Baroque Bowed-Bass Instruments

Baroque Bowed-Bass Instruments - by Joelle Fancher Morton
(based on Jack Ashworth and Paul O'Dette's work, as published in A Performer's Guide to Seventeenth Century, Schirmer, 1997)

Country Name Modern Terminology Tuning Features Uses Dates

France basse de violon
basse de viole
violoncelle
contrebasse
bass violin
bass viol
cello
contrabass
Bb F C g
A D G C e a d
C G d a
C G D A OR
E A D G overhand bow
7 string

overhand bow
en
solo, cham
en, some solo
theater to c.1700

after c.1700
after c.1700

Germany viola da gamba
violoncello
violoncello piccolo
violone

bass violon
bass viol
cello
piccolo cello
G violone OR
D violone
G violone OR
Viennese Double Bass (A) D G C e a d
C G d a
C G d a e
G C F a d g
D G C E A D
G C F a d g
(F) A D F# A
underhand bow
overhand bow
can be 8' or 16'
only 16'
8' or 16'
only 16' solo, cham
solo, cham, en
solo
cham, en
en
cham, en
solo, cham, en
after c.1700
after c.1715
to c.1735
to c.1735
to c.1735
to c.1830's

England bass violin
viola da gamba
violoncello
great bass viol
double bass

bass violon bass violin
bass viol
cello
A violone
contrabass

Vienne Double bass Bb F c g
D G C e a d
C G d a
A D G b e a
(E) A D G OR
G D A
(F) A D F# A underhand bow
underhand bow
underhand bow
underhand bow
under/overhand bow
under/overhand bow
underhand bow mostly en
solo, cham
solo, cham, en
viol consort
theater
theater
theater to c.1700

after c.1700
to c.1650
after c.1700
after c.1700
from c.1690

Italy basso da braccio
violoncello
violoncello da spalla

violoncello piccolo
violone grande
contrabasso
bass violin
cello
shoulder cello

piccolo cello
D violone
contrabass
Bb F c g
C G d a
(C) G d a e

C G d a e
D G C E A D
G D A OR
(G) A D G under/overhand bow
under/overhand bow
played across breast, overhand
overhand bow
only 16'
overhand bow
overhand bow mostly en
solo, cham, en
en
solo, cham
en
en
en to c.1665

to c.1700
to c.1740

*** "Violone" (with no other qualification) in Italian repertoire may mean cello (with Bb or C tuning), bass viol (not so often), or either G or D violone, depending on time period.

"Violone" in Art Music
c.1610-1665: G violone OR
D violone G C F a d g
D G C E A D can be 8' or 16'
only 16' solo, cham, en
en

"Violone" in Music
c.1665-1695: cello C G d a (e) under/overhand bow trio sonatas, solo sonatas & concesti, en

[ Jerry Fuller's Violone Page ]

Baroque Bowed-Bass Instruments - by Joelle Fancher Morton (based on Jack Ashworth and Paul O'Dette's work, as published in A Performer's Guide to Seventeenth Century, Schirmer, 1997)
Country	Name	Modern Terminology	Tuning	Features	Uses	Dates
France	basse de violon basse de viole violoncelle contrebasse	bass violin bass viol cello contrabass	Bb F C g A D G C e a d C G d a C G D A OR E A D G	overhand bow 7 string overhand bow	en solo, cham en, some solo theater	to c.1700 after c.1700 after c.1700
Germany	viola da gamba violoncello violoncello piccolo violone bass violon	bass viol cello piccolo cello G violone OR D violone G violone OR Viennese Double Bass	(A) D G C e a d C G d a C G d a e G C F a d g D G C E A D G C F a d g (F) A D F# A	underhand bow overhand bow can be 8' or 16' only 16' 8' or 16' only 16'	solo, cham solo, cham, en solo cham, en en cham, en solo, cham, en	after c.1700 after c.1715 to c.1735 to c.1735 to c.1735 to c.1830's
England	bass violin viola da gamba violoncello great bass viol double bass bass violon	bass violin bass viol cello A violone contrabass Vienne Double bass	Bb F c g D G C e a d C G d a A D G b e a (E) A D G OR G D A (F) A D F# A	underhand bow underhand bow underhand bow underhand bow under/overhand bow under/overhand bow underhand bow	mostly en solo, cham solo, cham, en viol consort theater theater theater	to c.1700 after c.1700 to c.1650 after c.1700 after c.1700 from c.1690
Italy	basso da braccio violoncello violoncello da spalla violoncello piccolo violone grande contrabasso	bass violin cello shoulder cello piccolo cello D violone contrabass	Bb F c g C G d a (C) G d a e C G d a e D G C E A D G D A OR (G) A D G	under/overhand bow under/overhand bow played across breast, overhand overhand bow only 16' overhand bow overhand bow	mostly en solo, cham, en en solo, cham en en en	to c.1665 to c.1700 to c.1740
*** "Violone" (with no other qualification) in Italian repertoire may mean cello (with Bb or C tuning), bass viol (not so often), or either G or D violone, depending on time period.
"Violone" in Art Music c.1610-1665:		G violone OR D violone	G C F a d g D G C E A D	can be 8' or 16' only 16'	solo, cham, en en
"Violone" in Music c.1665-1695:		cello	C G d a (e)	under/overhand bow	trio sonatas, solo sonatas & concesti, en