violoncellodaspalla

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Domenico Gabrielli   Canon for two Violoncelli

Sergey Malov, Dmitry Badiarov, violoncelli da spalla

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J.S. Bach   "Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm" BWV 171 (excerpts)

II. Arie Herr, so weit die Wolken geh’n - Tenor, Violine I/II & B.c.(Vc.d.S, Org) III. Rezitativ Du süßer Jesus-Name du - Alt & B.c. IV. Arie Jesus soll mein erstes Wort - Sopran, Violine I & B.c. V. Rezitativ Und da du, Herr, gesagt - Bass, Oboe I/II & B.c. 

Ensemble Academia Musica der Schola Cantorum Basiliensis

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J.S. Bach   Brandenburg Concerto No.5, BWV 1050: (I) Allegro Lucía Maestro, transverse flute Emily Dupere, violin Helmut Riebl, violin Santiago Rodríguez, viola David Alonso, violoncello da spalla Ania Katyńska, bass violin Isaac Alonso de Molina, harpsichord

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J.S. Bach  Brandenburg Concerto No.5, BWV 1050: (II) Affettuoso Lucía Maestro, transverse flute Emily Dupere, violin Helmut Riebl, violin Santiago Rodríguez, viola David Alonso, violoncello da spalla Ania Katyńska, bass violin Isaac Alonso de Molina, harpsichord

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J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.5, BWV 1050: (III) Allegro Lucía Maestro, transverse flute Emily Dupere, violin Helmut Riebl, violin Santiago Rodríguez, viola David Alonso, violoncello da spalla Ania Katyńska, bass violin Isaac Alonso de Molina, harpsichord

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J.S. Bach   “Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit“, BWV 115

Students of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis

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Giuseppe Torelli   12 Concertino per camera (1688), Op.4

First page of the violoncello part.

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Christian Gottlieb Klinger (?)   Viola Pomposa, ca.1745-55

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Domenico Gabrielli  Canon for two Violoncelli

CHAN Hiu Yin Derek, violoncello da spalla JIM Wai Man Jamie

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J.S. Bach   Suite for Violoncello Solo, BWV 1007: Prelude

Sergej Malov, violoncello

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The seventh type is called Bassel or Bassette, which we call Violoncell, according to the Italian Violoncello.  In the past it had five strings; today people play with only four.  It is the most common instrument to play the bass part on, and although there are some larger and some smaller [cellos]... Nowadays the Violoncello is also held between the legs...

Leopold Mozart, Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule (1756)

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A viola da spalla (1757) by Leopold Widhalm (1722-1776).

From the collection of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum.

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The excellent Violoncello, the Bassa Viola, and the Viola di Spala are small bass violins in comparison with the larger ones, with five or six strings, upon which one can play all manner of rapid things, variations, and ornaments with less work than on the larger machines. Additionally, the Viola di Spala, or Shoulder-Viola produces a great effect when accompanying because it cuts through strongly and can express the notes clearly. A bass [line] cannot be brought out more distinctly and clearly than on this instrument. It is attached by a band to the chest and thrown at the same time on the right shoulder, and thus has nothing that in the least holds back or prevents its resonance.

Johann Mattheson, Das Neu-eröffnete Orchestre (1713)

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VIOLA DA SPALLA (shoulder viola): There is no information on the way that this instrument was tuned; only that it was quite sought after and that it was very often used for accompaniment, because of its piercing tone. It was suspended from the right shoulder with a ribbon, which gave the instrument its name. It is to be presumed that the viola da spalla was an approximate equivalent to our current violoncello, because one still finds village musicians who suspend the violoncello from the right shoulder with a strap, whereas our artists hold it between the knees.

Georges Kastner, from Traité (1834)