I have recently been playing in a very interesting project in France. It is a reconstruction of the 24 violins of Louis XIV, in which 12 instruments have been specially constructed to play the three inner parts, those of Haute Contre (slightly bigger than a violin), Taille (slightly bigger than a viola), and Quinte (a very big viola comparable to a viola da spalla, supported by a tie around the neck). These instruments all have the same tuning as a viola (ADGC). See the three types of instruments pictured below.
The upper (dessus) part was played on violins, and the bass line on Basses de Violons. In the second half of the 17th Century, the modern violin string family had not yet been standardised and the shape and form of instruments was still highly experimental all over Europe. The title of 24 violins, therefore, does not refer to violins as we know them in modern times, but to the violin family to which all of these instruments belong.
The orginal configuration of the 24 violins was 6 dessus de violons (violins as we know them), 6 Basses de violons (which are like big cellos tuned a tone lower) , and 4 of each of the inner parts which are varying sizes of 'viola like instruments'. This was then complimented by recorders, oboes, traverso flutes, and bassoons as well as theorbos and harpsichord to complement the Basso Continuo group.
The orchestra in the above mentioned form existed in Versailles for no more than 80 years during the middle baroque period, mostly during the reign of Louis XIV. The result of the influence of Jean Baptise Lully, the court composer and musical director from the early 1650s until his death in 1687, the orchestra was created specifically to perform the operas, ballets, and comédie- ballets that Lully wrote. He sometimes performed as a violinist, and, like the King, also as a dancer, but mostly directed the orchestra beating time with his long staff (the famous one that ended up causing his death when he stabbed himself in the foot with it, and it became gangrenous).
The music that Lully wrote during this period revolutionised composition in France, and was to be of considerable influence elsewhere in Europe. Not only was his exploration and expansion of dance forms highly inventive, but his ability to apply the French language to music in such a sensitive way had a massive impact on operatic style, resulting notably in a new style of recitative, closer to recitative accompagnato, rhythmically guided by the language itself.
The instrumentation of the 24 'violins' permitted Lully to write music which was incredibly rich in harmony, therefore creating a full, resonant and extremely powerful texture.
BUT to get back to the subject Julia!.....The interesting point of this project is that in recreating instruments which are designed for the exact tessitura of the parts they are required to play, the resulting sound is so powerful and balanced, that there is absolutely no comparison with the modern day viola (no matter how beautiful their playing is!!). The inner parts are harmonically the most interesting parts in any of Lully's works, and hearing them so clearly is pure joy! Of course, I am not saying that these instruments are BETTER than the viola (that would be asking for trouble), but just more suited to this repertoire. Nevertheless, the problem is that these instruments are unsuitable for playing any other types of music, therefore not really the type of instrument that most people could afford to invest in for such a limited repertoire. Buying a bow for a specific repertoire such as early italian playing, or classical playing is one thing, buying an instrument for 80 years worth of repertoire is ANOTHER!!!
It is fortunate that the French are so proud of their culture, and that the government funded Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles can see the benefit of an endeavour such as this. I feel very lucky to be part of it.
