Theorbo

A theorbo is a type of long-necked lute developed during the late 16th Century for use in the Florentine Camerata in such works as Giulio_Caccini's Le_Nuove_Musiche

Related Topics:
Lute - Florentine Camerata - Giulio_Caccini - Le_Nuove_Musiche

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It developed by adapting large bass lutes (c.90 cm string length) to a tenor lute (c.55 cm string length) tuning. This required tuning the top two courses (sets of strings) down an octave to prevent them from breaking (re-entrant tuning) and then extending the neck to allow eight 1.6m long bass strings (diapasons) which were played open rather than on frets (like the top six courses).

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The theorbo was used often along with a small pipe_organ to play basso_continuo and remained in use (in Italy) until the mid 18th century.

Related Topics:
Pipe_organ - Basso_continuo

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