The Vazquez Collection of Historical Musical Instruments
of the 16th to the 18th Centuries



viola da gamba by William Turner, London, 1656

The collection now contains over 200 select instruments (viola da gamba, viola d'amore, violin, viola, violoncello, violone, baryton) and historical bows dating mostly from 1570 to 1780, all restored to their original playing conditions and placed at the disposal of members of the Orpheon Orchestra, Orpheon Consort and professional musicians all over Europe for competitions, concerts, recordings and study purposes. It is the living acoustical heritage – the sounds that these instruments produce for those living today – that interests us, and not their mere decorative flair as objets trouvés from aristocratic residences from our distant past. We wish to hear what these instruments have to say.

Special instruments:

Violino piccolo
Violins with five strings
Pochette or dancing master's fiddle
Viola d'amore
Viola di spalla
Violoncello piccolo

Tromba marina


The Viola da gamba Family

Treble
Pardessus de viole

Tenor
Bass
Violone in G
(Great bass viola da gamba)


Violone in D
(Contrabasso di Viola da gamba)

Special instruments:

Lirone
Baryton


The Historical Bows


The Keyboard Instruments
Lute

The Wind Instruments


Paintings &
Miscellanea




updated 30.01.2014