Baryton
A historical bowed instrument with additional resonating strings, similar to the viola da gamba; the subject of many works by Haydn.
What it means
The baryton is a historical bowed instrument resembling the viola da gamba in build and fingering. Alongside five to seven bowed gut strings, it carries an additional set of eight to twenty-seven metal strings running through the hollow neck, which can be plucked with the thumb of the fretting hand. These metal strings also vibrate sympathetically when the gut strings are bowed, giving the sound a distinctive, silvery fullness.
Musical use
The baryton emerged around 1700 and was mainly cultivated at the Viennese court in Haydn's time. In the service of Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy, an enthusiastic baryton player, Joseph Haydn composed a large number of trios and other works for the instrument. Because of the demanding dual technique of bowing while simultaneously plucking, the baryton remained limited to slow or moderately paced pieces and never entered the orchestra.
The baryton should be distinguished from the viola da gamba, with which it shares its build and fretting but which lacks the additional resonating strings, and from the baritone voice, with which it shares only the name.
Performance practice
If you approach the baryton, practice bowing and plucking separately before combining them, since bowing the gut strings while simultaneously plucking the resonating strings with the thumb demands its own coordination.