A double-reed woodwind musical instrument from the Renaissance, similar to a bassoon but smaller and higher-pitched.
From Italian, diminutive of 'bassano' or 'basso,' meaning 'low' or 'bass.' The suffix '-ello' creates the diminutive form, suggesting a smaller version of a bass instrument.
Renaissance orchestras had wildly different instruments than modern ones—the bassanello could create sounds between a modern oboe and bassoon, making historical music sound almost alien to our ears.
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