viola da gamba
A family of bowed, fretted string instruments held between the legs, prominent in Renaissance and Baroque music before being supplanted by the cello.
In Depth
The viola da gamba (literally "leg viol") was the dominant bowed string instrument from the 15th through 18th centuries. Unlike the violin family, gambas have flat backs, C-shaped sound holes, frets tied around the neck, and six or seven strings tuned in fourths with a third in the middle. They come in treble, tenor, and bass sizes, with the bass viol being the most common solo instrument. The gamba's soft, reedy tone made it ideal for intimate chamber music and continuo playing. It was a favorite of amateur musicians in Renaissance and Baroque households. J.S. Bach wrote three magnificent sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord. The instrument declined sharply after 1750 but has enjoyed a vigorous revival through the early music movement since the 1960s.
The viola da gamba was considered so easy to learn that it was the "gentleman's instrument" of the Renaissance — playing violin, by contrast, was associated with professional entertainers.