CONRAD CLUB
JOIN
VIOLIN
The violin is the smallest and highest-pitched of the string instrument family. Violins are important instruments in a wide variety of musical genres - they are most prominent in the Western classical tradition and in many varieties of folk music, however they are also frequently used in country music, jazz, and even rock music.
History
It's thought the first violin was constructed around 1555 by Andrea Amati, although no one is sure of the exact year. Older versions of the instrument only had three strings, and were known as 'violetta'.
PIANO
The word "piano" is a shortened form of pianoforte, the Italian term for the early 1700s versions of the instrument, which in turn derives from clavicembalo col piano e forte (key cimbalom with quiet and loud) and fortepiano. The Italian musical terms piano and forte indicate "soft" and "loud" respectively, in this context referring to the variations in volume (i.e., loudness) produced in response to a pianist's touch or pressure on the keys: the greater the velocity of a key press, the greater the force of the hammer hitting the strings, and the louder the sound of the note produced and the stronger the attack. The first fortepianos in the 1700s allowed for a quieter sound and greater dynamic range than the harpsichord.
