Well, seems I have found confirmation that 5-string Violins/Violas are PERFECT for ALL styles of music, including Classical! 🤗

Think I've just fallen for a French Composer - who goes by 3 names!   

Okay, seems like an obvious publicity act, by a very talented multi-instrumentalist, Christophe Bordas, but I really like "Archibald's" (composer alias) AND "Kriztoff's (alias for electric) music & violin playing!  

This performance really caught me by surprise, thinking maybe French Cabaret Jazz - didn't expect ALL THIS, AND on a 5-string Violin... electrified! 

I'm pretty sure this is an original piece by Christophe, or maybe all improv!  "Anamnése" (anamnesis, or reminiscence, recollection) - VERY BEAUTIFUL! 

"Bal Folk" is traditional dance music in Central France - Mazurka, Valse, Bourrée, Polka, Rondeau, Gavotte, Scottish and World Music pieces. 

Here's a little taste from Christophe Bordas! 

DARN, I wanted to hear each piece all the way through to the end!  

A little Irish & Québécois podorhythmie, too?  OMG! (I'm drooling) over this 5-string Violin!

It looks like antique silver or pewter, but I found the luthier is very traditional, so I'm sure it's wood.  I know metallic-looking mica powder can be added to shellac, or any type of paint - which makes more sense than metal leaf, but I can't get close enough to tell. 😒

 ...never know what I'll find next! (lol)

- Emily

@JohnG -

Glad you enjoyed it! 

I've been amazed at everything I've heard Christophe Bordas play!

Don't know how I do it, but found someone else pretty spectacular - actually a duo from Central France! 

A SIX-STRING (Viola or Violin?), played by Laurent and diatonic accordion, played by Caroline! 

"Superstition" is a beautiful Waltz - with a crazy amount of time changes!  

Translated from the video description:

A waltz at 13 times of our composition. It is a succession of a waltz step at 5 strokes and a waltz step at 8 times... or... steps of waltzes at 5 times interspersed (sometimes) with 3 times of normal waltz on which we can more turn! If it is done!

After MUCH searching for info on Laurent's instrument AND 'google translating', I found: 

Laurent plays on a 6-string VIOLA, custom-made by Julie Maroncle in 2007 - with a bow by Sébastian Dirr. 

...it's NOT this Glasser carbon composite violin. (lol)

- Emily