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An imitative string stop of 16' pitch.

Some sources consider these names to be synonyms for Violone. According to Adlung, Contrabass is sometimes a synonym for Subbass.

The name Double String has other uses.

The drawing is Audsley's; click on it for a larger image.

Examples

Contrebasse: 72 @ 16', 5 @ 32'. Contrabass: 36 @ 16', 9 @ 32'. Contrabasso: 10 @ 16'. Kontrabass: 15 @ 16', 3 @ 32', all from 20th century. No examples of Bass Violin, Contra Violin or Violin Bass are known.

Contrabass 32', Hauptpedal; Basilica, Weingarten, Wuerttemberg, Germany; Gabler 1737-1750.

Contrabass 32', Pedal; Dreifaltigkeitskirche, Liepaja/Libau (Lettland), Latvia; Grüneberg 1885.

Contrebasse 16', Pedal; Notre Dame, Dole, France; Riepp 1750-54.

Contrebasse 16', Pedale; St. Sulpice, Paris, France; Barker/Callinet/Somer, first half of 1800's.

Contrabasso 16', Pedal; San Carlo, Brescia, Italy; probably 18th century.

Contra Basso 16', Solo; Royal Albert Hall, London, England; Willis 1872. Later renamed to Contra Bass.

Contrabasso 16', manual; Nostra Signora della Consolazione, Genova, Italy; Locatelli 1879.

Double String 16' (TC), Great; John Ledwon residence, Agoura, California, USA; Wurlitzer.

Double Bass 16', Choir, String Organ II; Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA; Midmer-Losh.

Bassecontre 24', Pedale; St. Denis, Paris, France; Cavaillé-Coll 1841. This is the only known example of this name.

Sound Clips

See the Sound Files appendix for general information.

Bibliography