The Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) has been granted use of a
rare Gasparo da Salò double bass. Made in around 1580, it is one of
around a dozen surviving basses by the luthier, regarded as one of
the founders of the Brescian school of violin making.
The instrument will be played by the ACO’s principal bassist Maxime
Bibeau (pictured), who previously played a 19th-century instrument
made by London luthier Thomas Kennedy. ‘You can really hear and
feel the maturity of the instrument,’ he said. ‘My colleagues would
agree that as well as having an incredibly beautiful tone across
its range, it has a large sub-woofer-like quality that adds a whole
new dimension to the sound of the orchestra.’
It is believed that the decorated bass may have had only three
owners: its earliest known provenance is the Augustinian abbey of
Neustift in northern Italy. It was sold to German bass player
Günter Klaus in 1970 and was bought by its current owners in 2012.
Bibeau has been practising on the bass for the past few
months.
In 2006 the instrument was assessed by expert Stefan Krattenmacher
for Double Bassist magazine, formerly a sister publication
of The Strad. Krattenmacher described the model as
‘exceptional – the round, but well-sized middle bouts with their
long corners fitting so agreeably; the round, wide upper and lower
bouts; and the upper-block curve which runs steeply up towards the
neck, making the instrument very comfortable to play’.
More images of the double bass can be viewed
here.
Photo: Will Huxley
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