The viola d'amore (;

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

for "

viol The viol (), viola da gamba (), or informally gamba, is any one of a family of bowed, fretted, and stringed instruments with hollow wooden bodies and pegboxes where the tension on the strings can be increased or decreased to adjust the pitc ...

of love") is a 7- or 6- stringed musical instrument with

sympathetic strings Sympathetic strings or resonance strings are auxiliary strings found on many Indian musical instruments, as well as some Western Baroque instruments and a variety of folk instruments. They are typically not played directly by the performer (excep ...

used chiefly in the

baroque period The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the

violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

Structure and sound

The viola d'amore shares many features of the

family. It looks like a thinner treble viol without frets and sometimes with

added. The six-string viola d'amore and the treble viol also have approximately the same ambitus or range of playable notes. Like all viols, it has a flat back. An intricately carved head at the top of the peg box is common on both viols and viola d'amore, although some viols lack one. Unlike the carved heads on viols, the viola d'amore's head occurs most often as Cupid blindfolded to represent the blindness of love. Its sound-holes are commonly in the shape of a flaming sword known as "The Flaming Sword of Islam" (suggesting the instrument's development was influenced by the Islamic World). This was one of the three usual sound hole shapes for viols as well. It is unfretted, and played much like a

, being held horizontally under the chin. It is about the same size as the modern

viola ; german: Bratsche , alt=Viola shown from the front and the side , image=Bratsche.jpg , caption= , background=string , hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow , range= , related= *Violin family ...

. The viola d'amore usually has six or seven playing strings, which are sounded by drawing a bow across them, just as with a violin. In addition, it has an equal number of sympathetic strings located below the main strings and the fingerboard which are not played directly but vibrate in sympathy with the notes played. A common variation is six playing strings, and instruments exist with as many as fourteen sympathetic strings alone. Despite the fact that the sympathetic strings are now thought of as the most characteristic element of the instrument, early forms of the instrument almost uniformly lacked them. The first unambiguous reference to a viola d'amore with sympathetic strings does not occur until the 1730s. Both types continued to be built and played through the 18th century. Largely thanks to the sympathetic strings, the viola d'amore has a particularly sweet and warm sound. Leopold Mozart, writing in his '' Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule'', said that the instrument sounded "especially charming in the stillness of the evening." The first known mention of the name ''viol d'amore'' appeared in

John Evelyn John Evelyn (31 October 162027 February 1706) was an English writer, landowner, gardener, courtier and minor government official, who is now best known as a diarist. He was a founding Fellow of the Royal Society. John Evelyn's diary, or ...

's ''

Diary A diary is a written or audiovisual record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digital. A personal ...

'' (20 November 1679): "''for its swetenesse & novelty the Viol d'Amore of 5 wyre-strings, plaid on with a bow, being but an ordinary violin, play'd on Lyra way by a German, than which I never heard a sweeter Instrument or more surprizing...''"

Range

As on the treble viol, the register above the octave (d) on the top string would seldom be used except in contemporary music. The viola d'amore was normally tuned specifically for the piece it was to play - cf. scordatura. Towards the end of the 18th century the standard tuning became Open D Major: A, d, a, d', f', a', d".

Use

The instrument was especially popular in the late 17th century, although a specialised viola d'amore player would have been highly unusual, since it was customary for professional musicians to play a number of instruments, especially within the family of the musician's main instrument. Later, the instrument fell from use, as the volume and power of the

violin family The violin family of musical instruments was developed in Italy in the 16th century. At the time the name of this family of instruments was viole da braccio which was used to distinguish them from the viol family (viole ''da gamba''). The stand ...

became preferred over the delicacy and sweetness of the

family. However, there has been renewed interest in the viola d'amore in the last century. The viola players Henri Casadesus and

Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith (; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advocate of the ' ...

both played the viola d'amore in the early 20th century, and the film composer

Bernard Herrmann Bernard Herrmann (born Maximillian Herman; June 29, 1911December 24, 1975) was an American composer and conductor best known for his work in composing for films. As a conductor, he championed the music of lesser-known composers. He is widely r ...

made use of it in several scores. It may be noted that, like instruments of the violin family, the modern viola d'amore was altered slightly in structure from the baroque version, mainly to support the extra tension of steel wound strings.

