Brahms, el romanticismo y el desarrollo potencial de la viola

The viola has played a different role from the violin in the development of chordophones, this has also impacted on its social recognition; however, its sonorous and expressive potential has been evident throughout the centuries. With the appearance of different artistic styles, composers have been used the instrument in a creative way, expanding their technical-expressive capacities, which has favored a higher level of preparation in the interpreters and their ability in the mastery of musical repertoires. They not only welcome new works, but also project new challenges. This work aims to recognize the role of romanticism as an aesthetic movement in the promotion of the broad compositional and interpretative growth of the viola, from some compositions for the chamber music of Johannes Brahms. As a methodological strategy, historiographic review, contextual analysis, and document analysis are combined, highlighting the place of the viola in the instrumental ensemble, its leading role and the Brahms compositions for this musical instrument.