Jonathan Dunford: Confessions of an (Old) Viol Player in Paris

American by birth and Parisian by adoption, Jonathan Dunford belongs to the generation of musicians who restored the viola da gamba to a prominent place in the early music world. Based in Paris since the mid-1980s, he has combined performance and research ever since, notably exploring manuscripts and forgotten 17th- and 18th-century viol repertoire at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

With his wife, fellow viol player Sylvia Abramowicz, he founded the ensemble À 2 Violes Esgales in 1985, with a particular commitment to rediscovering rare works. Their son, lutenist and theorbo player Thomas Dunford, has also established himself on the international early music scene. Alongside his performing career, Jonathan Dunford has pursued extensive scholarly work, producing editions and articles, giving lectures, and collaborating with the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles. His curiosity extends well beyond the French Grand Siècle: he has also explored traditional and contemporary music, even improvising on the electric viol with Fred Frith. A unique figure—at once a performer, educator, and pioneer—for whom playing the viola also means rediscovering, understanding, and passing on an entire forgotten heritage. Now 66 and retired, he continues to teach and give masterclasses. In this deeply personal reflection, he asks: “Have we lost our sense of adventure and solidarity?”

Passionate about early music and want to read this subscriber-only article?

If you are not a subscriber, join the international Total Baroque community. Subscribe here from 5.00€.

I subscribe

If you are already a subscriber, sign in.

I sign in