Viola d'Amore

The viola d'amore, or viola "of love," is a bowed stringed instrument which gained great popularity in the eighteenth century. Much of its history, including the derivation of its name, is unknown. It has many characteristics of the viol family such as a flat back, ribs that are flush with the top and back, and a rosette in addition to soundholes. Yet, like a violin, it is unfretted and held under the chin while played. Violas d'amore typically have seven playing strings, though instruments with other numbers of strings are not unusual. Perhaps the most distinguishable characteristic of the viola d'amore is the presence of sympathetic strings, which are not played but located behind the bowed strings and vibrate "in sympathy." The sympathetic strings contribute to produce a tone that is clear, and often described as "silvery." The sympathetic strings also contribute to creating a more resonant sound with a longer decay. Sympathetic strings are found on several European folk instruments, including the Swedish nyckelharpa and the Norwegian hardanger fiddle. They are prevalent on stringed instruments from India, most notably the sitar. The viola d'amore was popular with eighteenth-century composers and can be found in the works of J. S. Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, Haydn, and Locatelli.


Description: Two-piece table of spruce with painted single purfling, with a gilded parchment rose set into the table from below; a painted purfling ornament surrounds the rose; a painted purfling ornament surrounds the rose; bone saddles fitted to both sides to both sides of tailpiece pin for sympathetic strings; bass bar not original; maple bridge with ebony saddle for strings and bone saddle for sympathetic strings; flat back of maple with single painted purfling; pegbox of maple, violin scroll, 13 pegs; orange-brown varnish. (William Monical, 1977T