There are only four viola d’amores in New Zealand and, as a special treat for music lovers, one’s being played by a Baroque string quintet in Arrowtown on Thursday.
First made in the 17th century, the viola d’amore has 14 strings in two layers of seven — the top layer’s played by the musician’s bow while the seven underneath resonate on ‘sympathetic’ strings.
The instrument’s being played by Donald Maurice, who notes its complexity has helped him stave off dementia.
Arrowtown Creative Arts Society (ACAS) organiser Faith Austin, whose organisation’s presenting the Strings Amore quintet along with Chamber Music NZ, is a former NZ Symphony Orchestra colleague of Maurice’s.
She says the audience can anticipate ‘‘a sweet and gentle sound where the underlying sympathetic strings create an extra resonance that seems like a portable cathedral acoustic’’.
The other chamber musicians are Martin Riseley and Rupa Maitra (violins), Sophia Acheson (viola) and Margaret Guldborg (cello).
Their programme will include pieces by Telemann, Bach, Vivaldi and Graupner.
The concert starts 6pm on Thursday at the Arrowtown Community Centre, following canapes at 5.30pm; tickets (from Arrowtown Pharmacy or eventfinda.co.nz) $60, ACAS members $50.
