String Music Appreciation (FutureLearn)

Discover how violins and other instruments are made.

Learning via videos and articles, you’ll delve into individual string instruments – including their origin, history and development. You’ll explore the structure of the instrument and the impact that its shape has on the sound created.

You’ll discover the story behind Chinese instruments such as the Guzheng, Pipa, and Erhu, and learn about the history of the violin, and how it’s made.

Study the history of classical music and famous string composers

You’ll get a comprehensive introduction to the history of classical string music, and learn about legendary string composers, including Haydn, Bach, Dvořák, Vivaldi, and Kabalevsky.

You’ll be able to define the string and chamber music repertoire, including the string trio, quartet, and quintet, as well as learning about string music virtuosos.

Explore the beloved Butterfly Lovers Concerto

The Butterfly Lovers Concerto is perhaps the most well-known and influential piece of Chinese classical string music. You’ll undertake a case study on the Concerto, exploring its history and discovering what makes it so popular.

Finally, you’ll examine plucked string instruments, including the guitar, the bass, and electric string instruments, giving you a rounded and comprehensive overview of string music, advancing your critical faculties and your appreciation of these spellbinding instruments.

What topics will you cover?

- The history and construction of the violin

- Bowed string instruments

- Special topics: the Butterfly Lovers’ violin concerto

- Plucked string instruments

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Exploring and understanding string instruments, composers, virtuoso, and repertoire

Developing knowledge of the history and background of classical string music

Developing appreciation of classical string music scales and compositions

Describe the differences and construction of all common western string instruments
Who is the course for?

This course would appeal to anyone about to take up a string instrument or early in their journey of learning one, as well as people studying music theory or global music. It would also appeal to learners interested in history and music in general.