Johanna Rose Demonstrates the Beauty of the Viol
“You can play anything with this instrument.”
If you've never heard of the viola da gamba, you need to meet Johanna Rose.
Joining the live stream from Spain, Johanna brings us behind the scenes to her studio where she demonstrates playing four different viols – ranging in size from small to large – and explains the uniqueness of these lesser-known instruments.
Johanna Rose featured on the Offstage Tunes Live show
The viol, or viola da gamba, is a stringed instrument held between the knees (gamba means “knee” in Italian) much like its distant cousin, the cello. The viol originated in Spain in the 15th century, about a century before the cello first appeared, but unlike the cello, its popularity has faded over the years and its appearance limited to museum exhibitions and niche concerts.
How did she pick this obscure instrument when most people haven’t even heard of its name? “I started with the cello when I was small and then I got to know the viol,” she says. “I was really very fascinated by the sound and by the possibilities it has and I find it very beautiful.”
Her recent performance, The Spirit of the Viol, is an on-demand stream available on Music Traveler in which she takes you on a musical tour of viol and harpsichord music from different musical time periods and showcases her virtuosic playing as a a viola da gamba player.
The viol is commonly referred to as a period instrument known for playing early/Baroque music, and is part of a very niche group of instruments. Johanna is fully aware of its “mystic” status, and she wants to change that. “There are people that are interested in composing for the instrument and I think it's very interesting. I had also the chance to work with some modern composers and they have completely different ideas of what you can do with the instrument.”
“You can play anything with this instrument,” Johanna adds. “It's also just an instrument and music is just music!”
Interview conducted and written by Louise Lau. Connect with her on social media @offstagetunes
The interview was from episode #9 of the Offstage Tunes Live – The Brunch Series.