Judith Davidoff, who mastered an assortment of stringed instruments not widely played for centuries, especially the cello-like viola da gamba, and became a leading proponent and player of early music, died Dec. 19 at her home in Manhattan. She was 94.

Curiosity led to a passion for early music and the instruments used to perform it. She became part of an early-music scene in the middle of the last century and became a major force in classical music, even influencing how works from various periods were performed.

The curiosity that first led Ms. Davidoff to early music stayed with her for her entire career. In 1971, for example, when she was already established as an early-music performer, she took a course in how to dance the court dances of the Baroque era. Learning the steps gave her new insights into how the accompanying music should be performed. She was also always on the lookout for new discoveries, touring the world in search of instruments to play. Although the instruments she played may have been from earlier eras, she believed new works could and should still be created for them. She was devoted to getting living composers to write for the viola da gamba.