gamba
Definition
Noun: 1. A bass viol: A stringed musical instrument of the viol family, specifically the viola da gamba. It is held between the legs while playing (hence "da gamba," meaning "of the leg") and serves as the bass member of the viol consort, with a range similar to that of the modern cello.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The consort's rich sound was anchored by the deep, resonant tones of the gamba.
- He is a specialist in early music and performs exclusively on the gamba.
- The piece was originally written for a trio of two violins and a gamba.
Advanced Usage
- "Viola da gamba": The full Italian name for the instrument, often used interchangeably with "gamba." It literally means "viol of the leg," distinguishing it from the viola da braccio ("viol of the arm," like the violin).
- The museum's collection includes a beautifully crafted 17th-century viola da gamba.
Variants and Related Words
- Viol: The family of bowed, fretted string instruments popular from the Renaissance to the Baroque era, to which the gamba belongs.
- Bass viol: Another common term for the viola da gamba, emphasizing its role as the bass instrument.
- Violone: A larger, contrabass member of the viol family.
Synonyms
- Bass viol
- Viola da gamba
Notes on Meaning
The term gamba is almost exclusively used in a historical or early music context to refer to the specific bass instrument of the viol family. It is not used for the modern cello, even though their ranges are similar. The defining characteristics are its fretted fingerboard, flat back, sloping shoulders, and typically six strings.
Noun
-
viol that is the bass member of the viol family with approximately the range of the cello
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