit". I love it, I have the painting on a small card and it lives on my noticeboard. I played seriously up to the age of 18, when I realised I was never going to be good enough to study it seriously at music college. I wish in a way I had kept playing, but life at University offered me the chance to do new things, which I did.
More Viola Jokes!
All My User Pics Here!
