Andreas Amati (1520-1577)[13] was to the violoncello very nearly what Stradivari was to the violin. He transformed the _viola da gamba_ into the violoncello. As early as 1572 Pope Pius V sent Charles IX, King of France, a present of thirty-eight bowed instruments, eight of which were bass. These were all made by Andreas Amati and on the back of each were painted the arms of France and other devices and the motto, _Pietate et Justitia_. In 1790, when the mob broke into Versailles during the Revolution, all these instruments were destroyed except two violins and one violoncello. This is still in existence and is known as “The King.” Once it was owned by Duport. The first big solo violoncellist was Franciscello (1713-1740), of whom little is known except that he played in all the important European cities. He took his name from his instrument. It was a new thing for the violoncello to appear in such a conspicious _rôle_. Corelli and Tartini,[14] the first _great_ violinists, often had their accompaniments played on a violoncello; and it is supposed that from associating with the violin, the assisting instrument became ambitious and tried a little virtuosity for himself. Then the French took it up. They did a great deal for the violoncello. First came Berteau, who died in 1756; and, after him, the still more important Jean Louis Duport (1749-1819), who worked out a system of fingering and bowing and a methodical manner of “shifting” from position to position.[15] Duport’s _Essay_ on the subject made an epoch in violoncello playing. Duport was a very fine performer. It seems that he was inspired by the playing of the violinist, Viotti,[16] who visited Paris in 1782 and who astonished everybody. This started Duport thinking, just as Paganini’s playing a half century later set Liszt thinking. Duport’s idea was to imitate the agility and grace and charm of the violin upon his own violoncello. Ever since Duport’s time the violoncello has been considered practically a bass violin as far as technique is concerned; and great performers have constantly added some new idea with regard to playing it, until now the violoncello in the hands of a Pablo Casals can be as airy and light as a violin even if its voice is heavier. The violoncello has now learned to _sing_. Duport would be astonished if he could hear our violoncellists to-day, though he was one of the best (if not the very best) of his time. Beethoven thought so much of Duport that to him he dedicated his first two Violoncello Sonatas, op. 5. [Illustration: VIOLA DA GAMBA] We can get an idea of the way a violoncello was regarded in the Eighteenth Century by the compliment that Voltaire paid Duport when the latter played for him in Geneva. Voltaire was perfectly astonished by his performance. When Duport laid down his bow Voltaire said: “Monsieur, you make me believe in miracles. You know how to turn an ox into a nightingale!”