Eccles Sonata in G minor for Viola and String Orchestra

Eccles's Sonata in G minor is one of the most satisfying Baroque works in the standard viola repertoire: a multi-movement piece with genuine contrast between its lyrical slow movements and the energy of its faster sections, and music that sits very naturally on the viola. This arrangement expands the accompaniment from the existing piano part into a string orchestra, using Paul Wood's standard approach of keeping the harmonic structure intact and rewriting the textures for strings throughout.

At Grade 6, the Sonata asks for a clear understanding of Baroque style alongside its specific technical demands. The lyrical movements need singing, sustained phrasing with attention to the long line, and the kind of tone control that Baroque music asks for differently from Romantic repertoire. The faster sections bring quick right-hand passagework and string crossings that need clean, articulate bow technique. Baroque phrasing runs through everything: the ornamentation, the articulation, the way phrases begin and end. For a player developing an understanding of period style, this sonata is genuinely useful repertoire.

The string orchestra accompaniment supports the viola throughout without overwhelming it, which matters in Baroque music where the solo line needs room to breathe and ornament. The textures are rewritten to be idiomatic for strings while remaining in keeping with the style of the original.

At 10 minutes it works well as a centrepiece in a school or conservatoire concert, and it brings something different to a programme that might otherwise be weighted towards the Romantic and later repertoire.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Solo Viola + String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: approximately ABRSM Grade 6
• Duration: approximately 10 minutes
• Style focus: Baroque phrasing, lyrical tone, right-hand passagework, string crossings
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Who it's for

This suits violists at Grade 6 who are ready to engage seriously with Baroque repertoire and style. It works well in school and junior conservatoire concerts where something historically varied and stylistically distinct from the Romantic programme is useful, and it's a practical choice for teachers developing a student's understanding of Baroque phrasing and articulation in a real performance context. The string orchestra version gives the Sonata a fuller sound than the piano original while remaining appropriate to the period.