gamba
- noun
- /ˈɡæmbə/
- Specialized
:
gamba
- There was a gamba player in Leopold's orchestra who doubled as a cellist, so the works were probably performed in Cothen around the time they were written.
Examples
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After much practice, she finally learned to play the gamba beautifully, impressing her friends with its deep sound.
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"What strikes your attention is that it adds, 'Beginning to advanced recorder and gamba.'"
Academic text (1992) -
And you probably don't know this, but I used to copy your answers in Mr. Gamba's class.
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The musician expertly played the gamba, producing rich, resonant tones that filled the concert hall.
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In orchestral arrangements, the gamba often provides a harmonious bass line, supporting the melody of other instruments.
Synonyms
A low string instrument that you play with a bow, like a cello, used in Renaissance and Baroque music
A large old string instrument with a deep, rich sound like a big cello
Compounds
- Archaic
A low string instrument that you play with a bow, like a cello, used in Renaissance and Baroque music
Surface Forms
Etymology
Gamba comes from the Italian word gamba meaning 'leg', because musicians held the instrument between their legs in the style called viol da gamba. That's why a gamba is the bass viol used in early music, with a warm, low sound.
