Ancient instruments whisper secrets of time and craft

A double bass, unearthed from a centuries-long slumber within an Italian abbey, is now singing again – and its voice is rewriting our understanding of musical history. Max Bibeau, principal double bass for the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO), has become the custodian of this remarkable instrument, a relic crafted in 1580 by Gasparo da Salò, one of the earliest masters of the double bass.

A long journey from monastic walls to the concert stage

The bass’s journey is a testament to both endurance and rediscovery. Found in the late 1960s by German bass player Prof. Günter Klaus, it lay forgotten within the walls of an Augustinian order, coated in soot and in need of significant restoration. Klaus recognized its potential, securing its purchase from the monks, but it wasn't until decades later that its true pedigree—a da Salò creation—was revealed. Now, thanks to the Ukaria cultural centre and a loan arrangement with the ACO, it breathes again under Bibeau’s skillful hands.

But the story doesn’t end there. While the da Salò bass commands considerable historical weight, a deeper dive reveals a fascinating challenge to its claim as Australia's oldest playable instrument. The Yolŋgu people of Arnhem Land possess a cultural heritage steeped in Music, with the yidaki (didgeridoo) holding a place of profound spiritual and artistic significance. These instruments, crafted over millennia, represent a continuous tradition of musical expression.

The yidaki's timeless resonance

Curators at the South Australian Museum, collaborating with Yolŋgu elders, painstakingly restored a selection of yidaki dating back to around 1890, employing traditional methods—a process that involved, rather uniquely, a customized humidifier mimicking the humid conditions of Arnhem Land. Larry Gurruwiwi, a renowned yidaki master, described the experience of playing these ancient instruments as profoundly different from handling his own creations, noting a sense of slowing down and a feeling of his spirit being momentarily “lost” within the wood.

The quest for Australia’s oldest playable instrument leads further back still. A repository at the Queensland Museum holds an ocarina, a vessel flute originating from Colombia, estimated to date back to circa AD 1200 – an astonishing eight centuries before the da Salò bass’s arrival on Australian shores. Though its sound remains a mystery, its mere survival speaks volumes about the enduring power of ceramic craftsmanship.

Perhaps the greatest lesson gleaned from these ancient instruments is not their age, but their inherent need for interaction. As Bibeau observes, “Instruments need to be played. It’s like a muscle…the more it vibrates, the better it vibrates.” The da Salò bass, the yidaki, the ocarina—each whispers a story of time, craft, and the vital connection between musician and instrument. A connection that, across centuries and continents, remains fundamentally unchanged.