Bach Suite 1 Prelude - Rudolf Haken, 5-string viola

[mysticallauren]

why does the violin look like it has a toumer

[franbratid]

Die Sache hat einen Haken!

[moderninstruments]

That viola looks strange. At first I didn't even know that was a viola.

[VadiaRotor]

@moderninstruments yeah, the shape is original. I guess it's custom-made

[hknkj1std]

beautiful



[elgatosucio]

Too much cortisone to the viola.

[madaraszi]

During the last centuries they invented again and again this 5 stringed instrument. It had been called: violino pomposo, violon alto, violalin, viola alta, ritterbratsche. What we can admire here is a new form of violino pomposo and because of the strange shape a new name is acceptable. But 'viola pomposa' is a bad idea it's an existing instrument it's one octave lower than these instruments. Mr. Haken can't use the words 'flute', 'timpani', 'hang' etc. either they're all existing instruments.

[xXNinjaBadgerXx]

@madaraszi This, my dear friend, IS the Viola Pomposa. I'm afraid the instrument that you're referring to is the violoncello piccolo which is tuned one octave lower than the instruments stated above. =)

[madaraszi]

@xXNinjaBadgerXx The violoncello piccolo can be 5 or 4 stringed but always vertical on playing, held between the legs. The 5 stringed violoncello piccolo and the viola pomposa has exactly the same tuning. This one is tuned an octave higher and can be (if we forget the extraordinary form) called violino pomposo. My friend... (:

[rawautube]

man looks like your playing viola inside a pool !

[dtgallagallallagher]

:')

[madaraszi]

This is violino pomposo, not viola pomposa.

[46anna1995]

@madaraszi no. it's viola pamposa. go ahead and type viola pamposa into google. this is what you get.

[BILLpunkrockXD]

I don't agree with his interpretation, but beautiful never the less.

[blitouser]

Piccasso's Viola

[SasoDeiLover7]

Honestly, I think the viola/violin hybrid looks kind of cool. It looks more off because of the fact that it appears unbalanced. The bottom is the same as the top, only reversed. Seeing it on a display would make it seem much more appealing. As for the playing, the only qualm I have is that it's very quiet!

[cnewtonc]

I love you playing but I hate the look of that Instrument! (Yuk)

I would prefer a real viola. That "Viola" does not belong in this universe!

May be another Universe but not this one. Your Playing however is excellent

but I just can not get over that "instrument". What in the world....

[jcfbell3001]

@cnewtonc

right....cause music is all about looks...ask ann-sophie mutter lol....i'm not even joking really

[richyloko97]

pinche viola deforme o_0

[Dtm540]

if tim burton did violas that's probably how they would look

[ecomunky]

awesome ahhh.



[pellypates]

Hey guy I think you might want to slow down -- you melted your viola

[TheCracktastic]

LikeX1000

[nevermind96ify]

che grandissima bastemmia ....-.-

[jovannakk]

STUNNING!!! I looooove your viola!!

[gothicgrowler]

I agree that the viola looks a bit weird, but since it is a 5 string viola, I might be wrog o.O By the way, I loved it :3 I'm also learning this on my viola :D

[TheGeszk]

Wonderfull&fantastic!!!!!!

[ericoschmitt]

wow. thats so... WOW! its like, wowwww

i love it.

[specodhec341]

Heh, it is BAROQUE music, and He is playing it like ROMANTIC (almost MODERN) music... It's sounds pretty wrong... But good!

[Timrath]

@specodhec341 What, exactly, does his interpretation make romantinc rather than baroque? I hear the term "too romantic" a lot, but I don't understand what it means. Is it when one uses acogics and dynamics?

[Omgshoes017]

your playing is fantastic!

[abbygirldelrosario]

the viola haz 5 strings :O

[guentherbacon]

It's a viola pomposa. C-G-D-A-E. Violins are limited to size and shape, but violas are not! :)

And actually, I'd say it looks more like a Juan Miro painting than a Dali, but I can certainly see why someone would say that!

[Jane90ify]

It sounds so peaceful and light but gets intense at some parts it feels like if he doesn't play the correct note the instrument will break like it's so fragile that the notes have to be careful and fit in at the exact spot

[sweet16jcm]

that is SICK!!!! i play the violin & viola so to not have to carry around 2 cases must be pretty sweet.

[Phyoomz]

Beautiful dynamics!

[howdydork]

his viola looks like it has a tumor. that is a very beautiful sounding viola tumor!!

[firestarsquest]

something is not right about the shape of that viola... I just cant put my finger on it...

[lobococo8]

@firestarsquest

he has a mixed viola so it has 5 strings C-G-D-A-E instead if having to use a viola AND a violin

[angusolaf]

Was this a Halloween concert?

[thbs35]

I expected to hate it, but dude, that was good/

[badbite911]

why is his viola shaped wierd?

[Phyoomz]

awesome bowing there my friend

[williejax2]

when bach wrote music for the "violoncello piccolo," he apparently had the viola pomposo in mind. Gonna have to check out the maker - that is a lovely instrument and sounds great, too.

[obviouslypepsi]

That was fantastic. Seriously so. Great feel, lovely tone, awesome instrument.

winwinwin

[pieguyfry22]

it seems that viola was designed by salvador dali

[phantom2307]

cool viola! you play very well

[46anna1995]

I want a pelligrina pamposa so bad... :) i heard the reason that 5 string instruments died out was because they sounded bad. clearly people way back then had some hearing problems. that or the only ones that played sucked.