Leoš Janáček Leoš Janáček (, baptised Leo Eugen Janáček; 3 July 1854 – 12 August 1928) was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist, and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and other Slavic musics, including Eastern European f ...

originally planned to use the viola d'amore in his second string quartet, "Intimate Letters". The use of the instrument was symbolic of the nature of his relationship with Kamila Stösslová, a relationship that inspired the work. However, the version with viola d'amore was found in rehearsal to be impracticable, and Janáček re-cast the part for a conventional viola.

Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, ...

's ballet ''Romeo and Juliet'' features a viola d'amore as well. The viola d'amore can regularly be heard today in musical ensembles that specialise in historically informed performances of Baroque music on authentic instruments.

Scordatura notation

'' Scordatura'' notation was first used in the late seventeenth century as a way to quickly read music for violin with altered tunings. It was a natural choice for viola d'amore and other stringed instruments not tuned in the usual fifths, especially those whose intervals between strings are not uniform across their range.

Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber ( bapt. 12 August 1644, Stráž pod Ralskem – 3 May 1704, Salzburg) was a Bohemian-Austrian composer and violinist. Biber worked in Graz and Kroměříž before he illegally left his employer, Prince-Bishop Karl L ...

, Antonio Vivaldi and

Johann Joseph Vilsmayr Johann Joseph Vilsmayr (1663 – 11 July 1722) was an Austrian violinist and composer. From 1 September 1689 he worked at Salzburg's Hofkapelle, where he almost certainly became a pupil of Heinrich Ignaz Biber Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber ( ...

(a student of Biber), among others, wrote pieces for violin with one or more strings retuned to notes other than the usual fifths. Given that the viola d’amore was usually played by violinists and that many different tunings were used, scordatura notation made it easier for a violinist to read the music. Scordatura notation exists in a number of different types. Treble clef, alto clef and soprano clefs are all used by different composers. Bass clef is typically used for notes on the lower two or three strings (6 or 7 string instruments) and usually sounds an octave higher than written. In scordatura, one imagines that one is playing a violin (or in some cases a viola, where alto clef is used) tuned in the normal fifths. Scordatura notation informs the player not about what note will sound but rather about where they should place their fingers; therefore, it may be referred to as a

tablature Tablature (or tabulature, or tab for short) is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches. Tablature is common for fretted stringed instruments such as the guitar, lute or vihuela, as well as many fr ...

or "finger" notation. In Biber's ''Harmonia Artificiosa'' no. VII, a different version of scordatura notation is used. Biber uses a nine line staff. The clefs used are based on alto clef (imagining that you are playing a viola). The piece is written for a six-stringed instrument. The upper part of the staff supposes that you are playing on the upper four strings and the lower part that you are playing on the lower four strings (still imagining that you are reading the four strings of a viola in alto clef). This does mean that there are two ways of notating notes on the middle two strings but it quickly becomes apparent, when playing, what the correct reading should be.

Repertoire

;Baroque period * Heinrich Biber (1644–1704) :: ''Partita VII'' for two viole d'amore and basso continuo, from ''Harmonia artificiosa - ariosa'', 1696. * Christian Pezold (1677-1733) :: 2 Partitas for solo viola d'amore * Attilio Ariosti (1666–1729) :: ''6 Lessons'' for viola d'amore and continuo :: 15 Sonatas :: used in 2 cantatas :: used as an obbligato instrument in the opera, "Marte Placato" * Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) :: Concerto in D major, RV 392, P.166 :: Concerto in D minor, RV 393, P.289 :: Concerto in D minor, RV 394, P.288 :: Concerto in D minor, RV 395, P.287 :: Concerto in A major, RV 396, P.233 :: Concerto in A minor, RV 397, P.37 :: Concerto in D minor for viola d'amore and lute, RV 540 :: Concerto da Camera in F major for viola d'amore, 2 oboes, 2 horns, bassoon, continuo, RV 97 ::: Vivaldi also used the viola d'amore as an

obbligato In Western classical music, ''obbligato'' (, also spelled ''obligato'') usually describes a musical line that is in some way indispensable in performance. Its opposite is the marking ''ad libitum''. It can also be used, more specifically, to indic ...

