Rivinus and the Pellegrina
by Eric Chapman

A Pellegrina viola made in 1997 for Don Ehrlich, assistant principal violist of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

If playing the violin is viewed as an art, playing the viola is perhaps more a state of mind—a mind that is generally quite open to innovation.

Creativity and innovation are practically synonymous with the work of David Rivinus, most noted for the development of his Pellegrina viola, a totally new concept in viola design. While the word “pellegrina” means pilgrim in Italian, this instrument is certainly not a pilgrimage to the high altar of classic Italian violin making. Rather, it is a new and alternative life style for the viola and violists. In many ways, the Pellegrina is more than just an alternative. For some, who have sustained a wide range of injuries from playing the work of Rivinus has preserved and re-vitalized careers.

Ravinus’ path to the Pellegrina, like the instrument itself, has been anything but traditional. The son of a career diplomat, Rivinus was born in Turkey where his father served as a Consul General. The nomadic life of a diplomat, however, had its advantages. Rivinus developed important perspectives that accompany such cross-cultural exposure. He also became fluent in five languages.

When the Rivinus family settled in Indianapolis, David made the acquaintance of Thomas Smith, a violin maker trained in the Swiss tradition. Rivinus described him as a gifted violinist “without the nerves of steel” but with a sure hand when transforming wood into instruments. It was a good introduction to the world of violin making.

The most important training Rivinus received was at the shop of Hans Weisshaar in Los Angeles. Weisshaar, known to be a tough taskmaster, provided the grounding in techniques necessary for success in the violin world. Weisshaar was renowned for his ability to spot talent, as was Robert Kagan of Kagan & Gaines in Chicago. Kagan brought Weisshaar to America along with such other notables as Rene Morel, who trained many great restorers at Jacques Francais Violins, and Tschu Ho Lee, who has trained many outstanding violin-making students at the Chicago School of Violin Making for the past 25 years. Weisshaar, in turn, not only showed great insight in spotting talent, but became one of the great teachers of luthiers. Among the many whom Rivinus had as colleagues were David Burgess, Otto Schenk, Paul Siefried, Peter & Wendy Moes along with Joseph Grubaugh and Sigrin Seifert.

Following a four-year stint at Weisshaar’s fertile proving ground, Rivinus struck out on his own and formed a partnership with Thomas Metzler, a colleague from the Weisshaar shop. Given a passion for photography, Rivinus sold his partnership after 6 years and became one of a handful of specialists in the complex process of photographing string instruments. Increasingly, he found great demand for his photographic work, especially in the creation of certificates of authenticity. The passion for photography remains and Rivinus has accepted the task of photographing all the winning instruments and bows at the Violin Society of America’s international competition in Portland, Oregon this November.

Traditions die hard in the music world in general, and the area of violinmaking clings to its own strongly. Many makers have become slaves in modeling their work after Gasparo da Salo or Stradivari, to the exclusion of other viable options. Dario D’Attili, one of the chief restorers at Rembert Wurlitzer in New York, once told his colleague, the great Ferdinand Sacconi that he was sorry Sacconi ever saw a Strad, as he felt much individuality had been lost. For Rivinus, individuality is key, but his work is always solidly grounded in the principles of acoustics and playability.

As with Joseph Curtin and the Evia, Rivinus placed a premium on weight reduction when designing the Pellegrina, or the “Pell” as it is fondly called by its adherents. With four-hour rehearsals qualifying as legitimate back breakers, he replaced the ebony fingerboard with synthetic phenolic resin veneers thus reducing the overall weight of the instrument by about 10%. Part of the volute was taken out of the scroll while the traditional willow and spruce for blocks and linings were replaced with ultra-light woods. Extra sound holes, which allow the instrument to vibrate more freely, also reduce weight.

The key design issue in the Pellegrina is the degree of supination—the angle to which the left elbow is forced to tuck under the instrument. The Pell reduces that angle by about five degrees, which in turn increases the comfort level and relieves the likelihood of muscle spasms, pinched nerves and other general aches and pain.

Many violists have become advocates of the Pell. The instrument’s most visible proponent has been Don Ehrlich, the Assistant Principal violist of the San Francisco Symphony and Viola Professor at San Francisco Conservatory. Ehrlich’s Pell was on constant public display for both audiences and shocked orchestra soloists who thought they might be hallucinating upon spotting such an unconventional instrument!

Ehrlich’s path to the Pellegrina was quite classic—severe left elbow pain had become insistent and made playing difficult. What to do? Following a frustrating search for a smaller viola and an orchestra strike, he summoned his determination, and found his way to Rivinus. After some model refinements, Don had the second Pella and retreating tendonitis pain—something he ascribes to the maker’s neck set design with its counterclockwise angle.

“Recently” writes Ehrlich, “a colleague asked me to help her with a bow buying decision. When it came to the time that I tried her instrument with the bows, I found that the pain in the elbow began to re-establish itself, and after about three minutes I gave her the instrument back. I know that I cannot go back to a standard viola.”

While the Pellegrina requires more player adjustments than a typical unfamiliar instrument, Erlich gladly made the accommodations necessary to allow his career to thrive once again. Now he and the Pell bask in the attention the instrument attracts.

The Pellegrina is not the only innovative instrument designed by Rivinus. There is a small viola named by the maker the “Riviola”, much smaller than the Pell but also asymmetrical and ergonomically designed. He also offers a six string Riviola intended for use by jazz musicians, which has a range from the highest note of a violin to the F above open C on the cello.

A Riviola with paintings on the back and belly. Rivinus is frequently asked for custom artwork, anything from family portraits to the bouquet of daffodils shown here.

Whatever your instrument of choice might be, call soon, as there is now a two-year waiting list for the delightful sound of the Pell!