Polish musician creates replica of Da Vinci's 'viola organista', a piano that makes the sound of cello

Viola organista originally designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the late 15th century - but there is no historical evidence to suggest it was ever built

Polish musician Slawomir Zubrzycki spent at least 5,000 hours and around £6,000 building the instrument, which plays the sound of a cello

When a key is struck, a string hits a wheel that has been wrapped in horse tail hair - similar to a violin bow - that then emits a sound

Instrument was debuted at Academy of Music in Krakow, Poland this week

'It just gives you goose bumps,' one attendee said

With elegant black and tan keys, it looks just like a baby grand piano.

But when the instrument's keys are stuck, they release the distinctive sound of a cello.

The remarkable creation is the viola organista - which was originally designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the late 15th century, but never built.



Now, hundreds of years later, it has come to life thanks to a Polish concert pianist with a flair for making instruments.



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Instrument: Polish musician Slawomir Zubrzycki has created a Viola Organista - which looks like a piano but sounds like a cello - based on a late 15th-century design by Leonardo da Vinci

Dedication: Mr Zubrzycki, spent almost £6,000 on his creation, and dedicated 5,000 hours to building it

Musician Slawomir Zubrzycki spent at least 5,000 hours on his creation - and spent around £6,000.



'This instrument has the characteristics of three we know: the harpsichord, the organ and the viola da gamba,' Zubrzycki said



'Leonardo da Vinci invented it around 1470-80. I have no idea what Leonardo da Vinci might think of the instrument I've made, but I'd hope he'd be pleased,' he added.

Inside the instrument are sixty-one steel strings - similar to the inside of a baby grand.

Each one is connected to the keyboard complete with smaller black keys for sharp and flat notes. But unlike a piano, it has no hammered strings.



Instead, there are four spinning wheels wrapped in horse tail hair, like violin bows. To turn them, Mr Zubrzycki pumps a peddle below the keyboard connected to a crankshaft.

As the musician hits the keys, they press the strings down onto the wheels emitting the sound of a cello, an organ and even an accordion.

Interior: The instrument has sixty-one steel strings like a baby grand piano, pictured. Each are pressed down onto four spinning wheels when the player hits a key

First: There is no historical evidence to suggest that any one has previously built a viola organista. Similar instruments do exist such as the Geigenwerk, or fiddle work

Design: A sketch of the viola organista can be found in Da Vinci's, left, Codex Atlanticus, right



As there are no historical records suggesting Da Vinci or anyone else built the exact instrument he designed, this is thought to be the first instrument of its kind.

A sketch complete with notes of the viola organista can be found in da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus - a 12-volume collection of his manuscripts and designs covering everything from mathematics to botany, weaponry to flight.

Other similar instruments have been created, however.

HOW DA VINCI'S 15TH CENTURY INSTRUMENT WORKS

The interior flat bed of the instrument contains sixty-one steel strings - similar to the inside of a baby grand piano. Each is connected to the keyboard which has smaller black keys for sharp and flat notes.

However, unlike a piano, it has no hammered stings.

Instead, there are four spinning wheels wrapped in horse tail hair, like violin bows.

They are turned by a peddle below the keyboard. As the musician hits the keys, the strings are pressed down onto the wheels emitting the sound of a cello, an organ and even an accordion. There are no historical records indicating that Da Vinci or anyone else built the exact instrument he designed. Other similar ones have been created, however.

A sketch complete with notes of the viola organista can be found in da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus - a 12-volume collection of his manuscripts and designs covering everything from mathematics to botany, weaponry to flight.

The Geigenwerk - translated as fiddle work in English - was built in 1575 by German Hans Haiden. It is the first known instrument based on da Vinci's design, experts at the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) in Brussels.

The museum also contains another built in 1625 by Spaniard Truchado Raymundo.

'It's the only wholly preserved example of this instrument" from the past, MIM expert Pascalle Vandervellen said.

Japan's Aiko Obuchi built a compact table-top model a decade ago, but information about any others is hard to come by.

Contemporary examples are 'very rare,' Vandervellen said.

The instrument was debuted Academy of Music in Poland's historic southern city of Krakow.



On attendee, Gabor Farkas, an award-winning Hungarian concert pianist and a teacher at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, fell in love with what he heard.



'It's a keyboard instrument but it sounds like someone is playing it with a bow like a violin or a cello - a very warm sound, very velvety, very beautiful

'One thing the piano is missing is that as soon as you hit one note, it dies. Here you can make a crescendo. It's the dream of all pianists!'

Polish concert pianist Marian Sobula agreed.

