Cello

Alternate meaning: Cello (web browser)

A cropped image to show the relative size of a cello to a human (Uncropped Version)

The violoncello, or as it is more commonly to refered to as the cello or 'cello (pronounced Cheh-loh), is a stringed instrument and a member of the violin family. The cello is much larger than a violin and smaller than a bass. Like the viola, the cello consists of four strings with notes A,D,G, and C. It is played in an upright position between the legs of the seated musician, resting on a metal spike, called the endpin. The player draws the bow horizontally across the strings.

The name cello is an abbreviation of the Italian violoncello, which means "little violone". The violone is an obsolete instrument, a large viol, similar to a modern double bass.

The cello is most closely associated with European classical music. It is part of the standard orchestra and features in the string quartet and many other chamber groups. A large number of concertos and sonatas have been written for it. It is less common in popular music, but the instrument is sometimes featured in pop and rock recordings.

Among the more famous Baroque Pieces for the cello are the 6 Sonatas for solo Cello by J.S. Bach's Unaccompanied Suites for Cello.Classical Pieces would include Haydns Cello Concerto #1. Modern recordings within the early 20th century include Verklarte Nacht by Arnold Schonberg. Recordings within the Avant Garde (cutting edge) genre have revitalized the instruments perceived versatility. Examples include Night of the Four Moons by George Crumb

Construction

The cello is a complex instrument consisting of many different parts. Though the majority of it is composed of wood, some parts are made of steel, rubber, and metal.

Main frame

The main frame of the cello is made from wood. Cellos are normally constructed with a spruce top. The back, sides, and neck are usually made of maple. Other wood types are used. The top and back are traditionally hand carved. Less expensive cellos frequently have a top and back made of a laminate. The sides are made by steaming the wood and bending it around forms. The cello body has a wide top, narrow middle, and wide bottom, the bridge and f-holes in the middle.

Upper neck and pegbox

Above the main frame is the carved neck, which leads to a pegbox and then a scroll. The three are normally carved out of a single piece of wood. The pegbox consists of four tuning pegs, each which tunes its respective string by either tightening or loosening the string. Ebony is usually used for the tuning pegs, fingerboard, nut (piece above the fingerboard which the strings rest on), and tailpiece, but other dark woods, such as boxwood or rosewood, can be used.

Tailpiece and endpin

The tailpiece and endpin are designed to support the cello when the cello is being played. The endpin, usually metal, is retractable and is placed at a comformtable distance. The side of the endpin touching the floor is usually either a spiked tip or rubber; both serve to grip the floor and prevent the cello from moving or slipping.

Bridge and f-holes

The bridge elevates the strings above the fingerboard. The bridge is not glued on; tension from the strings maintains it in place. The f-holes (named for their shape) are located on either side of the bridge, and serve to allow the instrument to properly sound (produce sound). Additionally, f-holes are used as the entryplace for the interior in case of repair or regular maintenance. Examples include a device known as a snake which maintained proper humidity within the instrument.

Internal features

Internally, the cello has two important features: a bass bar, which is glued to the underside of the bottom of the instrument, and a round wooden sound peg (also called a sound post), which is sandwiched between the top and bottom. The bass bar serves to support the backbone of the cello, and contributes to the cello's rigidity. The soundpost, meanwhile, is responsible for conducting and absorbing sound. Like the bridge, the sound peg is not glued, but is kept in place by the tensions of the bridge and strings.

Bow

Traditionally, bows are made from Pernambuco (high quality) or Brasil (lower quality) wood. Both woods come from the same species of tree (Caesalpina sappna L, or sappon wood, native in Asia), but Pernambuco is the heartwood of the tree and is much darker (Brasil wood is stained/painted dark to compensate). Pernambuco is a heavy, resinous wood with great elasticity and high sound velocity which makes it an ideal wood for instrument bows. The hair is horsehair, though synthetic hair has become available nowadays. In addition, the bow can now also be made of fiberglass or carbon fibre (or wood with a carbon fibre core), serving as alternatives to the traditional wooden bow. The hair is coated with rosin (normally every time the instrument is played) to improve the grip on the strings. Bows need to be re-haired periodically as the hair loses its grip over time. The hair is kept under tension while playing by a screw which pulls the frog (the part of the bow one holds) back. Leaving the bow tightened for long periods of time can damage it, by warping the stick.

Glue and synthetic material

Cellos are glued together using hide glue, which is strong yet also reversible, allowing for repair and restoration of the instrument should it need to be taken apart. Also, it should be noted that modern-day cellos can also be constructed from carbon fibre.

History of the cello

The earliest known cello was made in Italy. At first called Viola da gamba, it literally meant "leg viola" as in the beggining, and endpin wasn't used and the cello was held resting on the player's calves; and opposed to "Viola da braccio", "arm viola". Through its development the Viola da gamba was a fretted instrument that could have 5 or 6 strings. Other non fretted varieties did exist but were generally considered to be of the basso variety and not a predecessor of the cello.

However, the cellos developed in the 16th century were bigger than today's instruments. Luthiers first began to make smaller cellos in the 1690s, though they did not become widely accepted until the mid-1700s.

