Violas, unlike cellos or violins, don't have a standard size, but can have bodies ranging from about 15 inches all the way up to about 18. Many great old violas are actually modified viols or gambas, which explains why so many of them are oddly shaped. This particular viola looks enormous, though the player could also be very tiny. I think the Gamba sonatas were originally written for gamba but its possible one or more were originally written for flute
@LuisdelaCuesta Es simplemente una viola común y silvestre. La que se usa en las orquestas sinfónicas. La viola da gamba no fue el antecesor del violoncello. La viola da gamba, que en castellano se llamó vihuela de arco, es mas bien un laúd tocado con arco. No tiene relación con la familia del violín. Ni tiene las cuerdas de eco de la viola d' amore.
I'm looking for the D Major Gamba sonata and happened onto this. Very nice playing. Wonderful. Piano is much too loud, balance is not good. but viola playing is very nice. Wonderful playing. Huge viola. Is that a 17? Gamba sonatas should be played on cello, haha
Would that mean it's a full size, or 3/4 size viola? Also, according to one of my professors, this piece was for baroque flute and harpsichord then Bach made this version for viola da gamba...or maybe it was the other way around?
nonsense, brahms used cat gut strings in his symphonies because of the technology then. are we to limit ourselves? a harpsichord will not carry in that hall. I will admit to the beauty of it, and yes i do prefer it, but it is by no means necessary for pleasing bach (who would arrange so many things himself)
I disagree- as in the great recording of this by Argerich and Maisky, sensitive and rhythmic playing from both players can intersect very nicely, as it does here. The harpsichord can lose a lot of shape in this kind of texture without a cello doubling the bass line, and rarely sounds as warm or personable as a piano.