instrument in sacred works and operas: :: Nisi Dominus, RV 608 ''Gloria Patri'' :: Nisi Dominus, RV 803 ''Nisi Dominus'' :: Tito Manlio, RV 738 ''Tu dormi in tante pene'' :: Juditha Triumphans, 644 ''Quanto magis generosa'' * Christoph Graupner (1683–1760) :: Concerto in D major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 314 :: Concerto in F major for flute, viola d'amore,

chalumeau The chalumeau (; ; plural chalumeaux) is a single-reed woodwind instrument of the late baroque and early classical eras. The chalumeau is a folk instrument that is the predecessor to the modern-day clarinet. It has a cylindrical bore with ei ...

, strings and continuo, GWV 327 :: Concerto in D major for flauto d'amore, oboe d'amore, viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 333 :: Concerto in g minor for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 336 :: Concerto in A major for viola, viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 339 :: Concerto in B major for

, viola d'amore, oboe, strings and continuo, GWV 343 :: Ouverture in D major for oboe d'amore, viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 419 :: Ouverture in D minor for bassoon, viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 426 :: Ouverture in D major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 427 :: Ouverture in E major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 438 :: Ouverture in F major for flute, viola d'amore,

, strings and continuo, GWV 450 :: Ouverture in F major for flute, viola d'amore, 2

x, strings and continuo, GWV 451 :: Ouverture in G major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 459 :: Ouverture in G major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 460 :: Ouverture in G major for viola d'amore, bassoon, strings and continuo, GWV 465 :: Ouverture in A major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 476 :: Ouverture in A major for flute, viola d'amore, oboe, bassoon, strings and continuo, GWV 477 :: Sinfonia in F major for soli viola d'amore, cello and bassoon, 3 violas and basso continuo, GWV 577 :: Trio Sonata in B major for flute, viola d'amore and continuo, GWV 217 :: Trio Sonata in C major for flute, viola d'amore and continuo, GWV 202 :: Trio Sonata in D major for flute, viola d'amore and continuo, GWV 205 :: Trio Sonata in D minor for flute, viola d'amore and continuo, GWV 207 :: Trio Sonata in E minor for flute, viola d'amore and continuo, GWV 209 :: Trio Sonata in F major for viola d'amore, bass chalumeau and continuo, GWV 210 ::: Graupner also used the viola d'amore as an

instrument in 18 of his cantatas: :: Ach Sterbliche bedenkt das Ende, GWV 1157/25 :: Erschrocknes Zion sei erfreut, GWV 1128/24 :: Erwacht ihr Heiden, GWV 1111/34 :: Gott ist's der in euch wirket, GWV 1163/23 :: Halleluja Dank und Ehre, GWV 1109/40 :: Herr unser Gott, GWV 1174/17 :: Ich habe Lust abzuscheiden, GWV 1175/26c :: Ihr schlummert, ihr schlafet :: Jesu frommer Menschenherden, GWV 1140/25 :: Kommet herzu lasset uns dem Herrn frohlocken, GWV 1174/38 :: Lobet ihr Knechte des Herrn, GWV 1174/18 :: Preise Jerusalem den Herrn, GWV 1174/20 :: Schicket euch in die Zeit, GWV 1151/14 :: So demütiget euch nun, GWV 1125/23 :: Wer die Wahrheit tut, GWV 1139/38 :: Wir warten eines neuen Himmels, GWV 1167/23 :: Wir wissen dass unser irdisches Haus, GWV 1175/39b :: Wisset ihr nicht dass auf diesen Tag, GWV 1127/26 *

Georg Philipp Telemann Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hild ...

