This leads us to the latest development of the violoncello as a solo performer in the Orchestra. In Richard Strauss’s _Don Quixote Variations_ the violoncello is made to _impersonate_ the mad, chivalrous and pathetic knight, whose adventures are described by the Orchestra. In this work the violoncello and the viola paint _character_ as nearly as it is possible for music to do; and if we do not receive a definite idea of their appearance the music conveys to us certain _impressions_ of Don Quixote and his unimaginative squire. With great poetic judgment Strauss selected the violoncello and the viola as the most suitable instruments to convey these impressions. We have been talking about the violoncello all this time. What about the instrument itself? Perhaps the first thing we notice is that the ribs of the violoncello are very much higher in proportion to its body than those of a violin, or viola. Of course, the height of these ribs differs in different makers. Stradivari made his so low that many of his violoncellos have had to be taken to pieces and wider ribs added to suit the music of to-day. Naturally the sound-post has had to be made taller. Few of Stradivari’s violoncellos are in existence. He made his violoncellos in two models—large and small. The large ones are very scarce. They have a beautiful tone, but they are hard to play on account of their size. Servais had a “Strad.” Piatti also had one, which was known as “the red ’cello” on account of its varnish. The finest Stradivari was owned by Duport and passed into the possession of August Franchomme, who paid 25,000 francs ($5,000) for it. Carlo Bergonzi made superb violoncellos and so did Maggini, who made his on the viola pattern, placing the sound-holes rather high. Andreas Amati and Nicolò Amati both made beautiful instruments, which are characterized by a sweet, mellow tone. No violoncellos of Joseph Guarneri are known. The violoncello in the illustration facing page 56 was made by Januarius Galiano of Naples (born about 1740), one of the famous Galiano family of makers, descendants of Alessandro Galiano (1695-1730), a pupil of Stradivari. The strings of the violoncello are C, G, D and A, an octave lower than those of the viola. The D string is very rich and is considered the most beautiful of all. The compass of the violoncello is nearly four octaves; and because of this long range composers write for the violoncello in three clefs: the Bass Clef, for the lower and middle registers; the Tenor Clef, for the next highest; and the Treble, or Soprano, Clef, for the top notes. The beginner on the violoncello has a great deal of hard work to do to learn to play at sight in all three clefs. [Illustration: GENTLEMAN OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY PLAYING THE VIOLA DA GAMBA]