Conclusions
The goal of my research was to examine the basse de violon in Bb' tuning played in the seventeenth century in France. By exploring primary and secondary sources, iconography, articles, surviving instruments, and other material, I came to a better understanding of its early history, development, different methods of playing the basse de violon, bow hold, construction, tuning systems, its musical role, and the reasons behind its disappearance.
After studying the basse de violon and its history for two years I have concluded that it is not possible to answer certain questions concerning the instrument. For example, it is difficult to classify exactly the specifications of the French basse de violon and its tuning.
It is reasonable that this instrument became obsolete. Bowing open gut strings is not at all easy and even more difficult if the strings don´t have enough resistance, much effort and patience are required to achieve the desired sound. A smaller instrument, in this case, the cello, had a clear advantage in playing every kind of music. But let´s keep in mind that 'easier' does not always mean 'better'.
The controversy among scholars over the topic of the bass violin is quite understandable, as most of the primary sources are ambiguous or lacking detail. Another bass violin related to my writing that deserves investigation is the basse de violon à cinque cords. The period when this instrument was in use overlaps the early period of the Italian cello piccolo. Existing references are unclear as to which instrument they were referring.
Through the experiments that I have done in these last two years, I have discovered a world of opportunities that I didn´t know existed. For example, now I can play my instrument in different positions. I understand how to bow it better depending on the posture and I am able of playing and perform on the Bb' tuning.
I hope that my writing can be a stepping stone, a useful starting point for other players and readers interested in the background of the basse de violon.