David Finck ⩙ Luthier
First Look
Fresh off the Bench.
Hardanger d'Amore
My first Hardanger d’Amore (H d’A): 5-strings bowed (like a violin plus the lowest string of a viola) and 5-strings running beneath the fingerboard that resonate sympathetically. These 10-strings create an ethereal and a sumptuous, cathedral-like sound experience that is absolutely transporting in the hands of a master. Dan Trueman is a master, a leading proponent, and the instigator of this amazing instrument.
In 2010 Dan approached traditional Norwegian Hardanger fiddle maker, Salve Håkedal, about making a 5-string, deeper-pitched version of the traditional Hardanger fiddle. Salve’s brainchild was dubbed the Hardanger d’Amore by another soon-to-be master of the instrument, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh.
Salve added a viola C-string, increased the scale-length and body size, and added an additional resonating under-string. He gave the instrument some quirks to match the quirky nature of the request and (possibly) the requestor — he omitted the upper bout corners and added a subtle bulge to the bass side of the upper bout as well. Dan got the first one, Caoimhín, the second. There have been many more since then.
Sometime in 2023 I entered the picture by way of my daughter Ledah, first violinist in the Bergamot Quartet. She knows Dan, (in one guise among many) as a composer who has written music for the quartet including him as a performer on the H d’A . She became entranced by the instrument and asked if I would make her one. I was reluctant to and encouraged her to get onto Salve’s (lengthy) wait list. Not long afterwards, I heard from Dan. He had spoken to Salve and he was looking for other makers who might carry this instrument forward. Was I interested? Yes I was.
Salve’s guidance was essential to my success with this first H d’A and I am indebted to him. He provided me with many specifics. He also encouraged me to embrace the folk instrument roots of the Hardanger fiddle and express my own ideas where possible. Dan’s insights and encouragement were pivotal. Here is the result:
Notes on this Hardanger d'Amore
The body length is 15″ — larger than a violin but small for a viola. The vibrating string length is 331 mm — basically standard violin length. The body depth is less than a viola, a touch more than a violin. The top is Englemann spruce. The back, sides, and neck are European maple. The pegs are Wittner geared tuners for tuning efficiency and stability. I made the tailpiece and fingerboard from the same piece of exceptional East Indian rosewood. The neck is short, like a hardanger fiddle, but the fingerboard is standard violin length. The little 5-tined “fork” that holds the resonant strings under the tailpiece was designed by me and crafted of titanium by my extraordinarily talented friend, metalsmith, Mark Read.
Here’s Caoimhín and Dan in concert playing a pair of Salve’s Hardanger d’Amores:
First Look
Be among the first to view my latest work. Fill in your email below, then click the subscribe button — you’ll be subscribed to my occasional newsletter. Your next instrument may be featured there!