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Violone - Five-string Viennese Bass
by Johann Georg Thir
Vienna, 1750

This violone or double bass merit our attention. As a rule, double basses are made from low quality woods, the finer planks being reserved for the more expensive violins and violoncelli. This bass, however, has the finest highly-figured spruce for the top and extremely highly figured maple for the sides and back. The fact that the leading luthier in Vienna at that time, Johann Georg Thir, was given the commission for a double bass and that he used the finest spruce and maple available imply that this was a special commission from some very prominent client, someone like the Emperor himself, or Prince Esterhazy, who at the time was the wealthiest man in Europe, or Graf Lobkowitz, who maintained a solid musical establishment in his palace.

Immediately after restoration, this bass by Thir took part in the concert of June, 2008 at the Castle of Kremsegg, Austria. We are very pleased!

During a certain period in history - the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 19th Centuries - the Viennese double basses used a different tuning: F-A-D-F#-A. More on this tuning here: http://www.viennesetuning.com

Martini Hofinger with the Johann Georg Thir double bass




Martini Hofinger with the Johann Georg Thir double bass




Martin Hofinger with the Johann Georg Thir violone during a performance in the Cappella Sistina
in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI (January, 2009)




Martin Hofinger with the Johann Georg Thir violone during a performance in the Cappella Sistina
in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI (January, 2009)