This article needs additional citations for
verification. (April 2021) |
The bassanello (plural bassanelli) was a Renaissance double reed woodwind instrument which was described in 1619 by Michael Praetorius in his Syntagma Musicum II:
Though Praetorius attributes the invention of bassanelli to Johann Bassanello (a.k.a. Giovanni Bassano), it is more likely Giovanni's father Santo who invented them. [1]
As there are no surviving examples of bassanelli, there has been some disagreement concerning its construction, e.g. cylindrical versus conical bore. A comparison of the lengths for the various sizes shown in the scale drawings by Praetorius to the pitches he gave for them, indicates the acoustical properties of a conical bore. The fact that there is no thumbhole (like the shawm) also points to a conical bore instrument that overblows at the octave, with no need to extend the range upward by means of a thumbhole (as is seen on the crumhorn, sordun, and other cylindrical bore reed instruments.) The quiet timbre was apparently produced by a narrow conical bore without a terminal flare.
This article needs additional citations for
verification. (April 2021) |
The bassanello (plural bassanelli) was a Renaissance double reed woodwind instrument which was described in 1619 by Michael Praetorius in his Syntagma Musicum II:
Though Praetorius attributes the invention of bassanelli to Johann Bassanello (a.k.a. Giovanni Bassano), it is more likely Giovanni's father Santo who invented them. [1]
As there are no surviving examples of bassanelli, there has been some disagreement concerning its construction, e.g. cylindrical versus conical bore. A comparison of the lengths for the various sizes shown in the scale drawings by Praetorius to the pitches he gave for them, indicates the acoustical properties of a conical bore. The fact that there is no thumbhole (like the shawm) also points to a conical bore instrument that overblows at the octave, with no need to extend the range upward by means of a thumbhole (as is seen on the crumhorn, sordun, and other cylindrical bore reed instruments.) The quiet timbre was apparently produced by a narrow conical bore without a terminal flare.