(1681–1767) :: Concerto in E major for flute, oboe d'amore, viola d'amore, strings and continuo :: Trio Sonata in D major for flute, viola d'amore and continuo :: No.26 & 36 in Brockes Passion, TWV 5:1 :: Cantata ''Herr lehre uns bedenken dass wir sterben müssen'', TWV 1:763 *

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...

(1685–1750) :: used in

aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...

no.19 and 20 of the '' Johannes Passion'' and in Cantatas Nos. 36c, 152, and 205 :: Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn, BWV 152 *

Johann Joachim Quantz Johann Joachim Quantz (; 30 January 1697 – 12 July 1773) was a German composer, flutist and flute maker of the late Baroque period. Much of his professional career was spent in the court of Frederick the Great. Quantz composed hundreds of flute ...

(1697–1773) :: Two Trio Sonatas (in F major and c minor) for flute, viola d'amore and continuo * Louis-Toussaint Milandre (18th century) :: ''Pièces pour une viole d'amour avec basse'' :: ''Pièces pour une viole d'amour, violon et basse'' :: ''Trio en fa pour une viole d'amour, violon et basse'' * Carlo Martinides (c.1731–1794) :: ''Divertimento'' in D major for viola d'amore, violin, viola and cello * Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) :: ''Divertimento'' for viola d'amore, violin and cello; This is an arrangement of a work by Haydn, but made in the 18th century. *

Carl Stamitz Carl Philipp Stamitz ( cs, Karel Stamic; baptized 8 May 17459 November 1801) was a German composer of partial Czech ancestry. He was the most prominent representative of the second generation of the Mannheim School. He was the eldest son of Jo ...

(1745–1801) :: 3 solo Concertos :: Sonata in D major for viola d'amore and violin or viola :: various other sonatas :: Quartet for oboe, violin, viola d'amore and cello * Franz Anton Hoffmeister (1754–1812) :: Quartet in E major (D major) for viola d'amore, 2 violins and cello *

Joseph Leopold Eybler Joseph Leopold Eybler (8 February 1765 – 24 July 1846) was an Austrian composer and contemporary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Life Eybler was born into a musical family in Schwechat near Vienna.Badura-Skoda and Herrmann-Schneider (n.d.) His fat ...

(1765–1846) :: Quintet No.1 in D major for viola d'amore, violin, viola, cello and violone :: Quintet No.2 in D major for viola d'amore, violin, viola, cello and violone :: Offertorium, "In Festo Sta. Theresia" for Tenor, soli viola d'amore, cello, with strings and chorus ;Modern works * Louis van Waefelghem (1840–1908) :: ''Romance'' in D major for violin or viola d'amore and piano (1891) :: ''Soir d'automne'' (Autumn Evening), Melody for viola d'amore or viola and piano or harp (1903) *

Charles Martin Loeffler Charles Martin Tornov Loeffler (January 30, 1861 – May 19, 1935) was a German-born American violinist and composer. Family background Charles Martin Loeffler was born Martin Karl Löffler on January 30, 1861, in Schöneberg near Berlin to pa ...

(1861–1935) :: ''La mort de Tintagiles'', Symphonic poem for viola d'amore and orchestra, Op. 6 (1897–1900) :: 'The Lone Prairie" for tenor saxophone, viola d'amore and piano :: Miscellaneous pieces for viola d'amore with other instruments and/or chorus. * Henri Casadesus (1879–1947) :: Concerto for viola d'amore and strings :: ''24 Préludes'' for viola d'amore and harpsichord, piano or harp (1931) * Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887–1959) :: ''Amazonas'' * Frank Martin (1890–1974) ::

Sonata da chiesa Sonata da chiesa (Italian: "church sonata") is a 17th-century genre of musical composition for one or more melody instruments and is regarded an antecedent of later forms of 18th century instrumental music. It generally comprises four movements, t ...

for viola d'amore and organ or string orchestra (1952) *

(1895–1963) :: ''Kleine Sonate'' (Small Sonata) for viola d'amore and piano, Op. 25 No. 2 (1922) :: ''Kammermusik'' No. 6 for viola d'amore and chamber orchestra, Op. 46 No. 1 (1927) *

Bruno Maderna Bruno Maderna (21 April 1920 – 13 November 1973) was an Italian conductor and composer. Life Maderna was born Bruno Grossato in Venice but later decided to take the name of his mother, Caterina Carolina Maderna.Interview with Maderna‘s th ...

