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.
- The violin was invented in the late 16th-century by Andrea Amati.
- It was perfected in the 17th-century by Guarneri and Stradivari.
- The word violin is derived from a Medieval Latin word, ‘vitula’. This simply means stringed instrument.
- Playing the violin is a good form of exercise as you will burn 170 calories per hour.
- There are over 70 pieces of wood involved in the construction of this instrument.
- The most expensive violin in the world was appraised with a value of $18 million. It was made in 1741 by Giuseppe Guarnerni.
- 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.
- Violins are usually made from either maple wood or spruce.
- 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.
- There are between 150 and 200 hairs on a violin bow. These are either horse hairs or hairs made from synthetic materials.
- 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.
- 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.
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