History of the Violin essays

History of the Violin essays The history of the violin in its physical development is about as interesting and diverse as the history of its social standing. On the one hand it was seen as a lowly instrument not worthy of genteel time, while on the other it rose with leaps and bounds in social standing during the 17th century. Even today the instrument still fascinates and even obsesses According to Gheerardyn, the violin originated in the form of three historical instruments: the rebec, the Renaissance fiddle, and the lira da braccio. The first can be traced back to the 13th century and included treble, alto-tenor and bass instruments. Its pear shape featured no sound post, while the neck and peg box were integrated with the instrument itself. Three strings were tuned in fifths, whereas its sound was reminiscent of the oboe (Gheerardyn). The Renaissance fiddle originates from approximately the 16th century. It included five strings and a violin- like shape. Its top and back were connected with ribs, whereas the neck and fingerboard were separate. It only included the soprano register. The third, the lira da braccio, was more versatile than the Renaissance fiddle, in that it was manufactured in a variety of sizes. Its back and top were arched, with overlapping edges. Ribs and a sound post were supplemented with four c-shaped sound holes. Of its seven strings, two were drones The violin emerged from a combination of the three above instruments, and several advantages soon favored it for popularity. There was for example its greater sonority, the ease of playing and tuning, and more sensible fingering (Gheerardyn). They were also lighter, smaller and easier to carry when played at festive events such as weddings, dances and mummeries, in addition to which the particularly well-tuned sound was a Violins as they are known today evolved starting around 1520 in northern Italy (S...