c.1580 Da Salò Bass
Maker: Gasparo da Salò (1540–1609)
Origin: Brescia, Italy
Made: c.1580
Current Player: Maxime Bibeau (Principal Double Bass, ACO)
Owner: UKARIA
Date Acquired: 2024
Date Loaned to Australian Chamber Orchestra: 2012
In 2024, a double bass crafted by Gasparo da Salò in c.1580 was gifted into the custodianship of UKARIA by a generous Australian patron. This fascinating instrument established its place in Australia’s cultural treasury when it was first loaned to the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) in 2012, and we are honoured to steward the double bass as it enters a new chapter of its history.
Easily recognisable in the hands of the ACO’s Principal Double Bass Maxime Bibeau, the double bass boasts a resonant and uplifting quality that has become intrinsic to the orchestra’s depth of sound. Maxime himself says, ‘You can really hear and feel the maturity of the instrument. As well as having an incredibly beautiful and robust tone, it has a large sub-woofer-like quality that lifts the sound of the orchestra to another level.’
This richness alludes to an equally layered and rare history. Its maker, Gasparo da Salò (1540–1609), was counted among the finest luthiers in Brescia – a north Italian town that preceded Cremona as the capital of violin-making during the Golden Era. A contemporary of Andrea Amati, da Salò was influential in honing the violin family into its modern form, and remains particularly celebrated for mastering the patterns of the double bass and viola. While his output was prolific, the double bass in UKARIA’s custody is one of only six surviving examples – of which three are still performed on today – and it certainly tells a remarkable story of survival.
While the back plate of the double bass is made from pieces of dark pearwood, da Salò crafted the top plate from spruce that was already nearly 300 years old, with its oldest growth ring dating back to 1266. The double bass was likely commissioned for the Augustinian monastery of Neustift Abbey, where the instrument found its first home 240km north of its birthplace in Brescia. The double bass’s provenance indicates it resided there for almost 400 years, witnessing not only the political turmoil of the region through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but also the evolution of the Abbey from a centre of cultural influence into a Baroque icon, and finally into a successful monastery-cum-winery. The bass most miraculously survived the chaos of its environment in World War II, when the monastery was used as a German supply camp and Allied air raids damaged parts of the church. During a recent trip to Northern Italy, our General Manager, Operations Paola Niscioli took the opportunity to explore the Abbey. ‘The glorious surrounds and layers of history are testament to the important role the Abbey played, not only in music-making but across the arts,’ Paola reflected.
Before being brought to Australia in 2012 by our generous benefactor, the double bass had only one intermediary owner: German double bassist Günter Klaus, who acquired the instrument from the Abbey in 1970. Shortly afterwards, it was certified by Charles Beare of John & Arthur Beare (J & A Beare Ltd) – an instrument authenticator considered the ‘foremost authority on fine antique instruments of the violin family’, who has advised such artists as Yehudi Menuhin, Jacqueline du Pré and Yo-Yo Ma. Beare’s certificate describes da Salò’s double bass as ‘a fine and characteristic example of the maker’s work’.
The 440 year old instrument’s historical legacy leaves a powerful mark on Australia’s cultural scene, and we are excited to continue facilitating the rapport that Australian audiences have already established with this instrument. The double bass continues to be loaned to the ACO and played by Maxime Bibeau, and we look forward to welcoming it back to UKARIA’s stage during the ACO Weekend on Saturday 31 May–Sunday 1 June 2025.
Header photo by Charlie Kinross, courtesy of ACO.
Performance photo of the ACO at UKARIA by Dylan Henderson.