Metal and Gut: Two "Violas of Love"

The Viola d’Amore was an instrument unique in timbre and resonance that evoked special emotions in operas and cantatas of the finest Baroque composers. With no uniform tuning or construction, surviving examples use anywhere from four to seven strings, with as many as 21 “sympathetic strings.” Two distinct versions of the instrument existed, one with bowed strings of gut, and another using metal wire—the type originally heard in J.S. Bach’s compositions.

Daniel McCarthy, viola d’amore
David Ross, baroque flute
Marc Bellassai, harpsichord
Margot Rood, soprano

You may also like the following events from Washington Bach Consort:

• Next Saturday, 12th July, 05:00 pm, WBC x The Parks at Walter Reed in Takoma Park
• This September, 12th September, 07:00 pm, Nina Bernat, Double Bass in Washington
• This September, 13th September, 07:00 pm, Nina Bernat, Double Bass in Alexandria