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Montreal Symphony Shows Off Octobass

Montreal Symphony Orchestra (MSO) recently became the only orchestra in the world to posses a rare octobass. Measuring almost 12 feet tall and weighing in at more than 288 pounds, the instrument can go as low as the lowest note of the piano, almost to the lowest limits of human hearing. Because it is so large, it would be impossible for a bassist to press the strings to the neck, so the three-stringed is played with levers and pedals. Invented in 1849 by luthier Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume in France, only three were ever built. The MSO’s instrument is a modern reproduction built in 2010. For more details about this remarkable instrument visit: http://www.osm.ca/en/octobass/.