Viol (instrument)

The viol (also known as the viola da gamba or the gamba) is a stringed musical instrument that is played with a bow while it stands upright, similar to a cello. The earliest viols were made during the Renaissance era in Europe around the fifteenth century. While it is similar to instruments such as the violin and cello, the viol has some notable differences, including the instrument's size, the number of strings, and the way the bow is held. Viols are most often played together in small ensembles known as consorts. While the viol faded from popularity for a time and became an infrequent part of public performances, the twentieth century brought an increased interest in music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods and led to resurgence in people learning to play the viol.

Background

The word viol is pronounced "vy-ole" and comes from a Provencal word viola, which referred to a fiddle-like instrument. The viol is also known as a viola da gamba, which is Italian for "viol of the leg" or "leg viol" and refers to the fact that the viol is played by holding it vertically between the legs. Although the viol is similar in shape to both the violin and the cello, the instruments are considered to be from different families and developed separately around the same time in the fifteenth century. The viol is believed to have developed from a Spanish instrument called the vihuela, and is considered to be a descendent of the Moorish instrument known as the rabab, or a variation of that instrument known as the rebec.

The development of the viol is thought to have been fostered when Pope Alexander VI came to the papal throne in 1492. The pope was of Spanish ancestry and his election resulted in the import of much Spanish culture into Italy, including the vihuela. Italian craftsman tinkered with the instrument and added an arched bridge, which facilitated playing one string at a time and led to the development of the viol.

The use of the new instrument began to spread throughout Europe. By 1515, the viol was found in the English courts, having been brought there by Italian musicians. King Henry VIII was fond of the sound produced by viol consorts and had a large number of good quality instruments in his personal collection. The court's favor for the instrument led to the viol being taught at many of the finest music schools in England; this led to the training of many viol players. As a result, interest in the instrument soared during the Tudor period (1485–1603) and was soon a favorite with both professional and amateur musicians. The viol was also popular in other European countries, including France and Germany.

The sixteenth through seventeenth centuries was a high point in the popularity of the viol with a number of composers, many of them associated with the court of Queen Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch. The instrument's popularity began to decline as the violin, which has a louder, more commanding sound than the softer and mellower viol, increased in use. While public performances in England began to fade during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the viol remained a favorite instrument with amateur musicians throughout that time.

Overview

The earliest viols changed in shape and configuration for a time before settling into the most commonly known shape around the sixteenth century. The back of the instrument is flat while the front is somewhat rounded. The top and bottom of the instrument body are wider than the middle, with a shape that resembles an avocado with two symmetrical bites taken from each side. Connected to the top of the body is a long, fretted neck that ends in a carved scrolled area that holds the tuning pegs. In some Renaissance instruments, this scrolled area was instead topped with a carved head of a person or animal.

The tuning pegs are each connected to one of the viol's six strings. The strings stretch down the neck and over a wooden piece known as a bridge, which is curved and helps hold the strings apart. The viol is played with a bow, like the violin and cello, but with one difference; the violist holds the bow underhanded, with the palm facing up, instead of the overhanded grip used by violinists and cellists. This allows the violist to use the fingers of the bow hand to press on the bow's horsehair as it is drawn across the strings, creating subtle changes in the instrument's sound.

At the height of its popularity, the viol came in several sizes that were most commonly tuned to treble, tenor, and bass pitches. However, alto, contrabass, and other size viols were also made. Regardless of size, the instruments were played by holding them upright between the knees to support their weight, fingering the fretted neck to determine the notes to be played, and drawing the bow across the strings just above the bridge. Viol consorts, or ensembles, were usually made up of several sizes of viols, often the treble, tenors, and basses. This produced rich, harmonious sounds that were perfectly suited for filling venues such as churches, halls, or home music rooms. However, the viol does not produce a sound loud enough to fill large concert halls, and this led to greater popularity of the violin.

Although the viol fell out of favor in the eighteenth century, present-day society's interest in the Renaissance era and the history and way of life surrounding that period has led to more people learning to play the viol today. In addition, the viol's resemblance to the guitar—both are similarly shaped and sized, with fretted necks carrying six strings—has led to the development of an instrument known as the guitarviol. This instrument, which comes in acoustic and electric varieties, looks like a contemporary guitar but includes a bridge and is played with a bow.

Bibliography

"About the Viol." The Viola da Gamba Society of America, vdgsa.org/pgs/the‗viol.html. Accessed 10 June 2017.

Fleming, Michael, and John Bryan. Early English Viols: Instruments, Makers, and Music. Routledge, 2016.

"The Gamba." Iowa State University, www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/gamba‗b.htm. Accessed 10 June 2017.

"The Viol." Iowa State, www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/t‗viol.htm. Accessed 10 June 2017.

Weinfeld, Elizabeth. "The Viol." Metropolitan Museum of Art, June 2014, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/viol/hd‗viol.htm. Accessed 10 June 2017.

"What Is a Guitarviol?" TogaMan Guitars, togamanguitars.com/what-is-a-guitarviol/. Accessed 10 June 2017.

"What Is a Viol?" Canadian Viol Players, www.canadianviols.ca/about.htm. Accessed 10 June 2017.

Woodfield, Ian. The Early History of the Viol. Cambridge UP, 1984.