The Violin

In ancient Greek or Roman times stringed instruments such as the lyre or harp, were plucked or strummed. It was not until 3000 B.C. that the first true stringed instrument played with a bow appeared - the ravanastron, an instrument still played in India today. The full ancestry of the violin is unclear. In particular, it remains a mystery as to what individual or group originally produced the violin in its final form. It has even been conjectured that the great Florentine genius, Leonardo da Vinci may have contributed seminal concepts regarding its form and mathematical proportions. Whoever was ultimately responsible, by the early 1500's a form of the violin emerged which, in shape, basic dimensions, and final details, has remained fundamentally unchanged for nearly 400 years.

Cello • Dumbek • Concertina • Clarinet