THE VIOLONCELLO
Early references to the violoncello go as far back as the 17th century. Before using the term violoncello, composers referr ed to this instrument as the bas de
___violon_____________, basso di viola da _____
_____braccio_______, viola da gamba, or
_____________violone_______.
The early violoncello was me mber of the
_____viol___________________
instrument family, which included different sized instruments. The tenor viol and the viol da gamba are two instruments that aided in the development of the instrument that we today refe r to as the ___vioncello_______
__________________
____.
The term violoncello is of Italian origin meaning
____________great violon_____________
_______. Instead of using its full name, the violoncello is commonly just referred to as
_____cello_____________
_____________.
Two close relatives of the modern day cello, were the
Viola de
_____gamba______________
and the
Basso di Viola
, both used during the 16 th century.
Other instruments which may have played a part in the development of the cello are the
_____basso________________
_________ di Viola
, the
Discant-Viola
(
Violetta
), the
Viola d’Alta and the
Viola di _____tenore_______________
.
The
Basso di Viola was a part of the string quartets of the 16 th century in
______italy___________________.
The cello is mostly made out of wood.
The most commonly used woods for all the stringed instruments are: spruce, maple, _____poplar_____________, eb ony and rosewood.
The cello is tuned an ___octave________________
_____ lower than a viola. Cellos have a very mellow sound which contributes to the orchestra's bass line.
A player can change the pitch of the cello in ___two ___________ ways: by
________________drawing_______ the bow across diffe rent strings, and also by
________pressing______________ on the st rings with the fingers of t he left hand. This is true for all members of the string family.
Composers occasionally use the cello to play the melody in a
________symphony_________________
____ orchestra.
More commonly, composers prefer to use the first
________violins_________________
_________ are the most preferred stringed instrument to play melodies within the symphony orchestra.
The cello endpin comes out of the _____bottom_________ of the instrument.
Afterwards, the player sticks it into the ___floor__________________ in order to balance the instrument.
Within the symphony orchestra, the cello makes a _rich______________, warm sound. The instrument is part of the _______rhythm___
___________ section of the strings.
Generally, it provides rhythmic and ha rmonic support to the melodies of the orchestra. The cello section and double bass secti on combined, are referred as the
______bass cleft ___________________
___________ section of t he symphony orchestra.
The cello can also be a part of a string quartet. A string quartet is formed