No Laughing Matter: The Viola Joke as Musician's Folklore
   As with any other group, musicians tell stories and jokes to one
   recent years there has been a joke cycle among musicians pertaining to
   I have paid particular attention to the telling of viola jokes, and
   From the number of different musicians who told me these jokes, I can
   As further evidence of the pervasiveness of the viola joke cycle, I
   radio station that have featured viola jokes. I have seen viola jokes
   Cleveland Orchestra, which begins with the line "Hold the viola jokes."
   Going strictly by the number of jokes I personally heard, the viola
   joke cycle began in 1992, reached it peak in 1993, and at the present
   In order to organize these jokes, I have arranged them into six
    1. Jokes disparaging the viola itself.
    2. Jokes disparaging viola players.
    3. Jokes which offer a general disparagement, which can be easily
    4. Jokes which usually can only be understood by among musicians.
    5. Reverse jokes which get revenge on musicians telling viola jokes.
       All the viola jokes in these first five categories are in the form
    6. Narrative viola jokes
   [author's list of viola jokes here, all of which appear on the viola
   jokes page.]
   So why are viola jokes told? Certainly for fun and humor, but they also
   joke will be funny only if it is unanticipated and if there is some
   Symphony, was a significant informant for viola jokes. He assured me
   as the rest of the orchestra, and that other musicians tell viola jokes
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