History of the Cello - AMusA and LMusA level PDF

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Summary

Own notes on history of cello- can use for AMEB diploma exams...

Description

Evolution of cello: aided by evolution in technology and interest in cello from composers and influential soloists

MUSICAL DATES: 1600 – 1750: Baroque Galant 1750 – 1830: Classical 1830 – 1900: Romantic 1900 and onwards: 20th century and modern Cello timeline: Late 16th century: Andrea Amati (1581 – 1632), a luthier, creates the first bass violin, or the “violone”. It is the ‘King Cello’ made for the King Charles IX of France. It is much larger in size compared to the modern cello, due to the fact that to play at lower pitches with the gut strings, the instrument had to be larger, or else the gut strings would be too thick to play. 1659: Thinner, metal-wound (but gut core) strings are invented in Bologna. This allowed the cello to be reduced in size, as the strings had become thinner, although this was only popularized in the early 1700s. Early 1700s: Reducing the size of the cello is popularized. Antonio Stradivari (1644 – 1737), also a luthier, develops and standardises the cello size used today. Many luthiers around Europe followed this example, and this allowed for the emergence of virtuoso cellists such as Luigi Boccherini. 1717 – 1723: Bach composes the Six Suites for solo cello (BWV 1007 – 1012). 1743 – 1805: Luigi Boccherini, a cellist and composer, is born in 1743, and he revolutionises solo cello pieces, incorporating more tremolo, harmonics and advanced melodies to his cello pieces. He dies in 1805. (Boccherini portrait shows the Baroque cello).

This image shows the difference between the Baroque and modern cellos.

Late 1700s to early 1800s: Francois Tourte (known as the Stradivarius of the bow), a master bow-maker, creates the first standardised bow design. This idea catches on and continues through the centuries. Throughout the 1700s and early 1800s: Cultural changes such as the French Revolution require the alteration of sound produced by the cello, as the audience demographic shifts from selective groups to a larger audience. These changes improve the volume, clarity, responsiveness and tone of the cello. These changes include the extension of the neck and the fingerboard (done by James Talbot (1644 – 1708), who gave the length of the neck at 10 inches and the fingerboard at 13), and the neck being set back at an angle together with the raising of the bridge by luthiers who discovered that it increased the pressure of the strings, which increased the volume and improved the clarity and responsiveness of the instrument. (For a visual representation, see image above). Late 1700s to early 1900s: The concept of the endpin is introduced. Before the endpin, the cellist would usually place their instruments on their thighs. Prior to this period, viola da gamba players and early cellists had sometimes used wooden stools or other devices to prop up their instruments, but the concept of an endpin was introduced during this period. An early mention of the endpin was in a musical dictionary written in 1786 by an anonymous author, who mentions that the endpin could be easily installed and the spike of an endpin would be made of metal to avoid slippage, while the endpin itself would be made of wood. It is speculated that most endpins were supplied by luthiers, hence the reason why the endpin would be made of wood, as luthiers used wood in their workshops. The wooden endpin had a fixed length and it had to be removed from the instrument when not in use. The endpin was only standardised in the late 19th century, and it is during this time when endpin lengths varied. In the early 20th century, cellists began experimenting with longer endpins.

These images show various wooden endpins.

Early 1900s: Full metal core and metal wound strings are developed due to the high production and cheapness of steel, while the animal trades, especially in war times, was difficult. While these had better practicality, they lacked the rich sound of the gut strings. 1900s to present: Not much about the cello is changed, however, the wooden endpin is gradually replaced with retractable, adjustable metal endpins....