The cello (short for "violoncello") is a bowed string instrument, similar to a larger violin that is held upright instead of on the chin. It originated from the three-stringed bass violin created by Jambe de Fer in 1556. The first composer to use the bass violin is thought to be Gabrieli in 1597. Monteverdi has referred to the instrument as "basso de viola da braccio" in 1607's Orfeo. Although the first bass violin, possibly invented by Amati as early as 1538, was most likely inspired by the viol, it was created to be used in consorts with the violin. The bass violin was generally called a "violone," or "large viola," at the time, along with the popular viols being used at the same time.

The cello was made possible by the advent of wire strings in Bologna in 1660. This permitted a finer bass sound than was attainable with regular gut strings on a short bodied instrument. The cello was developed by Bolognese makers to take advantage of this technology. The result was a smaller instrument that is well-suited for solo performance because of the timbre of the instrument and the fact that the smaller size made it easier to play. There are some disadvantages to the cello as well, unfortunately. The cello's light sound was not as suitable for church and ensemble playing and usually had to be doubled by basses or violones in order to stand out and be heard.

Italian players fell in love with the cello in the 1700s, playing it all throughout in northern Europe. The bass violin was still used in France for another 20 years, despite the cello's popularity. Some existing bass violins were simply chopped down to be converted into the newer cellos. Famous violin maker Stradivari also made quite a few bass violins and cellos during this time in history. Even in 1740, the violin was still the most commonly used stringed instrument in England. The cello did not take over mainstream popularity until about 1750, when sizes and tunings became standardized for easy manufacture and sale.

The modern cello differs from its ancient ancestors in a number of ways. The most noticeable difference is in the neck angle and style of the cello. Newer cello designs have an angle that matches the string set up and bass-bar. Baroque cellos were designed to be held by the musician's calves, where modern day cellos are built with an endpin to support the instrument on the floor. This makes them much easier and more comfortable to play, especially for people with shorter legs. The current cello design creates much more tension in the strings than the older Baroque design. This leads to a louder tone that projects much better and clearer. Modern day cellos also usually come with fine tuners on the tailpiece, which makes it far more convenient to tune and adjust the instrument. Newer cellos are generally made with a metal or synthetic core, making them more solid and adding resonance to the tone.

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Originally posted 2008-10-29 05:07:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Acoustic Musical Instruments, Cellos, Instrument History

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