In early music, improvisation plays a crucial role. As in every baroque piece there are numerous ornaments or even visrtuoso cadenzas (ex. the so-called Cappriccios in Italian concertos) which should be improvised, each performance of a given work may be completely different. Improvisation brings life to music and may give to the performer a feeling of creating a part of the musical universe. In order to understand better some principles of improvisation in the previous centuries, I became interested also in jazz music. As an example, you can see on your left side ornamentation written by Arcangelo Corelli himself. Middle part is an original violin part.
Nowadays, we are used to performing classical pieces on modern instruments. Playing them on historical instruments, both on copies or original ones, is surprisingly interesting, though. Most 18th century pieces, especially sonatas, were meant to be performed on specific instruments, therefore they reveal their beauty only when played, for instance, on a historical pianoforte and a violin with gut strings (which were, by the way, in common use until 1945!).
In modern violin and piano performances, the violin seems overwhelmed by the piano, as the latter has increased its dimensions and its volume for the last 200 years. Playing the violin with the accompaniment of a historical pianoforte (models by Walter, Graf, Pleyel or Erard, depending on the repertoire) is a great solution to the problem of acoustics.
Starting my studies in The Netherlands, I wanted very much to play in a string quartet on period instruments. Very soon I realized that it is extremely difficult to find a baroque violist who would have enough free time to set up a new ensemble. This is why I decided to start to play the viola myself. Learning the alto clef was chalenging at the beginning, but later on it became quite automatic. Performing the ‘middle’ part in baroque or classical chamber music gives me a completely new feeling playing in the group and it is a great experience.
The viola d’amore is an ancient string instrument, particularly popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. It resembles a viola in appearance, but is distinguished by additional resonating strings that are not bowed but resonate, giving the sound a soft, warm, and slightly mysterious character. This instrument was widely used in Baroque music, including by Johann Sebastian Bach. Although rarely seen today, the viola d’amore continues to fascinate with its unique sound and historical charm. After several years of searching, in 2024 I purchased this instrument for my collection.
