J. S. Bach, Aria “Bete aber auch dabei”, BVW 115 on Violoncello da Spalla

J. S. Bach
Cantata BWV 115
Aria “Bete aber auch dabei”

soprano: Giulia Bolcato
flute: Alessandro Visintini
violoncello da spalla: Daniela Gaidano
organo: Stephan Kofler

violoncello da spalla by Daniela Gaidano after Johann Wagner (before 1750)
strings: basses in single-wound gut by Eliakim Boussoir, trebles pure gut by Aquila Corde Armoniche
Positive organ by Francesco Zanin, copy after Radivus XXVII sec

Luthiers’ workshop images:
Daniela Gaidano e Alessandro Visintini

https://violoncellodaspalla.it/


Video: Lorenzo Vignando
Production assistant: Alessia Dalto

Places:
Merano (BZ), Chiesa Evangelica
Lignano Sabbiadoro (UD), Chiesa di Santa Maria del Mare
Meltina (BZ), Chiesa di San Giorgio

Recorded in May 2022

This project was made possible thanks to the support of
Provincia autonoma di Bolzano/Alto Adige - Ripartizione Cultura Italiana

The Violoncello da Spalla used in this recording was made by me, Daniela Gaidano, in 2021, after an original by Johann Wagner preserved at the St. Anna Museum in Lübeck. Alessandro and I were so lucky to get to measure it just before the pandemic started. The Wagner “violoncello piccolo” was made before 1750, it has five strings and has its original short neck with inbuilt block and was made without mould and corner blocks. The same the instrument used in this video. The fact that it is strung with single-wound basses (that is, a gut core overspun with a layer of silver wire) represent a step forward in research, demonstrating that instruments as short as this (less than 40 cm of scale) could play at a cello pitch even before the introduction of double-wound strings.

The tiny mountain church (built in XII sec.) in the last part of the video is just in front of our terrace and we were amazed to find in it a wooden altar from 1609 featuring an angel playing a big viola da braccio. I loved it so much that I decided to use the shield of the Hafner family, by whom the altar was commissioned, in my logo. I sometimes use its flower elements also on the tailpiece and the pegbox chin. The same shield was also used to draw the modern shield of Meltina, the village where we live and work.

We deeply thank all the people involved in this video production for their generosity and support. We will bring in our hearts forever the many special moments that recorded in this video.

For more info abut us and our work, please visit:

https://linktr.ee/violoncellodaspalla

…and don’t be shy to get in touch if you want to get a Violoncello da Spalla for yourself or simply having a try: there are always two instruments ready to try in our workshop!
…uhm… not sure but you are curious and want more information? Get in touch anyway! We love to get to know other musicians, we don’t need to sell to everyone, we just like to spread the word about Violoncello da Spalla!
Just write to [email protected]