(1920–1973) :: ''Viola'' per viola sola (o viola d'amore) (1971) *

Paul Rosenbloom Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...

(*1952) :: Concerto for two viole d'amore and chamber orchestra (1994) * Michael Edwards (*1968) :: ''24/7:: freedom fried'' for viola d'amore and live electronics (2006) * Dario Palermo (*1970) :: ''Ritual'' for viola d'amore, real time composition and live electronics (2007) * Emily Doolittle (*1972) :: ''Virelais'' for viola d'amore and voice (2001) * Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) :: Quartet for quinton, viola d'amore, viola da gamba, basse de viole * Rachel Stott (*1968) :: ''Odysseus in Ogygia'' for six viole d'amore (2011) :: ''Tartini and his Pupil'' for two viole d'amore (2016) :: '' Ariel's Songs'' for soprano and two viole d'amore (2000) :: '' Wenn Wege sich Kreuzen'' for soprano and viola d'amore (2013) :: '' Maturity'' for soprano and viola d'amore (2014) * Hans Vermeersch (*1957) :: ''Gadbad-Confusion'' for two viole d'amore, viola da gamba and cembalo (2012) :: ''Bhalobasha-Love'' for viola d'amore and tape (2012) :: ''Makbaraa-Tombeau'' for two viole d'amore, cello and cembalo (2014) :: ''Stootch-Reflection'' for viola d'amore and tape (2014) ;The viola d'amore is also used in : * ''

Les Huguenots () is an opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer and is one of the most popular and spectacular examples of grand opera. In five acts, to a libretto by Eugène Scribe and Émile Deschamps, it premiered in Paris on 29 February 1836. Composition history ...

'' (1836) by Giacomo Meyerbeer * ''

Bánk bán ''Bánk bán'' is an opera in 3 acts by composer Ferenc Erkel. The work uses a Hungarian-language libretto by Béni Egressy which is based on a stage play of the same name by József Katona. (''Bán'' is ban in English, similar to a viceroy, a ...

'' (1861) by

Ferenc Erkel Ferenc Erkel ( hu, Erkel Ferenc , german: link=no, Franz Erkel; November 7, 1810June 15, 1893) was a Hungarian composer, conductor and pianist. He was the father of Hungarian grand opera, written mainly on historical themes, which are still o ...

* '' Le jongleur de Notre-Dame'' (1901) and "Cendrillon" (1899) by Jules Massenet * '' Madama Butterfly'' (1904) by

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini ( Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long ...

* ''

Palestrina Palestrina (ancient ''Praeneste''; grc, Πραίνεστος, ''Prainestos'') is a modern Italian city and ''comune'' (municipality) with a population of about 22,000, in Lazio, about east of Rome. It is connected to the latter by the Via Pre ...

'' (1912) by

Hans Pfitzner Hans Erich Pfitzner (5 May 1869 – 22 May 1949) was a German composer, conductor and polemicist who was a self-described anti-modernist. His best known work is the post-Romantic opera ''Palestrina'' (1917), loosely based on the life of the ...

* '' Káťa Kabanová'' (1919) by

; The viola d'amore represents the title character. * '' Romeo and Juliet'' (1935–1936) by

* ''...?risonanze!...'' (1996–1997) by Olga Neuwirth * ''The Misprision of Transparency'' (2001) by Aaron Cassidy ;Film *

's score for ''

On Dangerous Ground ''On Dangerous Ground'' is a 1951 film noir-melodrama starring Robert Ryan and Ida Lupino, directed by Nicholas Ray, and produced by John Houseman. The screenplay was written by A. I. Bezzerides based on the 1945 novel ''Mad with Much Heart,'' ...

