Opus 9 - Pardessus de viole |
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eginning in the late seventeenth century in Europe, the viola da gamba was gradually supplanted by the violoncello, whose robust sound was better suited to the orchestras then appearing. However, the viola da gamba continued to enjoy widespread popularity in France until the end of the eighteenth century, during which the pardessus de viole, which is even smaller than the treble viol, was added to the viol family.
The French nobility adopted the instrument enthusiastically. Ladies of the court were delighted with the pardessus de viole, whose small size made it charming and entirely in keeping with the elegance of the era. Moreover, the register of the pardessus enabled it to replace the violin, which women avoided playing as it left unsightly marks on the neck.
Dominik Zuchowicz based this pardessus de viole on an instrument in the Musée du Conservatoire de Paris, itself the work of Nicolas Bertrand (d. 1725), one of the great French luthiers of the period and the "faiseur d'instruments ordinaire de la muzique du Roy" (The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments). A sculpted woman's head, covered with gold leaf, graces the neck of this meticulously crafted instrument.
Dominik Zuchowicz, In 1982, Dominik Zuchowicz returned to Ottawa. His clients include numerous professionals, and his instruments are played in the faculties of music of the Université de Montreal, McGill University, Carleton University, and the University of Western Ontario.
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