(It.).
A bowed string instrument with sympathetic strings. Structurally it probably resembled the viola d'amore. It was developed by Pietro Castrucci (b Rome, 1679; d Dublin, 29 Feb 1752), leader of Handel's opera orchestra in London for over 22 years. A pair of obbligato parts inscribed ‘violette marine per gli Signori Castrucci’ occur in the hero's sleep aria in Handel's Orlando (1733) and a part for one instrument is included in Sosarme (1732); the ‘violetta’ in Ezio (1732) and Deborah (1733) might refer to the same instrument. A brief passage by Burney (History, ii, 1782, p.698) is the chief source of information about the violetta marina, though it is possible that it was identical with the English violet.
STEPHEN BONTA