Early Italian musical instruments

The Viola da Gamba

The viola da gamba (also called the "viol" or "gamba") is not a fretted cello! [A] cello has 4 strings and a viol usually has 6, like a guitar, or 7. In addition, the viol's frets . . . are . . . made of gut tied onto the neck, like those of a lute, and are therefore movable. Viols are bowed, like cellos, but the bow is held . . . underhand, like a pencil or chopsticks. . . . The smallest, highest-sounding member is a treble viol, equivalent to the violin. Next larger and deeper in tone is the tenor viol, approximately equivalent to the viola. Even larger and deeper-sounding is the bass viol, equivalent to the cello. The largest, deepest size, the double bass, is the only viol played in orchestras today.

Viols have a long history. They were perhaps most popular in the 15th to 18th centuries, from about the time of Henry VIII of England, who played them, to that of Louis XIV of France (the Sun King). Shakespeare mentions them in several plays, including Twelfth Night. The sound of the viol is sweet and shimmering, quieter than that of violins, violas, or cellos. [source]

Come and see David Morris make music on the viola da gamba on October 22 at the Herbst Theatre.

The Bassetto Simone Cimapane

The Bassetto Simone Cimapane is a cello of big proportion, almost a "bassetto" or a "basso di violino", made in Rome by Simone Cimapane in 1685. Simone Cimapane was active in Rome as a maker of string instruments and as a musician during the second half of the seventeenth century and he played with Arcangelo Corelli. His name appears in the "Societá del Centesimo" that was created by the members of "Congregazione di Santa Cecilia" in Rome in 1688. He is also mentioned in the lists of musicians employed by Cardinal Pamphili, together with others musicians under Corelli. Most likely Simone Cimapane was father of Bartolomeo, a double bass player active in Rome during the time of Corelli. At least two others members of this family were active musicians: one a violin player and one a singer. This instrument has original measure and is considered an Unicum, an instrument of historical importance because it was played in the Orchestra of Arcangelo Corelli. For its features and historical relevance, it belongs in the Italian musical heritage. [Text provided by Alessandro Palmeri]

Additional images of the Bassetto Cimapane during restoration may be found here.

Come and see Alessandro Palmeri make music on the Bassetto Cimapane on October 23 at the Herbst Theatre and October 24 at SF Conservatory.