Traditional Tunes for Viola
Folk Viola Sheet Music
I have published three packs of digital (pdf) sheet music for traditional tunes for viola. These packs are different from other packs of folk viola music because every tune comes in two versions:
- A solo version optimised for viola, which you can play by yourself or in a group where you’re the main melody instrument. This version is transposed down a fifth, to fit on the viola using the same fingering that would be used on a violin.
- A session version that’s for playing with other people (e.g. fiddle players) who will usually play the tune in a different key to the one that’s ideally suited to a viola. This version takes the guess-work out of which octave to play the tune in.
Both versions come with chord symbols, and are written in alto clef. They are all playable in first position on the viola.
You can buy each volume separately, or you can get all three together in a bundle at a discounted price.
Some tunes even have two session versions that you can choose between, when the tune will work well in multiple octaves.
Here's a video of 'Out on the Ocean' as an example of how it works:
There are 40 tunes included in each pack. They are:
Volume 1
South Wind
The Road to Lisdoonvarna
The Blackthorn Stick
The Rights of Man
The Banshee
The Silver Spear
The Butterfly
St Anne's Reel
Morrison's Jig
The Kesh
Maid Behind the Bar
Swallowtail Jig
The Blarney Pilgrim
Banish Misfortune
Out on the Ocean
Merry Blacksmith
Si Beag Si Mhor
Planxty Hewlett
Fanny Power
Planxty Irwin
Drummond Castle
Tam Lin
Drowsy Maggie
Atholl Highlanders
Cooley’s Reel
Full Rigged Ship
New Rigged Ship
Fairy Dance
Tenpenny Bit
Hole in the Wall
Bear Dance
Argeers
Three Around Three
Bransle de Chevaux / Horses' Brawl
Boys of Bluehill
Cuckoo’s Nest
Princess Royal
Because He Was a Bonny Lad
Rusty Gully
Morpeth Rant
Volume 2
Ballydesmond Polka
Boys of the Town
Britches Full of Stitches
Coleman’s
Connaughtman’s Rambles
Cuckold Come Out the Amrey
Dennis Murphy’s
Down by the Salley Gardens
Du’s Bun Lang Awa An A’m Tocht Lang Ta See Dee
Dusty Windowsill
Egan’s Polka
Farewell to Whisky
Flowers of Edinburgh
Go to Berwick, Johnny
Gravel Walks
Harvest Home
Haste to the Wedding
John Ryan’s Polka
Kid on the Mountain, The
Kitty Lie Over
Lark in the Morning
Maggie in the Woods
Margaret’s Waltz
The Miller's Maggot
Mountain Road
Mrs McLeod of Raasay
Mug of Brown Ale
My Darling Asleep
Off to California
Old Favourite (Kilfenora)
Peacock Follow the Hen
Rakes of Kildare
Redesdale Hornpipe
Sir John Fenwick’s
Sportsman’s Hornpipe
Star of Munster, The
Tobin’s Favourite
Tripping Upstairs
Wind That Shakes the Barley, The
Winyadepla
Volume 3
All in a Garden Green
The Bellingham Boat
The Boy in the Boat
The Brown-Sailed Boat
Cam Ye O’er Frae France
Captain O’Kane
Carolan’s Concerto
Carolan’s Welcome
The Cliffs of Moher
The Cup of Tea
Dearest Dicky
Drive the Cold Winter Away
A Fig for a Kiss
The Fox and the Geese
The Geese in the Bog
Green Mountain Petronella
Highland Boat Song
Hunting the Squirrel
I Have Two Yellow Goats
I Rowed Up in a Dory
I Was Born For Sport
Ievan Polka
Jenny Dang the Weaver
The Lady on the Boat
The Longacre
The Maid on the Green
Maids of Castlebar
Mazurka La Pleau
The Merry Sisters
Metsäkukkia
Newcastle
Niel Gow’s Lament for His Second Wife
Nonesuch
The Parson’s Farewell
The Pretty Girls of Mayo
The Price of a Pig
The Princess Royal
Scotch Cap
The Twisted Bridge
The Vandals of Hammerwich