A fact from 12 Fantasias for Viola da Gamba (Telemann) appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 22 July 2017 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:
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Who says that the viola da gamba was no longer fashionable in 1735? Bach was still featuring it big time in the St. Matthew and St. John passions, plus many cantatas. Telemann himself wrote the Paris quartets for an ensemble including the instrument around that time (1730 and 1738). Carl Friedrich Abel, usually counting as the last gamba player, died as late as 1787. Hubert le Blanc wrote his Défence in 1740. Granted, it was a plead for an instrument whose prestigious position was threatened, but by no means lost yet. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.54.51.131 (talk) 21:03, 23 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
"fashionable" means something like popular. In France - Marin Marais - it had been the instrument, - in a way that's exactly what you describe: prestigious no more. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 21:09, 23 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
With Forquerai publishing his Pièces de Viole in 1740 and Telemann his Paris Quartets in 1730-38, this seens a somewhat arbitary assessment. Where is the evidence that the gamba in France was 'prestigeous no more'? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.54.51.131 (talk) 20:20, 24 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry, English is not my first language, and I may have been not clear enough. Wanted to say that the gamba was more popular in France than in Germany. Around 1740 in Germany, it was still played, but not really popular, or do you have other sources? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 20:42, 24 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]
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