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12 Interesting Facts About the Violin: An Italian Invention

​There are many interesting inventions to come from Italy and one of these is the violin. Although it is a popular instrument across the world, there are some interesting facts about the violin which you may not know.

 

​There are many interesting inventions to come from Italy and one of these is the violin. Although it is a popular instrument across the world, there are some interesting facts about the violin which you may not know.

 

  1. The violin was invented in the late 16th-century by Andrea Amati.
  2. It was perfected in the 17th-century by Guarneri and Stradivari.
  3. The word violin is derived from a Medieval Latin word, ‘vitula’. This simply means stringed instrument.
  4. Playing the violin is a good form of exercise as you will burn 170 calories per hour.
  5. There are over 70 pieces of wood involved in the construction of this instrument.
  6. The most expensive violin in the world was appraised with a value of $18 million. It was made in 1741 by Giuseppe Guarnerni.
  7. Violins are made in different sizes to suit the size of the player. Children usually learn to play a violin using either a 1/32 or 1/16 instrument before progressing to a full-sized violin as they grow.
  8. Violins are usually made from either maple wood or spruce.
  9. Traditionally, violin strings were made from sheep’s guts that were stretched, dried and twisted. Over the years, they have been made from a variety of other materials, including synthetic materials wound with metals or plated with silver, stranded steel or solid steel.
  10. There are between 150 and 200 hairs on a violin bow. These are either horse hairs or hairs made from synthetic materials.
  11. Surprisingly, a world record exists for riding a bicycle backwards while playing a violin. The record stands at 5 hours and 8 seconds to cycle 60.45 kilometers.
  12. Ben Lee from Sussex, England, holds the record as the world’s fastest violin player. He played ‘Bumblebee’ in 58.515 seconds. This is the equivalent to 15 notes per second.

 

Main image via Pexels

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