Strings and Traditionals Department

The story

Bowed string instruments have a history that stretches back thousands of years, with early primitive versions such as the harp and lyre found in ancient civilizations such as Egypt and Mesopotamia. However, the bowed string instruments we know today began to take shape in the Middle Ages, with the introduction of the vielle, a precursor to the violin, used in medieval European music.

During the Renaissance, string instruments evolved further, giving rise to several families of instruments, including the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Italian luthiers such as Andrea Amati and Antonio Stradivari perfected the construction of these instruments, creating violins of unparalleled quality that are still considered the finest in the world.

Over time, string instruments became essential to the orchestra, playing a central role in classical music, from the works of Baroque composers such as Vivaldi and Bach, to Romantic composers such as Beethoven and Brahms. In addition to classical music, string instruments have been incorporated into many other musical genres, including jazz, folk, and pop music, demonstrating their extraordinary versatility and expressive capacity.

The strings team