Text a stringed instruments

Instruments in which the sound producing agent is a stretched string we name stringed instruments. The most important members of this group are the violin (and its family), the harp and the pianoforte. In the violin the strings are made to vibrate by bowing, in the harp (also guitar, lute, harpsichord) by plucking, in the piano by the strokes of hammers. The name “stringed instruments” (particularly in the abbreviated form “strings”) denotes the four members of the violin family which constitute the “string section” of the orchestra, i.e. violin (first and second), viola, cello and double bass.

As to the violin its prominent position results from its appealing tone color, an expressiveness ranging from the softest lyricism to the highest dramatic excitement, a dynamic flexibility and subtlety unsurpassed by any other instrument, its ability to blend well in ensemble and a great variety of special coloristic effects including many types of bowing.

The violin emerged about 1600. A singular glory surrounds the “old violins”. While all other modern instruments have reached their highest degree of perfection within the past fifty years, the great period of violin making extends from 1600 to 1750. During this time the centre of the craft was in northern Italy where the greatest masters Nicolo Amati (1596-1684), Antonio Stradivari (1643 - 1737) and Guiseppe Guarneri (1686-1744) were producing their unsurpassed instruments. The most renowned of all is Amati’s pupil Stradivari who is believed to have made 1116 instruments in all. Although the craftsmanship and beauty of these old violins have never been equalled, modern makers have produced instruments whose sound can hardly be distinguished from that of genuine Stradivari. The widespread belief that the varnish has a decisive influence on the sound of a violin has been shown to be untrue. The incomparable lustre of the old instruments add greatly to their beauty but nothing tangible to their tonal quality.

The chief members of the violin family are the viola and the cello. They form the nucleus of most music chamber ensembles and along with the double bass comprise the string section of the orchestra. Numerous other sizes ranging from the violino piccolo to the giant Octobass (13 feet in height, foot = 30.48cm) have been made, but none of these has achieved a permanent place in instrumental music.

Proper Names

Nicolo Amati [nI’koulou

Antonio Stradivari

Guiseppe Guarnieri

Abbreviation

i.e.[i:e:] = id est - лат. то есть

After you have read the text

1. Answer the following questions about the text.

1. What kinds of instruments are called stringed instruments?

2. Which instruments belong to this group?

3. What instruments constitute the string section of the orchestra?

4. What kind of tone colour does the violin have?

5. What emotions is the violin capable of expressing?

6. Does the violin blend well in an ensemble?

7. When did the violin emerge?

8. How long did the great period of violin making last?

9. Where was the centre of violin making then?

10. Who produced the best violins?

11. How many violins is Stradivari believed to have made?

12. What violins are produced by modern makers?

13. What is the belief about the reasons for the unsurpassed sound of old violins?

14. What is the decisive factor of admiration for genuine violins?

15. Which stringed instruments usually form the nucleus of a chamber orchestra?

2. Choose the correct word.

1. The agent producing the sound in the violin is a (hammer, string, button). 2. The violinist makes the strings to vibrate by (bowing, stretching, blowing). 3. The violin family includes the violin, the viola, the cello and the (lute, harp, double bass). 4. The prominent position of the violin results from its (appealing, decisive, important) tone colour. 5. The expressiveness of the violin ranges from the softest lyricism to the highest dramatic (flexibility, variety, excitement). 6. Modern instruments have reached the best quality (by, within, through) the past fifty years. 7. The most (tangible, appealing, renowned) of the old masters is Amati's pupil Antonio Stradivari. 8. The sound of good modern violins can hardly be (distinguished, produced, made) from that of genuine Stradivari. 9. There are other (agents, sizes, colours) of violins, ranging from violino piccolo to the giant Octobass.

3. Select the correct meaning of the words.

1) comprise a) подлинный

2) genuine b) трогательный

3) incomparable c) означать

4) lustre d) сочетаться, гармонировать

5) size e) оставлять

6) tangible f) действующая сила

7) blend g) размер

8) stretch h) слава

9) unsurpassed i) красочный

10) denote j) несравненный

k) ощутимый

l) непревзойденный

m) гибкий

n) заключать в себе

о) натягивать/ся/

4. Review the text orally.

5. Write a report on any of the stringed instruments except the violin and the pianoforte.

6. Read and retell text B.