Famous Venetian Airs performed on a unique instrument built according to Leonardo Da Vinci’s design
A. Vivaldi, A. Willaert, A. Gabrieli

Slawomir Zubrzycki – viola organista (Poland) 

The price of the concet includes the screening of a short documentary, The Sound of da Vinci, about the origin of this extraordinary project and instrument

 

Leonardo da Vinci, perhaps the greatest of all geniuses in history, has many important inventions under his belt, including the parachute, helicopter, machine gun, submarine, automobile, diving suit, tank, and the drill. His legendary sketchbooks, however, comprise also the project of a peculiar music instrument which he called “viola organista” and which, similarly to barrel organ, combines the principle of a keyboard and bow-stringed instrument, producing a sound which reminds of viol consort. Yet, all comparisons pale in the light of the sound of an instrument which has been built according to da Vinci’s original plans by the pianist and clavichordistSławomir Zubrzycki of Cracow. A Czech premiere, in which this unique instrument and its builder will appear in a program comprising famous Venetian airs, will take place in the Theresian Hall of Břevnov Monasteryon 28 July. The concert includes the screening of a short documentary called The Sound of da Vinci, about the origin of this extraordinary project and instrument. We can only wish for fewer machine guns and more viola organistas!