The violin family of musical instruments was developed in Italy in the 16th century. The standard modern violin family consists of the violin, viola, cello, and double bass.
Instrument names in the violin family are all derived from the root viola, which is a derivative of the Medieval Latin word vitula (meaning "stringed instrument"). A violin is a "little viola", a violone is a "big viola" or a bass violin, and a violoncello (often abbreviated cello) is a "small violone" (or, literally, a "small big viola"). (The violone is not part of the modern violin family; its place is taken by the modern double bass, an instrument with a mix of violin and viol characteristics.)
The instruments of the violin family may be descended in part from the lira da braccio and the medieval Byzantine lira.
| Violin | Viola | Cello (violoncello) | Double bass (contrabass) |
|---|
Read more about Violin Family: Characteristics, Uses, Octobass
Famous quotes containing the words violin and/or family:
“To regard one’s immortality as an exchange of matter is as strange as predicting the future of a violin case once the expensive violin it held has broken and lost its worth.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)