Hidden World of the Viola d'Amore

Welcome to the hidden world of the Viola D'Amore Current update 31 December, 2022

Here are links to my series of short videos introducing the viola d'amore.

Part 1

Part 2a

Here is Part 3

Hear a Cavalcade of violas d'amore play a Folia from the Göttweig edition.

 

The latest updates are my ongoing effort to try to catch up with recent developments in repertoire and understanding of the history of the viola d'amore and of its role in early music. Where these updates are revisions, different and exciting, I have put them in colours. Mostly in red. Sometimes in red and green. For example, all of the CD booklets for my Bis recordings, the nearly complete recording of Ariosti's music for the viola d'amore, have now been updated in red and green.

You can hear this recording on youtube.


 


 

 


* Georgi's playing is consistently brilliant; he draws an uncommonly warm sound  Carlos Maria Solare, The Strad, May 2009

I created this website to foster a broader understanding of the viola d'amore and its repertoire. Use what you find here for personal or educational use. What I have posted here is not to be reproduced for profit. Furthermore, the information I present here is the best I can do; I am sure there is more to learn about this beautiful but complicated instrument.

If you read about viola d'amore on Wikipedia, please keep in mind that what you read there repeats what was written elsewhere, much of which needs to be corrected. Better read a new monograph on the viola d'amore by Rachael Durkin, called The Viola d'amore, its History and Development.


 

This site also promotes my recordings, Bis 1535, Bis 1555, Bis 1675, my 3 volume set of Attilio Ariosti's music collection for viola d'amore. You can hear this recording on youtube.

Download those recordings here.

Especially important to me is helping musicians overcome two of the big stumbling blocks to the broader use of the viola d'amore, finding instruments and obtaining viola d'amore music together with the knowledge needed to decipher it.

Have a listen to a rare duet for two violas d'amore by a 19th-century composer named Kral: Kral Nocturne, performed by Paul Miller and Tom Georgi

This is page from Göttweig Manuscrip 4806, from a partita in b minor.



This manuscript is preserved in the Benediktinerstift Goetweig. You can get the new edition here.

Years ago, I made a couple of short video clips and posted them on this website. Then I deleted them, but they found a life of their own on youtube. More than fifteen years ago, my colleague David Rose shot this video in the back courtyard of Kloster Irsee. I am playing the first ritornello and first solo from Vivaldi's concerto for viola d'amore (minus the orchestra!) Vivaldi Concerto for Viola d'amore in D.

Youtube has been a boon to the viola d'amore. I have posted a few videos of my own and tried to favourite some exciting and unusual work connected to the viola d'amore at thisisvioladamore.

While you are on YouTube, check out Garth Knox's channel!

For another website devoted to the viola d'amore, see The International Viola d'amore Society site.

In time for St John Passion season, see Leon's site for free scordatura parts for the two Bach arias with viola d'amore.

For Mauro Righini's viola d'amore Blog

Several makers make violas d'amore based on the Thomas Eberle violas d'amore you can hear on the Bis recordings. Here is a maker who makes the North German type of viola d'amore without sympathetic strings. A Canadian maker of violas d'amore is Olivia Pelling. Another fine maker is Jonathan Hill. There are many more such makers.

You may e-mail questions about the history and repertoire of the viola d'amore, comments about particular pieces of music for viola d'amore, to thisisvioladamore (at) gmail.com. Thanks to all of the many visitors who have contributed questions and comments. I have been amazed at a depth of knowledge of the repertoire I have found on the web. Thomas Georgi