The Dies Irae Violoncello da Spalla
At the Base of Harmony
Dies Irae — An Emblem
Built on over twenty years of da spalla making experience, this violoncello da spalla delivers clarity, depth, and power. Inspired by Dies Irae, its proportions lead naturally to immediate musical orientation.
A major seventh embodied in the upper bouts — tension given structure.
Harmony Revealed
Harmonic tension is given form, shaping projection, brilliance, and dramatic intensity. Felt before explanation.
Where harmony begins — at the bass.
Harmony as Orientation
Everything else follows.
The Instrument — On Stage
Agile enough for rapid passagework, grounded enough to sustain harmonic depth and powerful enough for demanding solo with ensemble. On stage, it feels immediate, familiar, and physically natural — an embrace you don't have to negotiate.
The sound of the 2024 Dies Irae violoncello da spalla, recorded in the silence of an eighteenth-century church.
“If I can’t try it, how do I know this will work?”
When you commission, acoustic predictability and comfort aren’t luck. Your instrument must help you be your best—so nothing is left to chance.
I built Sound Alchemy™ from the masters’ method and from lived stage reality—including years performing with La Petite Bande. The clearest proof is repeated commissions:
Sigiswald Kuijken (6) · Sergey Malov (2) · Ryo Terakado (3).
Witnesses
“Now I no longer want to play Bach on my viola. I am so smitten by my Spalla.”
Dr. Madelein Darmiento
Professor of Strings, Violin & Viola
“Film, tv music scene will get hip to this soon and baroque instruments such as the violoncello da spalla will come back in a very big way!”
Bryan Senti
Award-winning composer, film-maker, multi-instrumentalist, producer
“It just feels right—it feels amazing. Playing this violoncello da spalla lets me create music I truly love and has made playing music so much better in my life.”
Artie Dibble
Violist, Juilliard, NYC
Dies Irae Violoncello da Spalla
Gold leaf Quatrefoil bridge, framed fingerboard and tailpiece
excl. VAT