Instrument Families of the Symphony Orchestra String Family

The String Family Main Instruments: They have 4 strings Violin - smallest and highest; plays melody Viola – look like violins but have a lower sound Cello (or Violoncello) - held between knees Double Bass - biggest and lowest string instrument. Players stand or sit on tall stools to play these giant instruments. They have 4 strings The string vibrate by plucking or bowing

Instrument Families of the Symphony Orchestra Violin Viola Cello Double Bass

The Bow - drawn across the strings of the instrument causing them to vibrate.  It is made of wood and horsehair!! Rosin – sticky substance placed on the horsehair of the bow to help it stick to the strings. (sort of like hair gel!)

Label the parts of the string instrument

Antonio Stradivari creating a violin Other Important Information: The Amati Family - A father, two sons, and a grandson. They were the first famous family of violin makers in Italy. Antonio Stradivari - A student of Nicola Amati (the grandson). He was the greatest violin maker of all time. He made hundreds of violins. Some of them are worth MILLIONS of dollars today. Antonio Stradivari creating a violin

Stradivarian Instruments in MADRID A collection of Stradivarius can be found at the Palacio Real (Madrid) and are worth between 3 to 15-million dollars each.

The Harp Is played by plucking the strings The harp has 47 strings and 7 pedals! HARP PLAYER: Amy Turk

More about HARP The harp is one of the world's oldest musical instruments, with evidence of its use dating as far back as 3000 B.C.  The Great Seal of Ireland includes a harp, which is a symbol of the country. Harps are shaped much like bows, and it is thought that the first harp was based on the weapon. A harpist plays using only the first four fingers on each hand. The little finger is too weak to pluck the strings with enough power. The colored strings can be spotted on the harp.  The “F” strings usually are in black, while the red one is found in “C” strings. 

GUITAR Usually has 6 strings Is played by plucking the strings with the right hand. It is also played using a plectrum/guitar pick.

Difference between Spanish guitar and acoustic guitar - String Material: steel - Narrower neck - String Material: nylon - Wider neck - More distance between the bridge and the sound hole

GUITAR PLAYERS Pepe Habichuela, Tomatito, Vicente Amigo PACO DE LUCÍA (1947-2014) Pepe Habichuela, Tomatito, Vicente Amigo

PIANO Struck strings Sound is produced by hitting the strings with mallets. The piano has a complex mechanism to activate the hammers. VERTICAL PIANO

1709 – Bartolomeo CRISTOFORI invented the first piano. Has 88 keys. 1709 – Bartolomeo CRISTOFORI invented the first piano. Original name: PIANOFORTE. GRAND PIANO

FAMOUS PIANISTS: Artur RUBINSTEIN Vladimir HOROWITZ Daniil TRIFONOV Marta ARGERICH LANG LANG Valentina LISITSA Evgeni KISSIN YUJA WANG Claudio ARRAU Denis MATSUEV