Viola da gamba

The viola da gamba (which wants to say the “viol of leg”) or viol is a musical instrument with cords and Frette S played using a Archet. The Italian term violated da gamba distinguishes it from the violated da braccio by the difference of the behavior of the instrument (the bass viol is held between the legs, from where its name, and the bow is also held in a different way).

If the instruments are snuff has proportion which they imitate best the voice, & so of all the artifices one estimates of advantage celuy which represents best the naturalness, it seems that one should not about it refuse the price with the Viol, which counterfeits the voice in all its modulations, & mesme in his most significant accents of sadness & joye| Mr. Mersenne, Universal Harmony (1636)

There exist 7 sizes of viola da gamba: (all the sizes are held between the legs… except the double bass)

Above of viol (agreement: D, ground, C, semi, D)
Viola da gamba viola (historically seldom used: C, F, B flat, ground, C)
Viola da gamba tenor (ground, C, F, D, ground)
Bass viol of gamba (D, ground, C, semi, D) (sometimes 7me cord: ) The
Large bass viol of gamba or Violone in ground (ground, C, F, D, ground)
Against bass viol of gamba or Violone in D (D, ground, C, semi, D)
In addition to this series, a smaller viol was added in France to the 18th century, to make it possible noble to play the repertory of the Violon of which the use was regarded as vulgar. This small viol, the overcoat of viol, is granted a octave higher than the viol tenor, and has sometimes only 5 cords (ground, D, D, ground).

It is important to note that, contrary to a commonly spread idea, the two families, that of the violin and viol, do not have any relation between them: the viola da gamba is not the ancestor of the violin. They appeared almost simultaneously, but in various parts of Europe.

History of the violas da gamba

Origins: from Spain in Italy

The viola da gamba was born in the area from Valencia in Spain with the end from XVe century. The first painting representing a viola da gamba played by an angel, found on Xativa (Valencia), date of 1475. By its hoops, the number of its cords (six) and the agreement (in quads, with a third in the medium), this instrument derives from the Luth or the Vihuela. The viola da gamba can be regarded as a “Luth with bow”. One plays it by holding it on the knees, from where its name, coming from Italian “da gamba” which means legs. The viola da gamba derives from the “rebab”, brought to Spain by the Moors towards VIIIe century. It initially developed in Spain, then knew hours of glory in Italy. Indeed, the year 1492, Spanish Valencian Rodrigo Borja (In Italian Borgia) was elected with the papal throne and became Alexandre VI. However the Pope brought many violists to Rome, which were employed for the music of church. The viol then had an enormous success in Italy and Isabelle d' Este, in love with the “viol to the spagnola” ordered several with a famous violin maker of them, Giovanni Kerlino, in Brescia.

Instruments of the Rebirth

These new viols flowered a little everywhere on the fertile ground of the Italian rebirth, and, at the beginning of XVIe century, a considerable number of treaties (at one time when the impression of the books was extremely expensive!), contributed to the rapid diffusion and the immense popularity of the new instrument. This work is interesting, by their incredible advance and their sophisticated comprehension of the expressive possibilities of a string instrument. Thus, in 1542 and 1543, the treaty of Ganassi, “Regola Rubertina” , did not find the equal one before the treaty of Leopold Mozart in 1756. Centers of manufacture of the instrument in Italy, were born from the splendid instruments. Important “dynasties” of violin makers as Matted, Stradivari, Guarneri and Ruggieri contributed to raise the name of Casement bolt to the more high level. The town of Brescia comprises also two names, Gasparo da Saló (1549 - 1609), and Giovanni Paolo Maggini (1580 - 1630) whose instruments are regarded as instruments of first choice by the current soloists. Casement bolt, Brescia, but also Milan, Venice, Mantoue, Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples left, of 1540 to 1780, of “da gamba violated” and “da braccio” (“viol of arm violated”: thus one named the instruments of the family of the violin) whose quality remains unequalled until our days. From Italy and Spain, the viola da gamba was then diffused in all Europe. It was in vogue until the French revolution, although some still played about it until about 1800.

The eclipse

The repertory of this instrument fallen into the lapse of memory during more than two centuries arose with the Baroque music. The viol was indeed supplanted by the Violoncelle, in spite of the treaty of Hubert the White: “Defense of bass viol against the companies of the violin and the claims of the violoncello” (1740) and the attempt at creation by Michel Corrette, about 1780, of an hybrid, the viol of Orphée, defined by this last like a “new instrument adjusted on the old viol, useful in concert to accompany the voice and to play of the sonatas” , with this encouraging addition: “the ladies, while playing of our viol of Orphée, will only appear more pleasant about it, the attitude being as advantageous as that of the harpsichord. ” (the viol of Orphée was equipped with metal cords and did not have hoops. It had a sonority completely different from the viol and violoncello, charged with harmonic, particularly stamped. The unit Lachrimæ Consort reconstituted the instrument and recorded it (viol of Orphée: Philippe Fuller). If viol has finished by to disappear, it is because violin, which was in the beginning an instrument of street and cabaret whose noble one could not play, took little by little its noble letters… Moreover, during the French revolution and after, the viols, undoubtedly considered to be too aristocratic, were transformed into violoncellos, violins and violas…

