viola da gamba soprano / treble viol / dessus de viole

[audivideettacet]

The performer is Jordi Savall, playing a bass viola da gamba; the tune is La Follia by Marin Marais.

[wcbroccoli]

That is surely a bass viol, not a "Viola da gamba soprano ".

[HappyRick]

@wcbroccoli et al

Yes, this is most definitely a bass viola da gamba.

Technically, there is no soprano viola da gamba. The soprano variation is a viole de brachio, which is the forerunner of the violin family (tuned in 5ths) and not part of the viol da gamba family (which is tuned in 4ths with the middle string as a 3rd).

The closest viol instrument to a soprano is the viole de pardussus, only used for 50 years in the 18th C. by aristrocratic women prohibited from playing the violin.

[direngrey2143]

this is a BASS viol. i'm pretty sure the first part of the recording prior to the lute coming in is jordi savall's recording of marais' version of la folia.

[OlafAndvarafors]

Very beautiful. And it sounds? ;) 

[madaraszi]

Its definitely NOT a SOPRANO gamba, its a normal tenor one. Great music still

[MozartIsFancylalala]

bass

[madaraszi]

Wow its true its a bass one. We can hear the A, string at 0:24! Thanks

[captpicard12345]

@madaraszi at least a tenor- i think it might actually be a bass.

[marcelodisante]

" Complimenti ! "

[hangrasuave]

Belo som,bonito instrumento

Beautiful sound,beautiful instrument

[WindOfSilence]

Sorry but IMO the sound is from a bass or tenor viol...Please can you tell us who the performer is?Thanks!!

[anisometropie]

Does a viola da gamba soprano really go in such low pitches ?

[tehyoster]

What song is this? It's so hauntingly beautiful.

[anisometropie]

Marin Marais - Les folies d'espagne

[HappyRick]

@tehyoster

This is one of the oldest musical themes in western music, very popular from 1490 to the 20th C. It's known as La Folia , La Follia (Italy), Folies d'Espagne (France) and Farinol's ground in England. Many great composers have composed on the theme including JS Bach, JB Lully, Fred Handel, Marin Marais, Mauro Guiliani, Franz Lizt, Archangel Correlli, Dom Scarlatti, Antonio Salieri, Manuel Ponce, etc.

My favorites are by Marin Marias, Antonio Martin y Coll, & Guiliani

[moofytolkin]

@HappyRick what did bach compose on this theme? i'm not familiar with any folia variations by him... let me know!

[AdnTheNecrosadist]

@moofytolkin BWV 212

[allengarvin]

Why are you playing a bass viol, and displaying a treble?

It is a lovely instrument, though.

[michaeljking]

superb work!!,  I would also like to hear it played as there is very little on treble viol on youtube

[abelmauricioklein]

What a beatiful instrument! Must have quite a sound. But why not some music on it (or, at least, on a soprano viol)?