I find that as life goes on it gets more varied and I collect additional interests, sometimes more than I really have time for. Recently I’ve developed a side interest in restoration, mainly just from my own curiosity, so the last two or three months have been spent on that, including a fantastic course run by the British Violin Making Association at Halsway Manor in Somerset, where I developed my skills with the help of three outstanding tutors. And latterly I was back at Halsway for a course on varnish making, a perpetual area of interest.
But now it’s high time to get back to my proper job and to make a new viola. This one is for Wei, a player in Singapore with whom I’ve been in touch for some while as she’s ordered several of my instrument blankets. She visited me last year when she came to the UK and we have been discussing this commission since then. Wei has tried a number of violas belonging to friends to help her evaluate what will suit her best, and she’s decided she would feel most comfortable on a large viola, so that’s what I’m making. I developed this model some years ago, based on a reduction of a large tenor viola by Gasparo da Salo which is housed in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. I’ve scaled it to the size I wanted and in particular kept the scroll quite small so although it’s a big instrument, it still feels manageable. It always sounds great, with a rich, powerful chocolatey sound.
As ever, I’ve started by bending the ribs, strips of maple planed to just over 1mm think. They are bent with heat and glued in place on the mould. That done, I fit the linings, narrow strips of spruce that fit inside the ribs and increase the eventual gluing surface against the back and front – without them the joint would come apart much more frequently than usually occurs.
While all these glue joints dry, I get on with the scroll. I love the freedom of Brescian scrolls, and Wei was up for a slight variation. Instead of the usual double channel cut round the back of the pegbox and the perimeter of the scroll part, she was keen to have the single channel which is found on some of the really early Brescian violas and also often on double basses. I think that looks great…
Ribs and head finished, I’m starting on the back and front, which always feel like the heart and soul of the instrument. I sent Wei pictures of possible wood choices and she picked out this lovely and unusual piece of maple for the back which she said reminded her of a Japanese woodcut. I’ve paired it with a high quality spruce front from Switzerland. Firstly I rough out the arching of the back and front, then finalise the outline.
Then I fit the purfling, the black/white/black strips that enhance the outline of the back and front, and also provide some protection against damage. I make this myself, from strips of poplar for the white and dyed pear wood for the black. It’s quite a long process including dying the wood with natural materials, so I need to be sure I start in good time when my stocks are running low. I cut a channel around the edge of the plates then bend the purfling to shape and glue it in place.
I’m really enjoying being back at the bench after the Christmas break. I’m making good progress with the viola; I’ve sunk the fluting channel round the edge and finalised the arching. For this model it’s quite high and full, which I hope will contribute to a rich and warm sound.
In the quiet days of early January I’m making good progress. As it’s been cold and snowy outside it’s good to be undisturbed in my cosy workshop. After arching comes thicknessing; reducing the inside surface of the back and front to get the ideal balance of weight, flexibility and the sound it makes when tapped. Each instrument is different so I work carefully checking regularly until I’m happy.Then it’s time to cut the f-holes, which really bring the front of the viola to life.
To complete the front, I fit the bass bar, which reinforces the lower register of the viola and helps to support the weight of the bridge. Then the ribs come off the mould, I finish the internal surfaces, and glue the back to the ribs.
With the body finished, I fit and shape the neck. I take a lot of trouble for the neck to be slim and comfortable for the player. Then the viola is finished ‘in the white’. It now spends some time getting a suntan in my UV light cupboard before I start the varnishing process.
