Dictionary:

viol

  (vī'əl)

1. Any of a family of stringed instruments, chiefly of the 16th and 17th centuries, having a fretted fingerboard, usually six strings, and a flat back and played with a curved bow.
2. See viola da gamba (sense 1).

[Alteration of Middle English viel, from Old French viole, vielle, from Old Provençal viola. See viola¹.]

A bowed string instrument with frets, usually held vertically on the lap when played or, in larger sizes, between the legs (hence the name ‘viola da gamba’, literally ‘leg-viol’). It appeared in Europe (probably first in Spain, from North Africa), in the late 15th century and subsequently became one of the most popular Renaissance and Baroque instruments, much used in ensemble music. During its history the viol was made in many different sizes: pardessus (high treble), treble, alto, small tenor, tenor, bass and violone (contrabass). Only the treble, tenor and bass viols were regular members of the consort. (For illustration, seeEarly music.)

In spite of much early variability a standard shape for the viol emerged in the 16th century. The instrument has broad ribs, sloping shoulders and a flat fretted neck. Most viols have six strings (though the French Baroque solo bass viol had seven strings and the pardessus five); the three principal tunings are: d-g-c′-e′-a′-d″ (treble), G-c-f-a-d′-g′ (tenor) and (A′-) D-G-c-e-a-d′ (bass). The bow, usually slightly convex, is held in an underhand grip and the player's fingers govern the tension of the horse-hair.

The viol seems to have had its origins in attempts to fuse the principles of the bowed rebec to large plucked instruments such as the vihuela in Spain in the second half of the 15th century. Its early history is difficult to establish because of the generic use of the word ‘viol’ for any bowed instrument. It seems, however, that sets or ‘consorts’ of vertically held viols were found at courts as well as in homes from the early 16th century. The earliest printed collections of music for viol consort are the two editions of Gerle's Musica teusch (1532, 1546), containing transcriptions of German and French vocal music. By c1540 Henry VIII had engaged a complete consort of Italian players. This royal patronage may have inspired an English school of performance and composition which, fuelled by remarkable composers such as Byrd, Jenkins, William Lawes and finally Purcell, continued to thrive long after the viol had been superseded by the violin on the Continent. The French school of viol playing did not share the English penchant for consort music, preferring to explore the bass viol as a solo virtuoso instrument. ‘Pièces de viole’ (for viol and continuo), duets for two viols, and trio sonatas for violin, viol and continuo were written by composers such as François Couperin, Boismortier and the renowned bass viol virtuoso Marin Marais. In Germany the viol was much used in solo and chamber music, in Vienna and also in the north (including the Low Countries); it was used by Schütz in his sacred music, by Buxtehude in his cantatas and in sonatas and trio sonatas with violin by the viol virtuoso Johann Schenck. J. S Bach wrote three sonatas with harpsichord and often used the viol as an obbligato instrument in sacred works. In the next generation, it was much used by Telemann and C. P. E. Bach in chamber music; the last great German viol player was C. F. Abel, whose main career was in England. The 20th century has seen a resurgence of interest in the viol for the authentic performance of early music.

For more information on viol, visit Britannica.com.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - viola, gambe

Nederlands (Dutch)
viool (uit 16de/17de eeuw)

Français (French)
n. - viole

Deutsch (German)
n. - (Mus.) Viola

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (μουσ.) βιόλα

Italiano (Italian)
viola

Português (Portuguese)
n. - qualquer instrumento medieval da família das violas bastardas (m) (Mús.) (m), qualquer instrumento da família do violino (m) (Mús.) (m)

Русский (Russian)
виола (музыкальный инструмент)

Español (Spanish)
n. - viola de la época del Renacimiento

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - viola

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
中世纪的弦乐器, 六弦古提琴

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 中世紀的絃樂器, 六弦古提琴

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 비올 (중세 현악기의 일종)

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ヴィオル

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) كمان قديم ذو سته اوتار‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮ויול (כלי מיתרים עתיק, הדומה לכינור)‬

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