pardessus de viole with 6 strings

A six strings pardessus de viole based on the original made by Michel Colichon (ca. 1666-93) in the late 17th century in Paris. As probably son of Nicolas Collichon who was Merchant de luths et instruments de musique ordinaire du Roy, Michel became soon well known as instrument maker in Paris and his workshop was frequented by many famous musicians like De Machy and Sain-Colombe. This instrument can be dated beween 1680 and 1690 and may be considered the earliest French pardessus de viole, an instrument that was largely used and known in the next century mainly in France. The original is now at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nürnberg. It has a painted decoration on the belly.

pardessus de viole with 5 strings

The pardessus de viole is emerged in the early 18th century France . It had five or six strings and found an admire among the court ladies . The example on the picture is a pardessus de viole à cinq cordes and is a copy of the original made by Louis Guersan (1713-1781 ca.). It has a carved head and a stripe back as well as ribs and it belongs to the Brussels Museum of Musical Instruments (inv. nr. 480 - cat. Mahillon). The instrument is dated 1754.

In opposite to quinton which belongs to the violin family and was mainly played like a fivestringed violin or violon à cinq cordes (Encyclopedie methodique) has pardessus de viole frets , is gamba shaped with higher ribs and is held between knees like a viol.

pardessus de viole with 6 strings

An example of a six strings pardessus de viole after Nicolas Bertrand (16??-1725), who held the title of Faiseur d'instruments ordinaire de la musique du Roy. The instrument has a carved head and a carved pegbox. It belongs to the Paris Museum of Musical Instruments.

treble

A copy of a treble-sized instrument after a Dutch maker Pieter Rombouts dated 1708. The original of this viol belongs to the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.

treble

A treble instrument suitable for consort music is based on the original made by the English maker John Hoskins in 1609 from the Shrine to Music Museum of South Dakota. It has a five pieces stripe top; back and ribs are decorated with geometrical purfling

treble

This treble viol suitable for consort playing is based on John Rose model.As a typical English instrument it has a five piece bent top. Click here to see some detailed pictures.

treble

A large treble viol based on Henry Jaye model dated 1629 which belongs to the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nürnberg. As most of other English viols it has a bent top. It's enterely strung with plain gut strings. Very nice sound on both treble as well as bass strings.Click here for some pictures.

tenor

A tenor-shaped viol by John Rose , who worked in Brindewell, London, is an excellent example of a typical consort English instrument at the end of 16 th century. It has a double purfling around ribs and it belongs to the Paris Museum of Musical Instruments.Click here for detailed pictures.

6-stringed bass

This six stringed bass viol is based on the original one made in 1624 by Henry Jaye now at the Paris Conservatoire. Jaye had his workshop in Southwark, London, and was according to Thomas Mace (Musick's Monuments, 1676) one of the best viola da gamba maker at his time. Beautifully executed open carved scroll and pegbox and an ornamental oval rose on the belly adorn the instrument

6-stringed bass

A six stringed small division viol based on the the instrument made in 1692 by Barak Norman now at the Royal College of Music in London. It has a double purfling on both belly and back as well as some geometrical purfling decorations on the back. Click here for a closer look.

6-stringed bass

An example of a division viol from Thomas Cole in S.Pauls Alley, London 166(4)?. The instrument which is in original conditions has a single purfling on back and belly and some purfling decorations on both back and belly as well on ribs. A carved female's head has a Tudor's rose with 5 petals and an ivory botton. Like most of English viols of the period also this instrument has a 5-pieces bent spruce top.

The original of this instrument is now in the Museo Civico di storia e arte medievale e moderna in Modena (cat. nr. SM 89-1981, ex 345-1933).

6-stringed bass

The copy of a Henry Jaye large viol is according to Christopher Simpson's (The Division Viol ,London 1667) an instrument for Divisions which "should be of something a lesser size than a Consort Bass... a String of thirty Inches from the Bridge to the Nut".

The original dated 1619 is in original conditions and belongs to the Kessler's Collection. Here is a closer look to the instrument.

7-stringed bass

On Michel Colichon's model is based this 7-stringed bass viol which is one of the earliest examples of fine 17 th century French craftmanship and one of the first instrument with seven strings.

The original viol dated 1687 belongs to the Museo Civico degli Strumenti Musicali di Milano. It is one of the smallest 7-stringed bass, but the high ribs give it a deep and powerfull bass sound. Suitable for people with small hand. Click here for a larger picture.

7-stringed bass

An example of a French-styled bass viol after Nicolas Bertrand (16??-1725), who held the title of Faiseur d'instruments ordinaire de la musique du Roy. On the internal label is written Nicolas Bertrand a Paris 170.; the original of this instrument belongs to Wieland Kuijken. Click here for a larger picture of the viol made after the original.

7-stringed bass

The instrument shown here is an example of a classical 7-stringed French bass viol from the beginning of the 18 th century made in Paris by Romain Cheron. It has a double purfing on the belly, back and sides. Corners of the instrument are decorated with lily 's flower purfling. The original of this viol is now in the Conservatory of Brussels.

7-stringed bass

An example of a seven stringed bass viol after Michel Colichon - Paris 1693.

A five-pieces bent top as from original give to this instrument quickness of response with rich sound and it makes suitable for solo and continuo repertoire.

The original belongs to the Musée d'Instruments Ancien du Musique in Genève.

Click here for details.

7-stringed bass

This is an example of a fine large bass viol after Michel Colichon dated 1691.The original instrument belongs to a private collection in London. Like an English viol it has a five-pieces bent stripe top and a geometrical monocrome painted decoration on the belly.

Colichon's name is mentioned by composer and viol player Jean Rousseau, who came to Paris in 1676. Viol players like Demachy and Monsieur de Sainte Colombe visited Colichon's workshop regulary.

7-stringed bass

This model is based on the instrument made by a French fine viol maker Guillaume Barbey. It has geometrical purfling decorations on the back and one on the belly - like an English viol. The belly is made from three pieces. The virtuoso viol player Marin Marais had owned an instrument from this maker and the other known virtuoso Antoine Forqueray had two, one for solo performance and the other one for continuo. It belongs to the Brussels Conservatory

7-stringed bass

This is a copy of a very fine large bass instrument made by well known German maker Joachim Tielke (1641-1719). It is dated 1669 and is the earliest known instrument from him. Besides ebony and ivory decorations on the tailpiece and fingerboard it has a carved head and carved pegbox with musical instruments