This is my new viola, number 105. It is the same pattern and beautiful wood as number 103. The front is made from some very resonant Alpine Spruce with many hazel, or Bear Claw, patterns; the lovely back is made from Poplar with strong, irregular figuring. Both sets of wood date from 2007. I have wood from the same poplar tree waiting to be made into 'cellos.
The instrument is varnished with my own Amber varnish, and is coloured with deep red Madder Lake, giving a deep and very reflective finish, some idea of which can be seen in the back detail photo.
Viola number 104, made between these poplar violas, is a Gasparo da Salo c. 1580 model. It is now with the Principal Viola of the Orquestra Filharmonica de Santiago as her main instrument. ( This viola is pictured "in the white" in my blog of Dec 6th 2012 ).
I will be in Manchester this weekend at the Strings Weekend at the Royal Northern College of Music ( RNCM ) Where I will have Viola number 105, along with a Cello, my 7/8 ths size Guarneri model violin, shown in blog 14th Dec. 2012, and other instruments available to see and play. Do come along if you can.
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| Viola 105 back |
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| Viola 105 front |
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| Viola 105 back detail |
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