Viola da braccio

Monteverdi's Orfeo (printed 1609) designates an entire six-part string section "viole da brazzo", apparently including bass instruments held between the knees like the cello and bass violin.

His Selva morale (1641) contains a piece calling for "due violini & 3 viole da brazzo ouero 3 Tronboni" (2 violins & 3 viole da braccio or trombones), reflecting a general shift in meaning towards the lower instruments.

[2] The double bass, however, developed from both the violone and the bass-viola da gamba.

[3] The first instruments of the viola da braccio family were built in Italy about 1530.

There were soprano, alto, tenor and bass viola da braccio.