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String Music Appreciation

Explore the history, construction and techniques of different string instruments, and analyse the famous Butterfly Lovers Concerto

1,997 enrolled on this course

Woman playing violin

String Music Appreciation

1,997 enrolled on this course

  • 4 weeks

  • 3 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

Find out more about how to join this course

  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
  • 100% online

    How it works
  • Unlimited subscription

    $244.99 for a whole yearLearn more

Discover the fascinating stories behind stringed instruments

From Haydn and Bach in the West to Chen Gang in China, string instruments have inspired some of the world’s most powerful music and gifted composers.

On this course, you’ll examine the history of string instruments. You’ll go on to explore famous composers, and the most-celebrated Chinese classical string composition of all: the Butterfly Lovers Concerto.

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.

Skip to 0 minutes and 5 seconds Hello, everyone. Welcome to String Music Appreciation. 弓與弦的午茶時光 My name is Shan-ken Chien. This is one of massive open online courses (MOOCs) in Chung Yuan Chirstian University. One specialty of this course is that I invited my friends of musicians from Manhattan Chamber Music Society to perform some live music in the show.

Skip to 0 minutes and 35 seconds Chamber music is a group of people working together and create* something special that cannot be done individually. Just like any other team work. As musicians our job is to understand the meaning of each note each symbol, and each phrase on the written music. To do that, we must have understanding of the musical time period and the style of that time period. I think music is about connecting people. MOOCs can help us connect with the world and they share our music and experience. Through MOOCs, we can show people how we create our music How we learn to understand the composers and their ideas. We could share them how each instrument work And what kinds of sound they provided.

Skip to 1 minute and 30 seconds We throw out our ideas to each other And discuss the possibilities to make our music better. I believe this is very important as a human being– To make the world better.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    History and Construction of the Violin

    • Bust shot view of professor Shan- Ken Chien in the middle, welcoming learners to string music appreciation. The professor is wearing a black suit, eyes smiling. Behind the professor is a shelf of books, CD collections, etc.

      Welcome to String Music Appreciation

      This week's topic is the violin. Through watching videos and reading articles, you will get a basic knowledge of the history and construction of the violin. A quiz at the end will help you check how much you have learned.

    • Bust shot view of professor Shan- Ken Chien in the middle holding a violin, talking about the history of the violin. The professor is wearing a black suit, sitting in a gray round armchair. The background shows an elegant reception room.

      The History of Violin

      Here we look at the emergence of the violin through history and how it became the instrument we know today.

    • Bust shot view of professor Shan- Ken Chien on the left holding a violin. The professor uses his left hand to hold up the violin, right hand pointing towards the violin’s sound hole, which is shaped like a lowercase "f".

      The Construction of Violin

      The name of Violin's body parts are mentioned here.

    • Bust shot view of professor Shan- Ken Chien in the middle holding on the lower part of the violin bow. The professor is wearing a black suit, sitting in a gray round armchair. The background shows an elegant reception room.

      The Violin's Bow

      Besides violin body, violin bow is part of bowed string instruments. Introducing two types of the violin bows.

    • Bust shot view of professor Shan- Ken Chien in the middle playing a violin. The professor is wearing a black suit, sitting in a gray round armchair. The background shows an elegant reception room.

      Violin’s Technique

      Violin’s left hand technique is demonstrated in this activity.

  • Week 2

    Bowed String Instruments

    • Bust shot view of violist Shih- Hsun Pan playing the viola, immersed in the melody he is playing. The violist’s left hand is pressing on the fingerboard, right hand moving a viola bow over the strings to create sound.

      The Viola

      The Viola

    • In the middle there’s cellist Yu- Hsun Chen playing the cello. The cellist left hand is pressing on the fingerboard, right hand moving a cello bow over the strings to create sound.

      The Cello

      The Cello

    • In the middle there’s cellist holding the body of a modern cello between her knees, introducing the instruments around her. In the background on the left there are instruments of the baroque period, on the right there are instruments of the viol family.

      Violin Family and Viol Family

      Violin Family and Viol Family

    • In the middle there’s bassist Travers Huang playing the double bass, immersed in the melody he is playing. The bassist left hand is pressing on the fingerboard, right hand is using the pizzicato technique on the double bass.

      The Double Bass

      The Double Bass

  • Week 3

    Special Topic: The Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto

    • Bust shot view of professor Shan- Ken Chien on the left, introducing the famous Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto. The professor is wearing a black suit, sitting in a gray round armchair. The background shows an elegant reception room.

      Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto - Introduction

      Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto - Introduction

    • In the middle there’s professor Shan- Ken Chien playing the violin, immersed in the melody he is playing. Professor’s left hand is pressing on the fingerboard, right hand moving a violin bow over the strings. Behind him on the left there’s a white piano.

      Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto - I. Falling in Love

      Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto- I. Falling in Love

    • In the middle there’s pianist Wan- Ju Ho sitting on a white piano chair, playing a white piano. The pianist is wearing an elegant black dress with black tights.

      Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto - II. Refusing to Marry

      Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto - II. Refusing to Marry

    • In the middle there’s professor Shan- Ken Chien playing the violin while standing. On the left behind the professor there’s pianist Wan- Ju Ho sitting on a white piano chair, playing a white piano.

      Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto - III. Transformation to Butterfly

      Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto - III. Transformation to Butterfly

  • Week 4

    Plucked String Instruments

    • Professor Shan- Ken Chien on the left sitting on a indigo blue sofa, hand gesturing to the guest sitting beside him, the classical guitarist Alfredo Huang. The classical guitarist smiling while holding a classical guitar, ready to demonstrate.

      The Classical Guitar

      The Classical Guitar

    • Professor Shan- Ken Chien on the left sitting on a red sofa, behind him there's a Gibson Les Paul guitar. On the right there's guitarist James Yang, holding a Fender Suhr Standard Pro guitar, also sitting on the sofa.

      The Electric Guitar

      The Electric Guitar

    • Bust shot view of professor Shan- Ken Chien on the left standing, playing the violin. On the right there's Travers Huang playing the electric bass. The bassist is looking at the violinist while playing to collaborate better with the violin's sound.

      The Electric Bass

      The Electric Bass

    • Bust shot view of professor Shan- Ken Chien on the left, talking about the Lute. The professor is wearing a black suit, body slightly turning towards the right, sitting in a gray round armchair. The background shows an elegant reception room.

      Other Plucked String Instruments: Lute Family

      Other Plucked String Instruments: Lute Family

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

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.

Who will you learn with?

Shan-Ken Chien

Hello!!
This is Shan-Ken Chien. I am a violinist and an associate professor at Chung Yuan Christian University in Taiwan.

Hi, I am the course’s assistant Verna Chang.
I’m a student in Chung Yuan Christian University.

Who developed the course?

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Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU)

Chung Yuan Christian University is a private university in Zhongli District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan. The university was established as Chung Yuan Christian College of Science and Engineering in 1955 by a group of Taiwanese and American Christian educators to train science and engineering talent in the Christian spirit.

  • Established

    1955
  • Location

    Zhongli, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
  • World ranking

    Top 1000Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021

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  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$79/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 4 Mar 2025

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

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