Classical barytons

These are Classical barytons, based on instruments by the Stadlmanns (D. A. Stadlmann c.1715 and J.J. Stadlmann c. 1750 – once in the possession of Haydn’s patron Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy). They have six bowed strings at the front, tuned in the same way as a bass viol, and 10 wire (brass & iron) sympathetic/plucked strings that run underneath the bridge and behind the fingerboard. These are tuned A, d, e, f#, g, a, b, c#’, d’, e’.

The repertoire consists of over 100 trios (baryton, viola, violoncello), solos, duos, quintets, octets, concertos and a cantata by Haydn as well as divertimentos and duets by Tomasini, Purksteiner and Neuman. Composers such as Deleschin, Giuseppe di Fauner and Fiala also contributed to the repertoire with unaccompanied works, songs, quintets and duets.

The first instrument pictured has a Korean warriors head (made for a customer in South Korea) with fingerboard and tailpiece decorations based on designs from instruments by Joachim Tielke. The second instrument pictured has a lion’s head and a fretted string cover, both of which are again taken from an instrument by Joachim Tielke (1686) now in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The back and sides of both are made from birdseye maple and the edging is made of alternate pieces of holly and ebony.

These instruments can also be made with 7 bowed strings and up to 18 wire strings. String length is 67.5cm