by Joëlle Fancher Morton
(based on Jack Ashworth and Paul O’Dette’s work, as published in A Performer’s Guide to Seventeenth Century, Schirmer, 1997)
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| 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 |