The Bizarre History of The Violin

The violin is a beautiful and elegant instrument that has been used for centuries to create beautiful music. But the history of the violin is anything but elegant. In fact, it’s pretty bizarre! Here are some of the strange facts about the history of the violin that you may not know.

The first violins were actually made from the wood of horse carcasses! That’s right, the early violins were made from the wood of dead horses. The reasoning behind this was that horsehair was used for the bow strings, so it made sense to use horse wood for the body of the instrument. However, it is said that these early violins had a distinct “horsey” smell. (Yuck!)

The Violin In The 1500’s

The violin was not always such a popular instrument. In fact, during the 1500s, violins were banned in many European cities because they were considered to be too noisy and disruptive. It wasn’t until the 1600s that the violin began to gain in popularity.

One of the most famous violins in history is known as the “Stradivarius.” These violins were created by Antonio Stradivari, a Italian luthier who lived in the 1700s. Today, Stradivarius violins are some of the most sought-after instruments in the world and can sell for millions of dollars.

The next time you hear a beautiful melody wafting through the air on a warm summer day, or feel your heartstrings tugged as a sad song plays, remember that you’re listening to an instrument with a very strange and quirky history. Who knows? The next time you pick up a violin, you may just be playing on an instrument made from horse carcasses!