500 years ago Leonardo Da Vinci had drawn up plans for the viola organista, a strange instrument that is a hybrid piano and cello. Recently, a Polish man interpreted Da Vincis blueprints and created one - and played it for the first time ever. - LlordLlama (from article) The flat bed of its interior is lined with golden spruce. Sixty-one gleaming steel strings run across it, similar to the inside of a baby grand. Each is connected to the keyboard, complete with smaller black keys for sharp and flat notes. But unlike a piano, it has no hammered dulcimers. Instead, there are four spinning wheels wrapped in horse-tail hair, like violin bows. To turn them, Zubrzycki pumps a pedal below the keyboard connected to a crankshaft. As he tinkles the keys, they press the strings down onto the wheels, emitting rich, sonorous tones reminiscent of a cello, an organ and even an accordion. The effect is a sound that da Vinci dreamt of, but never heard; Read more: smh.au/entertainment/music/leonardo-da-vincis-wacky-piano-is-heard-for-the-first-time-after-500-years-20131118-2xpqs.html#ixzz2l21fA6m2
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 20:39:38 +0000