National Violin Day
2 min read
By: Caleb Shaulis
Many probably don’t know, but December 13th is National Violin Day. The day honors the instrument’s versatile play style, and the cultural impact the violin has made. Why did the violin come about?
The earliest documentation of the violin is by an Italian violin maker named Andrea Amati. Amati’s violin was dated back to 1555 and is said to be the oldest violin from his collection in 1560. Andrea had created an entire orchestra including 24 violins for King Charles IX of France. One of those 24 violins was named after the king. It is believed that the violin evolved from the medieval instruments that were like fiddles.
There are many ways to enjoy the day of the violin. Some people may attend a violin concert, while others may practice or learn to play the instrument. The early violins were created with what was considered at the time the best sonorous components, consisting of the Rebec, the Renaissance Fiddle, and the Lira Da Braccio. Violins are usually made from spruce or maple wood. Every violin has over 70 pieces of wood put together to make it.
Some musicians believe that the violin came from ancient Mesopotamian equestrian culture. They believe it dates as far as 2700 BCE. Some say that the “modern” lyre that was used in ancient Greece around 1400 BCE is where the violin descended from. During 1555 the violin was used during public dances and in court rooms. In 1924 Stephanie Grappelli who had played the violin in the style of jazz.
National violin day is the day that celebrates the cultural impact on society. The day also celebrates its creation. A version of the instrument was made with alligator guts. The violin creates its impact on all forms of music and should shockingly be even more well known for its wide range of emotion provoking sound.
Citations: Daysoftheyear.com theviolinchannel.com nationaltoday.com digitalhygge.com classicalwcrb.org Washingtonpost.com Holidaycalendar.io
