Among the most remarkable inventions conceived by Leonardo da Vinci is the viola organista, an instrument that combines a keyboard with a complex system of bowed strings. Its origins can be traced back to the hurdy-gurdy, an instrument already known in the 12th and 13th centuries. The description and drawings of the viola organista appear in the Codex Atlanticus, the largest collection of Leonardo’s notes and drawings, compiled between 1489 and 1492 and now preserved at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, as well as in other collections in Paris and Madrid. Leonardo’s sketches, however, do not depict a single model, but rather eight different design variants. Together, they reveal the gradual development of his original idea from its starting point, the hurdy-gurdy. In Leonardo’s designs, the keyboard instrument underwent several transformations, eventually taking on, most probably in its final version, a form resembling that of a harpsichord.

The viola organista operates on a principle that is both simple and ingenious. Through a mechanism connected to the keyboard, the strings are brought into contact with a series of circular bows—or, in other designs, with leather belts or belts covered in horsehair—and set into vibration through friction. Rosin is applied to increase the friction between the strings and the moving elements. The bows are driven by a pedal-operated mechanism and, as they come into contact with the strings, cause them to vibrate and produce sound. The keyboard does more than simply determine which notes are played: it also allows the performer to control dynamics, articulation, and vibrato. The speed at which the bows move provides an additional means of increasing dynamic intensity and altering the instrument’s timbre.

The story of this extraordinary invention, however, does not end with the drawings preserved in the Codex Atlanticus. Its later history is a fascinating tale of forgotten instrument makers, lost instruments, and prominent figures from the musical world. In 2013, a concert by Sławomir Zubrzycki, performed on a replica he had built himself, brought the viola organista to the attention of the international media through the AFP news agency, sparking renewed interest in Leonardo’s design. By creating his own version of the instrument, based on Leonardo’s original concept and developed with careful consideration of its historical context, Zubrzycki demonstrated that the viola organista has a musical significance that extends well beyond its historical origins. His reconstruction has shown that the instrument can find a place not only in the performance of early music but also in contemporary musical practice.

Sławomir Zubrzycki