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Curated category

Basso continuo instruments

  • CelloThe word cello comes from the Italian violoncello, which means little violone. Violone translates to big viola and referred to large instruments in either…
  • Double bassA 1640 painting by Peter Lely shows a violone being played, capturing an instrument that sits at the crossroads of two distinct families.
  • HarpsichordThe harpsichord emerged in the late 14th century as a small instrument with a high pitch. Early makers crafted lightweight cases with thin walls and used…
  • LuteA cylinder seal from Uruk, dated to about 3100 BC and now held in the British Museum, depicts a woman playing what scholars identify as an early lute.