|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CD
|
|
LTR 055CD
|
Polish pianist, composer and instrument maker Slawomir Zubrzycki presents his new album Viola Organista: Monologues & Dialogues -- produced by Nils Frahm at the legendary Funkhaus Berlin. The Viola Organista, a unique keyboard string instrument originally designed by Leonardo da Vinci but never built, takes center stage. The Viola Organista produces its sound through a rotating wheel system that strokes strings like a bow -- a fascinating hybrid of keyboard and string instrument. Zubrzycki reconstructed the instrument based on centuries-old sketches, breathing new life into one of the most unusual instruments in music history. The album brings together works by Dowland, Marais, Kircher, Handel, Podbielski, J.C. Bach, and J.S. Bach, interpreted on the viola organista -- partly solo, partly as a duo with harpsichordist Lilianna Stawarz. The repertoire impressively demonstrates the emotional depth and tonal diversity of the instrument. Zubrzycki's aim is to establish the viola organista as a living contemporary instrument -- not as a museum exhibit, but as an inspiration for new music. Artists such as Björk and Nils Frahm share his vision. This album is a milestone -- both sonically and historically.
|