The violin, viola and cello were first built in the early 16th century, in Italy. The earliest evidence for their existence is in paintings by Gaudenzio Ferrari from the 1530s, though Ferrari's instruments had only three strings.

violin, bowed stringed musical instrument that evolved during the Renaissance from earlier bowed instruments: the medieval fiddle; its 16th-century Italian offshoot, the lira da braccio; and the rebec. The violin is probably the best known and most widely distributed musical instrument in …

Feb 4, 2021 · From its early ancestor the rebab in the Middle East, to its emergence into Europe through Spain, and into its strong seat in Italy, the violin’s development is geographically widespread, and led by trade and commerce.

Sep 10, 2024 · Andre Amati from Cremona and Gasparo di Bertolotti from Salon, both in Northern Italy, are thought to be the first two creators of the earliest versions of the violin. Precise dates for these instruments are not available; however, surviving Amati violins are …

Mar 31, 2025 · The Development of Violin Playing Techniques. As the violin itself evolved, so too did the way it was played. In the late 1700s, French bow maker François Tourte introduced the modern bow, which allowed violinists to play with greater expression and precision. This was a game-changer for violin playing, opening the door to new techniques and ...

Jan 20, 2025 · The violin was first discovered in the 16 th century but its history can be traced back to as early as the 9 th century. The modern day violin evolved from a variety of other stringed instruments. The Arabian Rabab and the Rebec are known to be the ancestors of Violin.

Compared to its ancestors, the violin is in a class by itself in terms of completeness. In addition, it was not improved gradually over time, but appeared in its current form suddenly around 1550. Yet, none of these early violins exist today.

Bow stringed instruments which appear in European carvings and drawings from 900 AD may give a glimpse of the origin of the violin. These ancient instruments fall into four categories of stringed instruments: the rebec, the medieval and Renaissance fiddle, …

Violinists and collectors particularly prize the fine historical instruments made by the Stradivari, Guarneri, Guadagnini and Amati families from the 16th to the 18th century in Brescia and Cremona (Italy) and by Jacob Stainer in Austria.

The history of the violin is quite extensive, dating back centuries. The musical instrument can trace its lineage through various traditions all over the world, from Asian ravanahatha, rebab, rebec, and morin khuur, via vielle, lira and viola da braccio to a baroque and modern violin with inventions like an electric violin.