'' (1951) makes extensive use of the viola d'amore for the female protagonist's theme. The performer of the instrument Virginia Majewski receives a credit in the film's opening titles. ''Note:'' The papers of Walter Voigtlander contain 142 arrangements and transcriptions of works for the instrument.

Pedagogical works

* ''The Modern Viole d'Amour Player, Systematically Arranged Material for the Studie of the Viole d'Amour for the Violin Player'' by Walter Voigtlander (written before 1914). This is a basic pedagogical method, which starts the player from the most elementary elements of the instrument and progresses to a fair level of difficulty. It contains adaptations of violin and viola exercises by many well-known pedagogues. In addition, the work contains a supplement with many solo works and orchestral soli, by many composers, including his own 42 Studies (see below). Available as part of The Walter Voigtlander Collection of Viola d'Amore Music, ca. 1890–1930 at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (see finding aid). * ''42 Studies transcribed for the Viole d'Amour for the Violin Player, and Viola Studies for Self-Study'' by Walter Voigtlander. It has annotations in both German and English. It is the more advanced of his two pedagogical works, being intended, according to Rosenblum,Rosenblum, Myron. “Walter Voigtlander: a true viola d'amore pioneer in America.” Newsletter. Viola d'Amore Society of America V.4, No.1 (May 1980), pp. 12-14. largely for his own use. Exercises from well-known violin and viola method books are extracted and modified for the viola d'amore. Available as part of The Walter Voigtlander Collection of Viola d'Amore Music, ca. 1890–1930 at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (see finding aid).

Viola d'amore players

* Attilio Ariosti (1666–1729) * Louis-Toussaint Milandre (18th century) * Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) * Farinelli (1705–1782) * Alexandro Marie Antoin Fridzeri (1741-1819) * Chrétien Urhan (1790–1845) * Johann Král (1823–1912) * Louis van Waefelghem (1840–1908) * George Saint-George (1841–1924) * Hugo Walter Voigtlander (1859-1933) * Kate Chaplin (1865–1948) * Carl Valentin Wunderle (1866-1944) * Henri Casadesus (1879–1947) * Montagu Cleeve (1894–1993) *

(1895-1963) *

Karl Haas Karl Haas (December 6, 1913February 6, 2005) was a German-American classical music radio host, known for his sonorous speaking voice, humanistic approach to music appreciation, and popularization of classical music. He was the host of the classi ...

(1900–1970) * Vadim Borisovsky (1900–1972) * Tosca Kramer (1903–1976) * Guido Santórsola (1904–1994) *

Walter Trampler Walter Trampler (August 25, 1915 – September 27, 1997) was a German musician and teacher of the viola and viola d'amore. Born in Munich, he was given his first lessons at age six by his violinist father. While still in his youth, he played well e ...

(1915–1997) * Gordon B. Childs (b. 1927) * Mark Childs (b. 1944) * Alice Harnoncourt (b. 1930) *

Marcus Thompson Marcus Thompson (born 1946) is a violist and viola d'amore player known for his work as a recitalist, orchestral soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and educator. Thompson is a founding member and is currently artistic director of the Bost ...

(b. 1946) * Michael Kugel (b. 1947) *

Stephen Nachmanovitch Stephen Nachmanovitch is a musician, author, computer artist, and educator. He is an improvisational violinist, and writes and teaches about improvisation, creativity, and systems approaches in many fields of activity. Biography Born in 1950, Na ...

(b. 1950) * Alexander Labko * Roy Goodman (b. 1951) * Gunter Teuffel (b. 1955) * Garth Knox (b. 1956) *

Richard Fleischman Richard Fleischman (born 1963) is an American violist and viola d'amore player, conductor and pedagogue. Winner of the 1988 Windsor Prize, presented by Leonard Bernstein, the 1984 Edward Steuermann Prize and a Naumberg Scholarship from th ...