Baroque Era

Baroque era cellos differed from the modern instrument in several ways. The neck has a different form and angle which matches the baroque bass-bar and stringing. Modern cellos have a retractable metal (or sometimes carbon fibre) spike at the bottom to support the instrument (and transmit some of the sound through the floor), while Baroque cellos are held only by the knees of the player. Modern bows curve in and are held at the frog; Baroque bows curve out and are held closer to the bow's point of balance. Modern strings normally have a metal core, although some use a synthetic core; Baroque strings are made of gut (the G and C strings sometimes wound with metal). Modern cellos often have fine-tuners connecting the strings to the tailpiece, which make it much easier to tune the instrument — Baroque tuning is a half step lower than modern tuning, usually A415 (equivalent to modern A-flat).

Playing

The cello is played by drawing the hair of the bow parallel to the bridge over the string/s. (NOTE: There are other advanced techniques which involve using both the bow hair and wood). By placing fingers on the fingerboard or differing parts of the string (varitions include harmonics, glissandos etc etc); the player can shorten the string and thus change the note being played. In addition, the cello can also be played using pizzicato, or plucking the strings. This includes right handed, left handed and flamingo style.

The cello produces a deep, rich, and vibrant sound. It has the lowest pitch in the traditional string quartet and is regarded by some as the instrument producing the most human-like sound.

Tuning and range

The cello has four strings tuned in perfect fifth intervals: the A-string, D-string, G-string, and C-string. The A-string is three half-steps lower than middle C, and the C-string is two octaves lower than middle C. Cellos are usually tuned to 440 hz, though tuning to 442 hz or 444 hz is becoming increasingly popular.

The cello's range in first position is from the C two octaves below middle C to an E two octaves above middle C.

Because of the enormous range of the instrument, written music for the cello frequently alternates between the bass clef, tenor clef, and treble clef.

Sizes

Standard cellos are referred to as "full-sized", or "four-fourths". However, cellos come in smaller sizes, from "Seven-Eighths" and "three-quarter" down to "sixteenth" sized cellos. The smaller-sized cellos are identical to standard cellos, but are simply smaller for the benefit of children and shorter adults.

Accessories

There are multiple accessories to the cello.

Wolf tone eliminators are sometimes placed on cello strings between the tailpiece and the bridge in order to eliminate wolf tone.
Mutes are used to soften or dampen the sound of the cello.
Rosin is applied to the bow hairs to increase the effectiveness of the friction and allow proper sound production.
Humidifiers are used to control the humidity around the cello.
Tuners are used to tune the instrument.
Metronomes can produce a A440 (and other tones, depending on the model) and can also sound out a certain number of beats per minute, as well as beat subdivisions.
Cases are used to protect the cello and bow when traveling, and for safe storage.
Krovoza Pegs (formely PosturePegs) are replacement pegs for the C and G strings, which eliminate the discomfort of the traditional pegs digging into the player's neck or head.

Current use

Orchestral

Cellos are part of the standard orchestra. Usually, the orchestra includes eight to twelve cellists. The cello section, in standard orchestral seating, is located on stage left (the audience's right) in the front, opposite to the first violin section. However, some orchestras prefer secondary orchestral seating, where the cello section is placed in the middle front, between the first violins and second violins. The principal, or "first chair" cellist is the best cellist in the orchestra. In standard orchestra seating, he/she sits nearest to the conductor and the audience. In secondary orchestra seating, he/she sits nearest the conductor and stage left in comparison to the cellist next to him/her (the cellist sitting "second chair").

The cellos are a critical part of orchestral music; all symphonic works involve the cello section, and many pieces require cello soli or solos. Much of the time, cellos provide part of the harmony for the orchestra. On many occasions, the cello section will pick up the melody of the piece for a brief period of time, before returning to the harmony. There are also cello concertos, which are orchestral pieces in which a featured, solo cellist is accompanied by an entire orchestra.

Solo

There are multiple cello concertos and solo sonata cello pieces. In this genre, the cello is usually accompanied by either a pianist or an orchestra, though there are several unaccompanied pieces for cello, most notably J.S. Bach's Unaccompanied Suites for Cello.

Quartet/Ensembles

The cello is a defined member of the traditional string quartet. In addition, cellos are also usually part of string quintets or trios. There have been several pieces written for a cello ensemble of twenty to thirty cellists.

Pop Music

Though the cello is less common in popular music, it is sometimes featured in pop and rock recordings. Despite this, the cello is rarely part of a group's standard lineup. An exception are Apocalyptica, a group of cellists best known for their versions of heavy metal songs. It is a style that has become known as cello rock. Another great example is Rasputina, a group of three female cellists committed to an intricate cello style intermingled with Gothic music.

Makers / Luthiers

A violin maker or luthier is someone who builds or repairs stringed instruments, ranging from guitars to violins. Some well known luthiers include:

Cellists

A person who plays the cello is called a cellist. For a list of famous or notable cellists, see the list of cellists.

External links

The Internet Cello Society: an online community of cellists; includes several forums.
cellist.nl: An international register of professional cellists, teachers, and students.
Frantisek Brikcius: a Czech cellist.
Break of Reality: A contemporary of Apocalyptica, this group is from the Eastman School of Music.
Musicians Room: This musicians room will share information both about music in many viewpoints, and also about anything that is considered to be shared.

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