3 Instrument Thursday!

 Today, we are spotlighting 3 different instruments. You have probably heard of at least 1 of these. 

Violin: The violin has been around for over 500 years! Did you know that playing violin can burn approximately 170 calories per hour? Most historians agree that the violin originated in the early 16th century in northern Italy. The violin has 4 strings, and is used in most typical orchestras, as well as in symphony groups all around the world. The word violin comes from the midevil Latin word "vitula" The odd part about that word is, it also translates to "female cow." Who would have thought???

Bassoon: The bassoon is a classical instrument not played by many people today. It is a double reed instrument, and found in most classical orchestras, bands, and symphonies. The bassoon has multiple different types, another common type is the Contra-bass bassoon. This is a lower version of the bassoon. The bassoon has multiple thumb keys, on the left hand, you can have up to 9, and on the right, as many as 4! There are about 2 different distinctive types of bassoons today, the German system, and the French system. The German system is way more popular, especially in places like North America.

The Harp: The harp is a classical instrument that is used in symphonies around the world! The harp dates back to around 3500 B.C. Historians argue they may have existed as far back as 15,000 B.C.  Harps are usually between 2 feet, and 6 feet in height, and they can have between 1 piece of wood for the body, or up to 2000 pieces. In the 1600s when the English ruled Ireland, the harp was banned, many were burned, and the people who played these instruments were many times executed. 

Instruments come in all sorts of fun shapes and sizes, we love all instruments, they are all fundamental for a complete orchestra. Did you guys know all of these instruments?