Italian Music

You see a number of things in this image. First thing that grabs my eye is the piano. Piano was used in Italy all through time. You also see a violin next to a helmet on a book. There are so many different variations to a violin and a piano and they all have some type of special meaning.

Next you see a Milanese Mandolin which was created in 1759. As you can see a Mandolin looks very similar to a guitar or stand up base. I've personally always wanted to try and play a Mandolin, they have so many strings it's so fascinating to me. It takes true talent to play one.

You see another Mandolin, this one is different though. It was made by a man named Antonio Stradivari in the year 1680. This one is a little more cleaned up and nice. It has a beautiful black case with a blue and red pattern stitched on the front, I would assume this was made for a wealthy man or a man in power.

Piano's are so elegant and beautiful. They are very decorative as in they can be designed pretty much however you want. Piano's were used through history and are still used today. They are so versatile as well you can use one for a big celebration like a wedding or just to play relaxing music at a restaurant. This piano in particular looks like it was made for someone with many children. As you can see the painting on the inside of the piano is several babies either dancing or fighting.

As compared to the last piano shown this one was made in 1531 by Alessandro Trasuntino. It also is painted on the inside but with a little different of a paint job. Instead of a bunch of babies it is a mother kinda snuggling with her son/daughter. It may be a memorial of some sort.

As you can tell by the white and black key's this is also a piano but it's not your everyday piano. This is called a Virginal Piano, it was made by Giovanni Celestine in 1593. If you look right above the keyboard you'll find three little paintings. The one on the far left looks like a woman ripping something away. The middle piece looks like her trying to run away. The final piece looks like she is surrounded and captured.

As I said piano's come in all different shapes and sizes. This is called a Neapolitan Harpsichord. Right away you see it looks different. There are these little elegant design's going around the from perimeter. I would say this piano really wants you to see the mechanics of it being played.

A Lira da brachia looks like a violin, they're a little different. It has a wider fingerboard and flatter bridge than a violin. It also has a double string coming off the side of the bass and meeting a little piece branched off at the top. It really shows the simplicity and beauty and instrument can have.

As most may know this is a Guitar. This particular one was made in 1670 by Domenico Sellas. As you can tell they have not changed much. This guitar has flower pedals on the bottom and top of the base. If you zoom in all the wy on the top where you can tune the strings you see a little crown implying it was the king guitar or The King's guitar. It is very simple yet fancy.

This violin isn't any other violin. This is The King Henry IV's violin. It was made in 1595 by Antonio and Girolamo Amati. If you look at the art work in the middle it shows a red and blue shield surrounded by a wreath that have little H's in it. The top and bottom pieces have an H with what looks like a sword holding a crown. King Henry IV really wanted people to know this was his.