Antar, before 70.—Descending melodic phrase, Vns I con sordini piano.
[No. 1.] Shéhérazade 2nd movement B. A piano melody (Vns I) graceful in character.
Antar 12. Light graceful melody, oriental in style; a dance measure (Vns I con sord.), the mutes producing a dull ethereal quality of tone.
[No. 2.] The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitesh 283.
[No. 3.] Spanish Capriccio J. Vns I in the upper register doubling the high register of the wood-wind. Choice resonance.
b) Violas.
Melody in the alto-tenor register and a still higher compass is assigned to the violas. Cantabile melodies however are not so frequently written for violas as for violins and 'cellos, partly because the viola tone is slightly nasal in quality and better fitted for short characteristic phrases, partly because the number of viola players in an orchestra is smaller. Melodies confided to the violas are generally doubled by other strings or by the wood-wind.
Examples:
[No. 4.] Pan Voyevoda, duet in Act II 145. A long cantabile melody in the violas, dolce, in unison with the mezzo soprano voice.
[No. 5.] The Golden Cockerel 193.—Flowing cantabile.