[JayWilliamThompson]

your viola looks so cool! :D

[tchuman]

this viola reminded me of a movie called "The Elephant Man" (true storie)... crip movie by the way

[ShiftyRobot]

@tchuman This*, story*, creepy*. Sorry, I had to.

[Felipediasbr]

Salvador Dalí?

[ANYULA]

too fast for me!

[cordasdivinas]

what a diferent viola...........

[guitarherophenomify]

@Dcoleman138

Don't try to be funny. You should respect the quality of this instrument.

[DColeman138]

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT INSTRUMENT!?!?!?! it is like a viola got sat on by a giant without breaking!

[rennydunn1]

dis is my most favorite song to play and i love it when ppl play it wit passion and feeling and u added ur own vibe and feel to it and i love it

[XKITTYDUDEX]

That looks very... Expensive

[Shakira404]

Ha! I wasn't only one to think it would be easier just to add one more string!

[bluemountaindew22]

thats soo cool

[Drewman319]

Your viola looks a bit weird

[DidelphisVirginiana]

@Drewman319 that's just the camera angle :)

[Phyoomz]

@DidelphisVirginiana hahahahaha

[abushong87]

@Drewman319 camera always adds 10 pounds

[lilylittles]

Whoa there... That viola looks a bit top heavy...

[shinjiemisato]

I just love the melancholic viola timbre, more than the violin, but is a shame that the repertory of the viola is so limited, part by the low high notes range of it, by adding an extra string u make the viola a great violin replacement, with a more interesting timbre even tough that instrument is extremelly odd looking hahaha. my father is a maestro back in Brasil and his main instrument is viola, i play piano and wanted to play viola, but im already too old to play 2 instruments. cheers

[lalungenuictdestens]

@shinjiemisato Old? Hey! Did you hear about Andres Segovia? He played his last recital some days before dying! He was old! Age doesn't matter!

[Dexedrine]

Bach + the whole Ming Dynasty on his shirt...

Nice combo :D

Nice instument anyways

[soccerwin55]

How Come it looks so weird?

[wrw28405]

excuse me, what's the tuning on that instrument? is it still in fifths? And what are the string names? C-G-D-A-E?

[DidelphisVirginiana]

that's correct - combination of viola & violin

[wrw28405]

interesting. is this a one of a kind instrument, or are there other 5 string violas?

[music95love]

@wrw28405 there are others, an orchestra teacher in my district has one, and a six sting, but that one is electric,and i dont know that last string name

[Brillsama]

@DidelphisVirginiana ITS A LALIN!!!

[yaite1997]

@DidelphisVirginiana who made this violin

[bunnyfaceboy]

@yaite1997 i believe its a David Rivinus

[sssalvador1]

Love the sound !

why is it shaped like that ?

[arifreeman]

It's an attempt to lower the resonant frequency of the air cavity, by making the body bigger. The extension is on a part of the body that won't get in the way of the musician playing it.

[sssalvador1]

ahh i see thanks !

very interesting

[BJxr400]

because the proper resonance of a viola is 21 inches and no one could play that play that (on their shoulder, at least), so contemporary lutheirs are experamenting with the shape of the viola to get a better tone out of it. That's why when it comes to a viola, the bigger the better. Except people tend to get capel tunnel with anything over 16 inches, however, I've seen an 18.5" viola, it sounded amazing.

[paolojacm]

The instrument and the interpretation remind me a Salvador Dali painting

[DidelphisVirginiana]

That's right - the instrument has Salvador Dali's signature on the back.

[mrmaki7771]

@paolojacm me too good that some people know the real artists!

[wrw28405]

what an odd instrument......I have never heard of a 5 stringed viola before ever! But what brilliance! It's wonderful! Thank you for posting your videos.

[finkhein]

I love the process of creativity and the result; which is always so beautiful!

[violabusa]

I wonder what Bach might think of this rendition? Loves the shirt though!

[zatan130]

Looks like someone spliced a Viola and flipped its pieces around and stuck 'em back together to create this beautiful-sounding monster.

[JustinDBernardino]

Is that by any chance one of Gauthier Louppe's infamous stringed instruments?

[DidelphisVirginiana]

It's a Pellegrina built by David Rivinus

[haraldangle]

yeah thats my dad... he's had that weird looking viola for YEARS!

[spiritus777]

The sound is behind of the cello and violin... So beautiful like the viola pomposa pellegrina...

[bakablackbird]

5-string viola, huh?

[wafferz]

no offense but that is the most... interesting looking viola i have ever seen

[ickyyyyyy]

I love your interpretation and sound! Is that the pellegrina pomposa viola? I came across the site a few months ago, its such an interesting shape. :)

[amapparat]

It definitely doesn't seem to matter what shape a viola has - it will always sound alto by just being bigger than a violin :) The sound is nice indeed and for the interpretation - well, Johann I believe would have liked a glass of wine with this..;)

[wingy158]

i must say i love this song and you place if sooooo lovely, like a cellist would! but but i couldn't stop staring at the viola.

[SwordSaintSlayer]

a very racy interpretation,and very uneven, like a roller coaster that goes up and down, slow and fast here and there.

Absolutely love it, good work!

[GeneralZinglon]

those extra resonance chambers sound awesome....