Scan 302
The American history and encyclopedia of music .., 1908
8 lines. Read by computer on 8 September 2026. Printed page 244. See the scan on archive.org.
1sounded at the same time. It was patented in 1854 in Germany by Ferdinand Hill and in England by W. C. Newton.
3VIOLONCELLO or BASS VIOL—Bowed Strings. Europe. This instrument is the bass of the stringed quartet. Its name, which is frequently abbreviated into "cello," is a diminutive of the Italian "violone," meaning contrabass, and is given to this instrument by virtue of being smaller than the double bass. It originated in the latter part of the Seventeenth Century, and the viola da gamba, which it superseded, gave way before it only after a struggle. The gambists in Germany went as far as to protest formally in a paper appearing in 1757 against what they considered to be an infringement upon their rights. The violoncello gained recognition in England about the time of the Restoration, and in reality supplanted the viola da gamba as an orchestral instrument in the middle of the Eighteenth Century. The violoncello has several undeniable advantages over the viola da gamba, a prominent one being the more convex form of the bridge. The flat upper edge of the bridge of the viola da gamba made the avoidance of a strong tone necessary as the other strings were liable to be sympathetically affected.
5The violoncello is constructed much as are the violins and the viola, but is larger, measuring four feet from end to end. Its size is such that the performer must rest it upon the floor, holding it between his knees, while seated in a chair. The strings are naturally long and are tuned in fifths, an octave below the viola. Owing to the greater space to be covered on the neck, the fingering differs materially from that of the violin. The practicable compass of the cello is about three and a half octaves. The music is written in the F and tenor clefs, although in certain cases the G clef is sometimes used.
7The tone of the violoncello is rich, full and expressive. It is particularly beautiful in melody playing. Pizzicato effects, obtained by plucking the strings, as also the har-
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