The viola d’amore ( or viol of love ) is a violin with a difference. Instead of the typical 4 chords as on the instrument, it can have away to 14 strings – seven bowed and seven that are’ friendly’ cords, i. e., they resonate but are not bent.
This cello d’amore by Johannes Florentus Guidantus dates from the 18th century, and we can quickly see the unusual account of the device, the use of flame holes as opposed to the violin’s f holes, and the more strings.
Guidantus: Viola d’amore ( New York: Met Museum )
The bridge’s top is covered by seven playing strings, and the friendly strings are traversed and under the neck. We can see how the two strings run in the area view of the Guidantus tool.
Guidantus: Viola d’amore – side view ( New York: Met Museum )
The top of the pegbox is typically a mind, in keeping with the patterns used in expressing.
Guidantus: Viola d’amore – head ( New York: Met Museum )
Vignali: viola d’amore with blindfolded head, 1911 ( Venice: Museo della musica )
J. U. Eberle: Viola d’amore with head, 1740 ( Jonathan Hill collection )
The instrument’s structure may also change. This German violet d’amore combines several instruments into one. The system is a European violet d’amore, with the throat and pegbox of an older cello d’amore. The top of the pegbox is a lion-head. The device was created in 1900.
European violet d’amore with bear head, the 1900 ( New York: Met Museum )
This Giovanni Grancino viola d’amore from 1701 also has an unusual condition but the best standard instrument skim.
Grancino: viola d’amore, 1701 ( New York: Met Museum )
Friendly strings were not found on these strange instruments. Other Western devices, typically in the folk custom, had these, including the Finnish nyckelharpa and the Scandinavian hardanger violin. In India, the melody is the primary instrument with compassionate strings.
Norwegian Hardanger Fiddle, 1786 ( New York: Met Museum )
What was the juncture of the more strings? They have a distinct sound that’s often described as having a’ silvery’ tone, and they resonate more than the regular bent strings, since they remain undisturbed. Artists including J. S. Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, Haydn, and Locatelli all wrote for the equipment.
You may hear the echo effect in the viola d’amore’s playing in the beautiful backdrop of the main musical line in this recording of music by the then unknown late-18th century composer Robert Gaswind.
Robert Ganswind: Viola d’amore Concerto in D Major – I. Tempo moderato ( Dorothea Jappe, viola d’amore, Capella Clementina, Helmut Müller-Brühl, cond. )
It’s an unexpected noise and other artists, as mentioned above, adopted the equipment.
As expected, Vivaldi wrote a symphony for the violet d’amore.
Antonio Vivaldi: Viola d’amore Concerto in D Minor, Car 394 – III. Allegro ( Adrian Chandler, viola d’amore, La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler, cond. )
One in the present moment was Paul Hindemith, who wrote for the violet d’amore and music in his Kleine Sonata, Par. 25, not. 2. Indemith was a violist, and in 1922 he discovered the violet d’amour, a rather amazing tool that has been lost and for which there is only a small body of literature. The most exquisite sound you can imagine, unquestionably sweet and gentle. Although it’s challenging to sing, I play it with passion and the audience enjoys it.”
Hindemith and his violet d’amore
Paul Hindemith: Kleine Sonata, Par. 25, No. 2 – II. Sehr langsam ( Gunter Teuffel, viola d’amore, Anthony Spiri, piano )
Poul Rovsing Olsen, a Swedish composer, even studied viola d’amore and incorporated his own study of eastern music. As a job for single viola d’amore, the piece gives us the opportunity to enjoy all that the viola d’amore you would: its rich resonance, the silver higher sound and the hot lower sound, all while being a violin-like instrument.
Poul Rovsing Olsen: Pour une viole d’amour, Op. 66 ( Anette Slaatto, viola d’amore )
It’s a strange sound that seems to transport us further into the world of strings than a violin or even viola can. The sympathetic strings ‘ resonating sound creates a sound that repeats itself time and time again, like it’s in a mirror world.
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