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Contrabass German (Primary)

Contrabasso Italian

Contre-basse French

Double Bass English

Double String English

Kontra Bass Unknown

Bass Violin English

Basse contre French?

Contra-Violin Unknown

Violin Bass English

Description:

An imitative string stop of 16' pitch. Some sources consider these names to be synonyms for Violone. According to Adlung, Contrabass is sometimes a synonym for Subbass. The name Double String has other uses. The drawing is Audsley's; click on it for a larger image. Examples Contrebasse: 72 @ 16', 5 @ 32'. Contrabass: 36 @ 16', 9 @ 32'. Contrabasso: 10 @ 16'. Kontrabass: 15 @ 16', 3 @ 32', all from 20th century. No examples of Bass Violin, Contra Violin or Violin Bass are known. Contrabass 32', Hauptpedal; Basilica, Weingarten, Wuerttemberg, Germany; Gabler 1737-1750.

Examples:

Contrebasse: 72 @ 16', 5 @ 32'. Contrabass: 36 @ 16', 9 @ 32'. Contrabasso: 10 @ 16'. Kontrabass: 15 @ 16', 3 @ 32', all from 20th century. No examples of Bass Violin, Contra Violin or Violin Bass are known.

Contrabass 32', Hauptpedal; Basilica, Weingarten, Wuerttemberg, Germany; Gabler 1737-1750. Contrabass 32', Pedal; Dreifaltigkeitskirche, Liepaja/Libau (Lettland), Latvia; Grüneberg 1885. Contrebasse 16', Pedal; Notre Dame, Dole, France; Riepp 1750-54.
Contrebasse 16', Pedale; St. Sulpice, Paris, France; Barker/Callinet/Somer, first half of 1800's. Contrabasso 16', Pedal; San Carlo, Brescia, Italy; probably 18th century. Contra Basso 16', Solo; Royal Albert Hall, London, England; Willis 1872. Later renamed to Contra Bass.
Contrabasso 16', manual; Nostra Signora della Consolazione, Genova, Italy; Locatelli 1879. Double String 16' (TC), Great; John Ledwon residence, Agoura, California, USA; Wurlitzer. Double Bass 16', Choir, String Organ II; Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA; Midmer-Losh.
Bassecontre 24', Pedale; St. Denis, Paris, France; Cavaillé-Coll 1841. This is the only known example of this name.

Sound Clips:

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Contra Basse 16', Pedal
Kellogg Auditorium, Battle Creek, Michigan, USA
Aeolian-Skinner, 1933,
Arpeggio:
This page was last last built on June 24, 2020
Original site compiled by Edward L. Stauff. For educational use only.