Books › The Violin: A concise exposition of the general principles of construction.., 1871 › scan 22
Scan 22
The Violin: A concise exposition of the general principles of construction.., 1871
4 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1the appearance of this instrument, than the most detailed written description. The chest or quartett of viols bore a similar analogy to our quartett of violins, viz., two treble, two tenor, and two bass viols, which important combination arose from forming a set of instruments approaching in harmony to the various grades of the human voice, viz., soprano, contralto, tenor, and bass. At a period subsequent to this, the bass variety was distinguished by the name of Viol di gamba, from its position between the legs when played upon, whilst finally the terms Violone or Contre Basso, Violoncello, Viola, and Violin, comprised the distinctive titles of the Viol family in its perfected state. The finger-board of the viol was fretted for the proper stopping of the strings, as in the guitar, whilst various methods of tuning were adopted, but the most prevalent system in Britain at least, appears to have been that by Fourths.
3So great was the supremacy of this instrument amongst our ancestors, that for several years after the violin had been introduced, the Viol always held the preference, until the former became more widely known, and its qualities truly appreciated. The viol, although a pleasing, was a soft instrument, the sounds possessing little loudness or intensity. For a period of many years after the violin began to be first introduced, and thus to supplant the viol, we learn from a contem-
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