Piano Explored & ‘scordatura’ tuning

Are you familiar with ‘scordatura’ tuning? A literal translation from the Italian is ‘mistuning’ but that has rather negative connotations. In this video, LMP Principal Violist Judith Busbridge and pianist Howard Shelley discuss this method of retuning a viola to get a certain timbre of the note.

They will be performing Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola K364 in Eb at the London Mozart Players’ Piano Explored concert on Wednesday 12th December at St John’s Smith Square at 1.05pm.

In this glorious piece, Mozart gives the soloists absolutely equal billing but he brightened the viola with a scordatura tuning – ie, with the strings tuned up a semitone. While this is a vital ingredient for gut strings, the metal-strung modern viola does not necessarily need this tweak – so which will Judith play Eb or D?

Come along for the best lunch break in town!