Markneukirchen Treasure - part 2
More tiny basses
Following from
In the collection of the Markneukirchen Museum there is an instrument, not in the exhibition, which pictures stroke me right away. Probably it’s mainly affection, but probably as a reader of this newsletter you will like it too.
Catalogue number 1121, signed Johann Georg Hammig, 1747. It looks like a small double bass, five strings, flat back, painted purflings. I don’t have measures so far, but really, I am so curious about this cute thing that I hope we can plan a visit soon. From the pics I have it seems to be approximately 50 cm of body, or maybe less.
It could be anything, but the idea of a children five strings doublebass in the mid of 18th century doesn’t match. They don’t do them even today!
Agnes Kory reports from the same museum another cello piccolo (body 60 cm) by J. C. Hammig II, Made in 1793, but not this one. However, I think one cannot be mistaken for the other.
I don’t have a precise opinion abut this little bass instrument, but I like it, someway it speaks to me of many things… I hope we can soon plan a visit there!
What do you think about it? Would you like to have one like that? comment below!!
Many thanks to Ekkard Seidl for providing me with these pics!
News from da Spalla world
If you are on Instagram, you may want to check out Andrew Gonzalez’s profile, as he is posting videos of the complete 6th suite. On his profile you can find also many other movement from other suites, and also different repertoire.
Updates from our workshop
Fittings are almost completed for our two cellos da Spalla and the moment in which we will play them in the white is coming at sight!
Making fingerboard and tailpiece is always a bit frustrating because it’s hardly to be an acknowledged job. As for the modern violin family instrument you buy them already made, a customer will not know how much work there is in them. On top of this, it also requires you to slow down and be always concentrated on everything you do, because, as the name fitting suggests everything needs to fit perfectly. However, this is the part where you can really make a difference!
Featured video of the week
Keeping in theme with Andrew Gonzalez and the sixth suite:
I post here an email conversation I had with François Fernandez after this newsletter:
Dear Daniela,
Thank you for all these new informations!
Let me be friendly: I can just warn all the spalla players and makers that a flat back implies playing without touching the back of the instrument AT ALL! Half a gram of pressure killed the sound of one previous spalla I owned. And to find a position to avoid any contact, my God!!!! Tendonitis, pain, I went thru nightmares!!!
Does it mean a “piccolo double bass” should rather be played da gamba? I don’t know, but I suppose...
Good luck!
Kind regards,
François Fernandez
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Hallo François,
Thanks for writing me! This is very interesting.
Does this imply that the instruments in iconography all had a carved back? Or that they didn’t care that much about the sound after all, if they were just walking in a procession like in the Bruegel? Both are possible I guess.
Though, the neck seems like a da braccio neck, thick and round, and five strings. Unusual instrument anyway. Cute, but what for?
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Dear Daniela,
About what they did and cared for -back in baroque times- is hard to guess. Just: let my experience protect others from unnecessary problems!