Classical Notes

Strung on Strings!

Quick! How many string instruments can you name in 30 seconds?

(tick … tock … tick … tock … insert Jeopardy theme song here … tick … tock)

How did you do? Find a list of string instruments at the end of this blog! How about this question? If you tied together one set of strings from every type of string instrument, how many times would it fit around the Earth? … Well, now how should I know that! Many I suppose!

Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik ~ a beautiful classic piece for strings!

String instruments are fascinating! They are at the center of many styles of music from many cultures and times in history! Ancient civilizations such as Greece, Rome, Egypt, China, and India had various forms of string instruments. Evidence was preserved in numerous pieces of artwork in drawings and sculptures.

Isn’t the koto pretty sounding?

The string family may be used to play elegant music from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic style periods of music with orchestral strings. They may also be found in folk music via dulcimers, fiddles, and banjos. World music has some thrilling choices of instruments including the koto and sitar. And, of course, even good old rock ‘n’ roll masters the strings in bass, electric, and acoustic guitars!

How about some bluegrass fiddling!

Find out TONS of information about string instruments at my String Family Unit webpage ~ their construction, history, styles, orchestral, non-orchestral, string websites, videos, learning materials, experiments, activities, and fun games!

Building string instruments takes much knowledge, skill, and patience!

Some of the instruments in the string family: violin, viola, cello, string bass, harp, lyre, lute, sitar, koto, zither, autoharp, dulcimer, fiddle, ukulele, guitar, banjo, mandolin, … plus many more folk and world string instruments!! I hope you enjoyed listening to a variety of strings!

This string ensemble is called Stringfever!
Is it classical music? Modern music? Or, well, you decide!