viola bastarda

English

Etymology

From Italian viola bastarda (literally “bastard viol”).

Noun

viola bastarda (plural viola bastardas)

1. (music) An altered viol maximizing players’ ability to play in a highly virtuosic style of composition or extemporaneous performance.
   • 1910, The Strad, page 125:

     Two more Viola Bastardas from the same collection are by “Batista fiel (son) d’Anto. Cicilian in Venetia.”

   • 1943, Violins and Violinists Magazine, page 368:

     In 1672 he visited Salzburg to make delivery to the court of a viola da gamba and two viola bastardas; […]

   • 2002, James Bates, “Monteverdi, the Viola Bastarda Player”, in Susan Orlando, editor, The Italian Viola da Gamba: Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Italian Viola da Gamba, Edition Ensemble Baroque de Limoges, →ISBN, page 54:

     Another reference to Claudio Monteverdi’s court duties as a viola bastarda player is found at the end of his Scherzi Musicali, published in 1607.

Further reading

• Viola bastarda on Wikipedia.Wikipedia