The Baroque Cello
Are you HIP*?
*Historically Informed Performance
Nowadays the term Baroque cello is often used but what does "baroque cello" refer to? Does it refers only to one instrument? One size? Once you start digging into the origins of the instrument, you notice that this is a much more complex story than playing on guts strings with a baroque looking cello and bow...
It is important to keep in mind that everything is an interpretation of what has been written and drawn. The aim of the performer is to get as close as possible to the text knowing that there no absolute truth, and many possibilities.
From Monteverdi to Bach
G.C. Arresti was the first composer to mention the violoncello in 1665 in "Sonate a 2 e a tre, con la parte del Violoncello beneplacit" Op. 4.
Let's explore together the sizes of the instrument, the bow, the string and the set-ups
I. Sizes
Mid 1500
HALS, Dirck Musicians 1623
Number of strings: 4 or 5
Body length: between 79 & 86 cm
Almost all the basses like the one above were cut down to violoncello size after the baroque period. (Among them, Amati's King bass)
Mid 1600
Number of strings: 4 or 5
Body length: between 77 and 80
The first so called "violoncellos" were bigger than the celli we use nowadays. For example: -The Medici: made in 1690, back length 79.25 cm -The Servais: made in 1701 back length: 79,2 (both made by Stradivarius)
Post 1710
Number of strings: 4
Body length: around 75,5
Stradivarius invents a new model of violoncellos : `Forma B piccola di violoncello, with a back length around 75,5cm. For Example:
The Duport, 1711: back length: 75.5 cm
The Davidoff, 1712: back length 75,7cm
Reconstruction of Amati's "The King" by Roland Houel
II. The bow: clip in, no screw
The screw system in bows appeared after 1750
excerpt from CLAESZ Pieter, Still-life with music instruments, 1623
A cellist in Haendel's orchestra
Before clipping in the frog
After clipping in the frog, concave form
III. The strings
The silver-wound string was invented during the XVIITh Century.
A and D are always pure, without silver-wound.
Experiencing a pure gut G String helps to understand the instrument, choose tempi and develop a good bowing technique but a silver-wound G string is almost always adopted by baroque cellists.
A and D are always pure, without silver-wound.
Visit the chapter about choosing strings for your cello.
Example of a set of string you can choose - (by Pure Corde, in Potsdam, Germany)
IV
Silver wound string
Eq. Ø 4,00 mm
III
Pure "triple"
Ø 2,70mm
II
HIGH TWIST
Darmsaite
I
Toro sheep gut
Diskant
To read more on the topic "guts strings", click here
IV. The set-up
The most complicated part since there are no instrument with original set-up left.
The only thing we can do is read, observe paintings, try, and make our own opinion.
bridge
The inside part of the feet is small or inexistent. Distance beweeen the strings is wider than on a modern bridge. The bridge between the feet is usually lower than on modern bridges.
bass bar
Shorter than a modern bass bar. Generally oriented parallel to the centerline of the instrument, either under the bass bridge foot or in the center of the instrument.
fingerboard
The fingerboard was shorter and wider Low-set necks
What can be discussed: Angled or Non-angled necks?
(experience and make your opinion...)
About the fingerboard and the bridge
The tilt angle of the fingerboard has a great influence on the instrument and its vibration. The greater the inclination, the higher will be the bridge and the pressure on the cello.
Another angle to look at is the angle of the rope over the bridge. Bigger angle means more pressure. The main difference between a baroque cello and a modern cello is not only about the strings and the bow, but also the pressure exerted on the cello
IV. Conclusion
Good news, you don't need a stradivarius to play baroque cello! ;)
Points to consider...
- Almost all the celli of the baroque period have been transformed to modern set up (including neck, fingerboard, bass bar, sound post, bridge, and size for most of the instruments made before 1700).
- Playing a 300 years old wood is not the most important knowing that the cellos in the baroque era were recently made of dry wood not 300 years old wood.
- An historical set up on a newly made instrument with baroque measures is, to my opinion, the most authentic approach (and affordable for a musician!).
Interpretation...
By comparing essays, paintings, one can get closer to what might have been the instrument 200, 300, or 400 years ago but what is also important to consider is that the human kind changed, the performer changed, the society and the development of the ego of the performer also changed.
It is impossible to erase the present, nor the past but only be aware of it. Once you got the instrument and understand the set up, the tension of the strings, tension of the bow, you can start reading, make your own opinion. Experiment, search, read, listen, follow your guts ;) !
