1720 was far from modern, so they did not have instruments such as the saxophone in
those days. But several instrument families were already in existence and well developed.
n example would !e the violin family. "any instruments in this #roup were invented
and widely used !ac$ then. Other families had existin# mem!ers !ut were still
developin#, replacin# the old models with new ones. n interestin# case would !e the
harpsichord. %his instrument loo$ed somewhat similar to a piano, and was played in a
similar way. &owever, in its early sta#es, the harpsichord was all white $eys and only one
!lac$ one, or all !lac$ $eys with one white one''' %he harpsichords desi#n was still in
turmoil until (ohann )e!astian Bach set it strai#ht. )ome instruments had their desi#n
experimented on !i*arrely then. (ohann )e!astian Bach had set the desi#n strai#ht, so the
instrument was not so cra*y any more. &e was around durin# Vivaldis time and + would
not !e very surprised at all if they met at some point in their lives. )ome instrument
families had no existin# mem!ers !ut came into existence very shortly, and yet others
had some time to wait until they were invented. n instrument that was invented way
after that time is the saxophone. + learnt ,uic$ly that some +nternet sources arent relia!le
at all, since one informed me that ntonio Vivaldi had made pieces for the saxophone,
!ut could not have, !ecause "r. &oward soon told me that the saxophone was invented
one hundred years or more after Vivaldis time'''
-hat Vivaldi most certainly did have were violins, and their si!lin#s, the cellos. Vivaldi
was a violinist, and #ot into hi#h places !ecause he was so #ood at playin# the violin.
Violas were around that time too, as well as the enormous dou!le !ass. %his monster
instrument was so !i#. you had to stand up to play it, often on tiptoe''' +t had a small
spi$e to prevent the !ottom of the instrument #ettin# scraped while playin#. ll classical
mem!ers of the violin family were in existence at that time, and are still widely used
today.
nother old instrument family that existed then. +t was the woodwind family, a family
that is still widely used today. lot of people are familiar with this diverse family. %he
hu#e !assoon was played in the orchestra in those days, and is still in use today. %his
#iant stic$ of an instrument is too lon# to play in the same posture as the clarinet, and is
too lon# to hold sideways li$e a flute. chances are youll turn around and smash it, an
o!/ect, or accidentally whac$ a person in the face. +t is also too heavy to play in either of
these postures. "r. &oward informed me that you at to play it in an unusual posture.
sittin# down, playin# a little dia#onally so your thi#h can help support it. lternatively,
you could play standin# usin# a nec$ strap, or you could use a spi$e to support it while
you sit down and play, rather similar to a cello. +t was also $ept in a way similar to a flute
or clarinet. in a case, which is shorter !ut wider than the !assoon, so you have to
disassem!le it and put it in the case.
Vivaldi also used the lute. %his instrument loo$ed a little similar to a !an/o or #uitar.
0utes are also similar to !an/os and #uitars 1!ut not electric varieties2, !ecause it was
made almost entirely out of wood. +t was also played in a similar way to #uitars and
!an/os. you can strum the strin#s, or pluc$ them.