(b. 1963) * Sviatoslav Belonogov (b. 1965) *

Rachel Barton Pine Rachel Barton Pine (born Rachel Elizabeth Barton, October 11, 1974) is an American violinist. She debuted with the Chicago Symphony at age 10, and was the first American and youngest ever gold medal winner of the International Johann Sebastian Ba ...

(b. 1974) *

Julia Rebekka Adler Julia Rebekka Adler (née Mai; born 1978) is a German viola and viola d'amore player. Early life, family and education Julia Rebekka Mai was born in Heidelberg. She started playing viola at the age of six. Having won first prize at Jugend musi ...

(b. 1978) * James Wannan * Hans Vermeersch (b. 1957) *

Tan Dun Tan Dun (, ; born 18 August 1957) is a Chinese-born American composer and conductor. A leading figure of contemporary classical music, he draws from a variety of Western and Chinese influences, a dichotomy which has shaped much of his life and ...

(b. 1957) * Jasser Haj Youssef (b. 1980) * Leonid Pateyuk (b.1990) * Lucinda Moon * Daniel Thomason (b. 1934) * Myron Rosenblum (b. 1933) * Hans Lauerer * Rüdiger Müller-Nübling *

Harry Danks Harry Danks, (1912-2001) was a British violist and principal viola of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1946 to 1978. He was the founder and director of the London Consort of Viols. Biography Harry Danks was born in Pensnett near Bridgnorth in W ...

(1912–2001) * Michel Pons * Marianne Kubitschek-Rônez * Margit Urbanetz-Vig * Emil Seiler (1906–1998) * Viera Bilikova * Joseph Pietropaolo (1934–2014) * Frank Bellino (1927-2013) * Joseph Ceo * Wolfram Just (b. 1936) * Thomas Georgi * Elly Winer * Igor Boguslavsky * Karl Stumpf (1907–1988) * Aurelio Arcidiacono (1915–2001) * Howard Boatwright (1912–1999) * Virginia Majewski * Lorenzo Nassimbeni * Frantisek Slavik (1911–1999) * Jacob Glick (1926-1999) * Vazgen Muradian (1921–2018) * Medardo Mascagni (1922–2001) * Artur Paciorkiewicz * John Calabrese (1941–2006) * Jaroslav Horak (1914–2005) * Katherine McGillivray (1970–2006) * Guenter Ojstersek (b. 1930) * Hans-Karl Piltz (b. 1923) * Paul Shirley (1886–1984) * Mary Elliott James (b. 1927) * Jose Blankleder (d. 1998) * Max Tonson-Ward (1918–2015) * Elizabeth Watson * Roland Kato * Claire Kroyt *

(1861–1935) * Richard Stoelzer * Arnt Martin (b. 1939) * Leon King * Karlina Ivane (b. 1979) * Carlos Solare * Haruko Tanabe * Ines Wein * Adriana Zoppo * Ludwig Hampe * Sibylle Hoedt-Schmidt * Christoph Angerer * Gheorghe & Simona Balan * Christiane Guhl * Simon Steinkühler *

Anne Schumann Anne Schumann (born in 1966) is a German violinist and docent in Baroque music. Career Schumann was born in Dohna. She received her first violin lessons at the age of five with Sabine Harazim and later with Hartmut Opolka. In 1974 she had her f ...

* Adrian Susanin (b. 1956) * Rachel Stott * Helmut Tzschöckell (1933–1999) * Maricel Méndez (b.1985) * Maureen Murchie *Jürgen Lantz *Leszek Kuśmirek

References

External links

viola d'amore society of America

Viola d'amore website

List of works featuring the Viola d'amore at IMSLP

Inventory of the Karl Stumpf Viola d'Amore Scores
in th
Music Division
o

- Collection of historical instruments. Website includes pictures and details of some violas d'amore
Viola d'amore info and performing editions

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Walter Voigtlander Collection of Viola d'Amore music
{{Authority control String instruments with sympathetic strings Viol family instruments