The History of the Violin

In Europe, the violin can be traced back to the 9th century, with its origin possibly in Asia. Not less than 450 years were required to bring it to its present form, representative of the experience acquired throughout the centuries by the makers of stringed instruments.

In the times of the renaissance, this had a large impact on all the arts, not least in the construction of instruments; the violin as it is known nowadays was built in the early 16th century. In this climate the viola and the cello also emerged.

The violin is a soprano instrument, the highest in the string family. Its high, clear tones soar above the other instruments, which is why it’s the traditional solo instrument. The sound is produced when a bow made of horsehair is rubbed across the strings to create friction. The bow is coated in a slightly sticky, powdery substance known as rosin (which is made from resin, tree sap). It’s made of various types of hard wood, which allow the sound to resonate through it. It has pegs and sometimes fine tuners which change the pitch of the string to the appropriate note. It’s a very popular instrument for young kids to play, especially in Asian countries.

Here are some links to various websites for more detail on the origins of the violin:

>The History of the Violin

>The violin

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