Why were bass solos so popular in the 18th century?!?

Links to research for this video: The Viennese Violone: The Development, Blossoming, and Decline of a Musical Instrument in 18th Century Vienna by William Christopher Leverenz https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws... the incredible Viennese Tuning Channel from Korneel Le Compte    / @viennesetuningchannel6101   be sure to check out Korneel's great book Meta Hodos as well: https://viennesetuning.files.wordpres... INTERNATIONAL J.M. SPERGER COMPETITION for Double Bass https://www.spergerwettbewerb.de/inde... Joelle Morton's historical double bass site http://www.greatbassviol.com/home.html Gustavo Mazon-Finessi - Concerto for Double Bass in Viennese tuning, Mov. I, by Johann Baptist Vanhal    • Concerto for Double Bass in Viennese tunin...   Per questa with Dean Ferrell singing and playing    • Per questa bella mano K612   Toscanini Beethoven 5    • Beethoven Symphony No. 5, 1st mvt--Arturo ...   CSO Beethoven 9 (great shot of the basses in the start of Ode to Joy mvt 4)    • Muti Conducts Beethoven 9   Berlioz: "Symphonie Fantastique" - 5th Mvt. - Leonard Bernstein    • Berlioz: "Symphonie Fantastique" - 5th Mvt...   Heather Miller Lardin violone demo    • Perspectives - What Exactly is a Violone?   Klaus Trumpf interview    • Spergers Tonsprache - Peter Rainer im Gesp...   ----------- all things double bass - https://doublebasshq.com double bass merch - https://shop.doublebasshq.com/merch double bass sheet music - https://shop.doublebasshq.com