The Viola de Gamba is a cello-sized "viol." Viols were bowed, fretted, stringed instruments, derived from guitars, and predecessors of the modern bowed strings: violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The viola de gamba's rich sound kept it in use after the modern violin and viola had supplanted the smaller viols; but by 1750 the more powerful cello was replacing it too. With the newed interest in period instruments (and the easy availability of chamber music recordings suitable for the, well, chambers we live in) the viola de gamba is enchanting a new generation of listeners.