The
Viola d’amore
is a stringed instrument in the shape of a viola,
only with six or sometimes even seven playing strings and six
or seven sympathetic strings for extra resonance.
The tuning of this instrument can vary whereas the
tuning often was D-major (A D a d' f-sharp' a d'') in the 18th
century. The sympathetic strings give the viola d'amore its special
timbre and mostly match the pitches of the playing strings. The
instrument is held under the chin like a violin or viola. Because
of the extra two or three playing strings and the varying tunings
the viola d'amore needs to be played slightly differently.
The viola d'amore was very popular in the baroque
and classical era with composers like Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber,
Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Carl Stamitz, Anton Hoffmeister,
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger and Joseph Leopold Eybler.
Mozart and Haydn, unfortunately did not compose
for the viola d'amore, which might be the reason why the instrument
is almost forgotten and rarely heard in concerts halls around
the world. Hopefully modern compositions for this instrument will
cause a renaissance to the viola d'amore.
