Viols are always bowed with the palm in an outward-facing position as was their ancestor, the rabab, and with the ancestral left hand technique of the vihuela and lute. During its long history, the instrument might have anywhere from four to eight strings, normally made of gut, tuned in a variety of manners, and equipped with gut frets, usually seven. As with a lute, these frets could be moved upwards and downwards on the instrument’s neck, so it could be played in different temperaments. Some late-18th century viols had inlaid metal frets like a guitar. This indicates that from time to time the viol used equal temperament, as did the lute. Research suggests that this may have been the case as early as the 16th century. Moreover, some English viols added sympathetic metal strings. Starting in mid-17th century viols added some metal-wound gut strings.

The sound hole was often in a “c” form, sometimes in a “flame”, and often, as recent research has shown in the case of many of the instruments between the 15th and 18th centuries, with “f” holes like violins. Some of these “f” hole viols underwent subsequent transformation to cellos.

As it was relatively easy to play, the viol became popular with amateur musicians. Families liked it—children could play the smaller instruments and adults the larger. Once you learned on one size, you could play any. Sizes varied greatly—a concert near Milan in 1493 is documented as featuring instruments “as large as a man.” During the Renaissance they were used to accompany singers, or to play transcriptions of pieces written for other instruments, rather like the “home” spinet in the early part of the 20th century.

One of the first printed books for the viol as a solo instrument was Diego Ortiz’s Tratado des glosas, published in 1553. This book is meant to teach violists how to improvise in a linear division style, as improvisation has always been one of the hallmarks of viol playing. As time went on, virtuoso viol players improvised on vocal music as well, taking a bit of the bass, adding divisions, then jumping to the alto, tenor or soprano. This style, which became known as viola bastarda, was highly popular in Italy. By the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century composers including Selma, Bonizzi, Della Casa, and Bassani all composed in the viola bastarda style.

The viol in England

According to a mid-17th century note by one Mr. Peacham, “Beere and viols da gamba came into England both in one yeare in Henry the Sevenths time.” Whatever may have been the case with their sobriety, the English took enthusiastically to the instrument and to music for viol ensembles known as “consorts” by Byrd, Jenkins, Lawes, Purcell, and a great many others. In English homes, where an evening’s entertainment would often be music made with friends, composed by friends, you could find large trunks known as “chests” in which viols were stored. A great pleasure for a modern violist is to find fine musicians to play on a perfectly matched “chest of viols” by the same builder. Nothing could be more ravishing!