Definition

Noun: 1. A stringed musical instrument: A viola da gamba is a bowed, fretted, string instrument that was particularly popular during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. It is held vertically between the legs (hence "da gamba," meaning "of the leg"), distinguishing it from the viola da braccio ("of the arm"). It is the bass member of the viol family and has a range similar to that of the modern cello.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The consort featured a beautiful solo on the viola da gamba.
  • He is a specialist in early music and performs exclusively on the viola da gamba.
  • The warm, reedy tone of the viola da gamba is distinct from that of the cello.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The term is often used in discussions of historically informed performance practice, referring to the specific playing techniques and repertoire (e.g., music by Marin Marais or Carl Friedrich Abel) associated with the instrument.
• As a general category: While "viola da gamba" often refers specifically to the bass instrument, it can also be used to denote the entire family of viols (e.g., treble viol, tenor viol, bass viol/viola da gamba).

Variants and Related Words

• Gamba (n.): A common abbreviated form for "viola da gamba."
  • She plays the gamba in an early music ensemble.
• Viol (n.): The family of instruments to which the viola da gamba belongs. Other members include the pardessus de viole, treble viol, and tenor viol.
• Violone (n.): A larger, contrabass member of the viol family.
• Baryton (n.): A related stringed instrument that also has sympathetic strings, popular in the 18th century.

Synonyms

• Bass viol: A direct synonym for the viola da gamba.
• Viola (in historical contexts): In early music terminology, "viola" could refer to instruments of the viol family. However, in modern usage, "viola" almost exclusively refers to the alto member of the violin family, making this a context-dependent synonym.

Related Idioms and Phrases

(This word is a specific technical term for a musical instrument and is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions.)

Noun

1. viol that is the bass member of the viol family with approximately the range of the cello