ISBN 9781619112643. Great performers have proven that the viola can be successfully used for playing not only classic music, but also symphonic or chamber music from the classical, romantic or modern 36 period just as well as any other musical instrument. No longer is the contemporary repertoire considered unfit for the viola. This collection contains music which has been adapted and arranged especially for the viola. Ideal for the beginning player, it focuses on simple, well known melodies which are both easy and enjoyable. The arranger has carefully chosen the best keys for viola and therefore many songs are not in the keys in which they were originally written. A number of other adaptations have also been introduced to make the music more suitable for performance on the viola. The structure of the music has not been altered. The selections in the beginning of this book use more the treble clef than alto clef, making them easier for beginners and violinists transferring to viola. The piano accompaniment is available as a free download.

The work Selbstbildnis [Self Portrait] was composed in 1989 at the suggestion of the viola player Gunter Pretzel who was in search of compositions reflecting other pieces of music. The Prelude from Bach's first Suite for violoncello solo should be included in my composition. As a starting point, I chose a theme from my opera Sturmnacht [Stormy Night], thus combining two very significant personal things: the story of my first full-length opera and my love of Johann Sebastian Bach whose music I, as son of a church musician, grew up with. Back then, his portrait hung above my piano. Wolfgang-Andreas Schultz