Da Vinci’s Viola Organista Built in Poland

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, after 5000 hours and £6,000, it has come to life thanks to a Polish concert pianist with a flair for making instruments.

Click to watch an interview with Slawomir Zubrzycki (turn on English subtitles in Captions).

‘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.