Bowed Vihuela

Despite its appearance, the vihuela de arco is not related to the viola da gamba or the violin family, but to the hand vihuela. In fact, the hand vihuela comes from the bowed vihuela, as these instruments initially had fewer strings, were versatile and their origin dates back to the Middle Ages. The oldest and most varied models are found in the Iberian Peninsula, including those with flat bridge, double bridge or different positions.

The organological characteristics of the vihuela de arco, especially with regard to its construction, give it a unique and distinctive identity within the world of bowed instruments, deserving more attention than it has received so far.

Due to its particular characteristics, the vihuela de arco can sound at times like a quattrocento organetto, at other times like a bajon or cornamusa, and at other times it can sound like the singing of an oriental bowed instrument imitating the human voice. In any case, this instrument was conceived at a time when the sonorous ideal was vocal polyphony and the timbre of the human voice, before the independent development of instrumental music.

It was mainly used in the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th-16th centuries and is sometimes related to the medieval fiddle.

It could be played on the shoulder or on the legs and its sound is deep and somewhat dark.