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10 of the Most Expensive Musical Instruments of All Time

Music and musical instruments have woven themselves into the fabric of our existence. One writer says: “Music is the emotion one can hear.”  Some instruments have transcended their musical purpose to become priceless pieces. From the resonant keys of the Steinways to the harmonious tones of the Stradivarius violas, these instruments have immortalized great moments, ...

Nathan Machoka

The Lady Blunt Stradivarius violin.

18,000-Year-Old Seashell Is the Oldest Manmade Wind Instrument of Its Type

Almost 80 years after its discovery, a large seashell wind instrument from the ornate Marsoulas Cave in the Pyrenees has been studied by a multidisciplinary team from the CNRS, the Muséum de Toulouse, the Université Toulouse — Jean Jaurès and the Musée du quai Branly — Jacques-Chirac. They believe it is the oldest wind instrument ...

Troy Oakes

The seashell wind instrument.

6 Amazing Facts About the Violin

Invented in the 1500s by an Italian named Andrea Amati, the violin is one of the most beloved instruments in the world. The word itself comes from the Latin, “vitula,” meaning string instrument. The term vitula was derived from “vitulari,” which meant “to be joyful.” For an instrument that makes people feel a wide range ...

Raven Montmorency

A man playing a violin.