VIOLA DA GAMBA

Viola da Gambas have a long history. They were perhaps most popular in the 15th to 18th centuries, from about the time of Henry VIII of England, who played them, to that of Louis XIV of France (the Sun King). Shakespeare mentions them in several plays, including Twelfth Night. The sound of the viol is sweet and shimmering, quieter than that of violins, violas, or cellos. Composers for the viol include J.S. Bach, Marin Marais, Henry Purcell, François Couperin, William Byrd, and Orlando Gibbons.