‘Viola Organista‘ was dreamt up by Leonardo da Vinci. A Polish instrument-maker painstakingly created it in 2013, sounds remarkable. Wasn’t built during Leonardo da Vinci’s lifetime. Polish instrument-maker, Sławomir Zubrzycki’s very passionate about it.
This unusual instrument is a hybrid of elements from a harpsichord, an organ and a viola da gamba. Looks like a harpsichord, has a set of strings. Rather than being plucked, strings press against rotating wheels, covered in horse hair.
“I have no idea what Leonardo da Vinci might think of the instrument I’ve made, but I’d hope he’d be pleased,” Zubrzycki said, at the instrument’s unveiling concert in Krakow. He spent 3 years, 5000 hours bringing Da Vinci’s instrument to life!
As well as it’s unique sound, Viola Organista is ornately decorated with a Latin quote in gold leaf by Hildegard of Bingen, “Holy prophets, scholars immersed in the sea of arts both human and divine, dreamt up a multitude of instruments to delight the soul.”