The redécouverte

Since the redécouverte of the Baroque music (or at least the discovery of its specificity as such) in the last third of the XXe century, the viol was however given to the last style, in particular by interpreters like St Georges (fathers and wire), Hannelore Müller, August Wentzinger (Basle), and more recently Wieland Kuijken (Brussels) and in Spain by Jordi Savall and its unit, Hesperion XX Jonathan Dunford and its unit with two viols esgales or Jose Vázquez and its unit Orpheon . The film Every morning of the world of Alain Corneau helped this instrument to be appreciated by the general public. Since then, it is not rare that parts initially written for viol but played since the romantic period exclusively on violoncello, are again interpreted on viol.

The repertory

Although the literature of consort includes/understands parts for 2 to 7 musicians, the combination of two tops, two tenors and two low formed a “set of viols” which should ideally have been manufactured by the same violin maker. Because of its delicate accents, rich and finely moderated, the viol was employed preferably in the polyphonies, either combined with other voices (motets, madrigaux, songs), or in instrumental forms deriving from vocal models (Ricercare, Canzona, Tiento and Fantasia). The English Masters - Byrd, Ferrabosco, Gibbons, Coperario, Lawes, Purcell - par excellence found in contrapontic imagination the form in which to express the thoughts more érudites, and the most sublime poetry. By respect for their artistic merit these works can not only be compared with the masterpieces of poetry and the dramatic art their English contemporaries, but also with the masterpieces of the chamber music of all the periods. Thus when Mersenne wishes to show what a style of music is appropriate best for the viol, it chooses to print an imagination with six parts of Alfonso Ferrabosco, in spite of its English name!

The aristocratic instrument

The viol was strictly speaking an aristocratic instrument of which the study belonged to the artistic education of a gentleman, as well as the lute, the harpsichord and the song. It was used mainly in the serious music, in the educated mediums, contrary to the violin, which was employed at its beginnings only by professional musicians and ménestrels for the dance and the entertainments. Thus, in its handbook of the courtier “He Libro del Cortegiano” of 1528, Baldassare Castiglione regards the practice of the viol as essential to the education of noble: “the music is not simply a recreation, but a need for a courtier. It should be practiced in the presence of ladies, because it predisposes the individual with all kinds of thoughts… And the music with four viols is very enchanter, because it is very delicate soft and clever. ” Relaying the ideas of Italian Humanism, the princes in love with art who were François Ier († 1547) and Henry VIII († 1547) brought respectively in France and England, not only the great painters, sculptors and thinkers of Italy, but also the type-setters and musicians of this country. At the time where the thought neoplatonician was present at the spirit of each one, Pétrarque and Arioste on all the lips, the viola da gamba was in all the hands! “We had our Serious Musick, Fancies off 3,4,5 and 6 shares to the Organ, Interpos' D (now and then) with Pavins nap, Allmaines, Solemn and Sweet Delightful Ayres; all which were (ace it were) so many Pathettical Stories, Rhetorical, and Sublimates Discourses; Subtle and Accute Argumentations, so Suitable, and Agreeing to the Inward, Secrecy, and Intellectual Faculties off the Drunk and Mind; that to set Them forth according to their True Praise, there are No Words Sufficient in Language; yet what I edge best speak off Them, shall Be only to say, That They cuts been to my coil, (and many others) ace Divine Raptures, Powerfully Captivating all our unruly Faculties, and Affections, (for the Time) and disposing custom to Solidity, Gravity, and has Good Temper, making able custom off Heavenly, and Divine Influences. Tis Great Pity Few Believe Thus Much, goal Far Greater, that so Few Know It. ” Thomas Mace, Musick' S Monument, 1676.

Stringed-instrument trade

The instruments of the family of the viols have a very variable form, which was not standardized. Also, one cannot speak about the form of the viola da gamba, but OF the forms. The Italian viols for example, had the same form as the instruments of the family of the violin (see or), whereas the English viols have “shoulders” cadentes, like the modern double bass (see for example: )… but there exist also very original forms: to see for example. The sound is considered softer, perhaps more melancholic person, that of the violin, or sourer and squeaking, according to the sensitivities: indeed, the viola da gamba is an instrument whose popularity knows eclipses. At the 17th century, in France, it was the noble instrument, while the violins, considered as popular instruments, were reserved for the accompaniment of the dances and to the musicians of street.

Some type-setters of works for viols

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