Anaïs Chen improvises on the viola tenore upon "Io canterei d'amor" by Cipriano de Rore

Ciprian's madrigal "Io canterei d'amor" (1547) is one of my most favorite pieces. Of course its beauty lies in the sublime contrapuntal interwoven texture, but I tried to catch and enhance something of its character as I feel it, ornamenting (making so called diminutions of the plain melody lines) and jumping through all four voices in a way that its structure remains understandable although I play only one voice at a time. On a violin this would have been impossible, but with the viola tenore which is tuned one octave below the violin, here in 465 Hz, I can touch all voices from the luckily rather low soprano line of this madrigal down to some of the bass lines (which I enjoy very much as a violinist :)).
Text by Petrarca:
Io canterei d'amor si novamente
ch'al duro fiancho il dì mille sospiri
trarrei per forza, et mille alti desiri
racconterei ne la gelata mente;
E'l bel viso vedrei cangiar sovente,
et bagnar gli occhi, et più pietosi giri
far, come suol chi de gli altrui martiri
et del suo error quando non val si pente.
I would sing of love in so new a way
I would draw a thousand sighs
from that hard heart, and light a thousand
noble desires in that chill mind:
and I would see her often change expression,
and wet her eyes, and turn more pityingly,
like one who, when it's no use, repents
of other's suffering and her own error.
(translation by A.S. Kline)

[@Baroque-Handel]

I recently asked what the heck happened to Anais and boom...here she is. Never going to complain about the discomfort holding a Violin ever again. Like the Olympics, you have to wait every 4 years. Awesome performance...albeit every 4 years.

[@anaischen5312]

;-)

[@mikaeljohanson8224]

The Beaty of music! If you really listen, the music tells a story that is all your own , exploring the world.

[@helenewaltersoprano]

Bravissima Anaïs! 👏👏👏 è sempre un bellissimo viaggio di sentirti!

[@anaischen5312]

Merci, Hélène!

[@dtopham100]

I like the way you "live" the music. I feel that are speaking to us and expressing many thoughts and feelings that can't be put into words.

[@anaischen5312]

Thank you. This is a very precious feedback to me!

[@tomsolinger611]

Your technique makes my jaw drop. Your emotional connection with the music is truly profound.Also what a gorgeous piece from the composer I’ve never heard of. Your viola playing is at least as good as your violin playing which is also fantastic.

[@mikaeljohanson8224]

So fantastic and wonderful played music!

[@baltazarzuniga]

Bellissimo!

[@anaischen5312]

Grazie Baltazar, anche per il tuo bel lavoro di ripresa in poco tempo, mantenendo sempre la calma!

[@mallorga1965]

Hypnotic. Seductive.

[@moragjohnston6112]

thank you for this video Anais, it is so beautiful!

[@anaischen5312]

Thank you, Morag! 🌷

[@irene_mena]

😍😍😍

[@AndytheChav]

So beautiful! 👌💯

[@elenasaccomandi3464]

Brava!!!!!!!

[@anaischen5312]

Grazie!

[@gregmonks]

Where on earth did you find the right strings for this, and which strings so you use? I've been using F C G D viola strings, which just aren't quite right. I can't take my eyes off your bowing technique!

[@anaischen5312]

Thank you Greg! In fact it has been a longer research, the only strings which work on my instrument are made by Davide Longhi cordedrago.it. Good luck!

[@pataquesbass]

Hello Anaïs, it's wonderfull and so beauty ! Please what is the maker of this marvelous instrument ? Thank You !!!

[@anaischen5312]

Thank you so much, François-Xavier! The maker is Daniel Frisch from Zell in Wiesenthal, the same as the maker of my violins.

[@pataquesbass]

@@anaischen5312 thank you !

[@naokishinjo4684]

Will you please tell me the tuning of this viola? Can I call your viola as tenor viola?

[@anaischen5312]

Yes, it’s a tenor viola after brothers Amati end of 16th century, here tuned one octave below the violin in 465Hz

[@emilianoturazzi]

è una tragedia che questo strumento sia caduto in disuso...

[@baltazarzuniga]

Bellissimo!