viola da gamba
Bowed Renaissance instrument
A viola da gamba is a bowed string instrument held upright between the legs, popular in Renaissance and Baroque music.
The name is Italian for "viol of the leg," distinguishing it from instruments held against the arm or shoulder.
Violas da gamba have frets, six or seven strings, and a softer tone than the violin family that eventually displaced them.
The bass viola da gamba resembles a cello in size and range: a Bach sonata for viola da gamba and harpsichord.
Worried persistently
- gut stringsInstrument strings from intestines
- soundholeOpening in acoustic instrument
- rosetteCircular ribbon ornament
- pegboxTuning mechanism enclosure
tailpiece · bridge · soundpost · fingerboard · soundboard · f-hole · neck · ribs
Excessively ornate or elaborate
- renaissancePeriod of renewed vitality
- early musicPre-1750 Western compositions
- counterpointSimultaneous independent melodies
- polyphonySimultaneous independent melodic lines
Bending forward in deference
- arcoPlay with bow
- pizzicatoString-plucking technique
- ornamentationDecorative additions to something
- trillRapid pitch oscillation
mordent · vibrato · divisions · diminutions · tablature · slur
Free-form musical composition
- ground bassRepeated low melodic pattern
- divisionsSeparate portions of something
- sonataMulti-movement instrumental composition
- suiteConnected hotel rooms
Royal spouse
Stringed instrument craftsperson
- workshopPlace for making or learning
- varnishLiquid that dries glossy
- restorationReturning something to condition
- copyIdentical reproduction made
fretted
Worried persistently
- gut stringsInstrument strings from intestines
- soundholeOpening in acoustic instrument
- rosetteCircular ribbon ornament
pegbox · tailpiece · bridge · soundpost · fingerboard · soundboard · f-hole · neck · ribs · scroll
baroque
Excessively ornate or elaborate
- renaissancePeriod of renewed vitality
- early musicPre-1750 Western compositions
- counterpointSimultaneous independent melodies
Abel
Hebrew name meaning breath
bowing
Bending forward in deference
- arcoPlay with bow
- pizzicatoString-plucking technique
- ornamentationDecorative additions to something
trill · mordent · vibrato · divisions · diminutions · tablature · slur
fantasia
Free-form musical composition
- ground bassRepeated low melodic pattern
- divisionsSeparate portions of something
- sonataMulti-movement instrumental composition
consort
Royal spouse
luthier
Stringed instrument craftsperson
- workshopPlace for making or learning
- varnishLiquid that dries glossy
- restorationReturning something to condition
- European instrumentsaccordion, bagpipes, balalaika, bandura, bodhran
- instrumentsguitar, guitars, piano, pianos, drum
- Baroque MusicBach, Vivaldi, Handel, harpsichord, Vivaldi Four Seasons
- Bowed Stringscello, double bass, fiddle, contrabass, erhu
- early instrumentslute, harpsichord, recorder, sackbut, rebec
- basso continuorealization, bass line, harpsichord, organ, archlute
viola da gambacello
Deep-voiced bowed instrument
violin · viola · violoncello · orchestral strings · double bass
viola da gambaharpsichord
Plucked-string keyboard instrument
lute · drum · recorder · organ · percussion
violin, violins, violinist, viola, violist, viol, violoncello, violists