This section is from the book "The Home Cyclopedia Of General Information", by Charles Morris. Also available from Amazon: Home Cyclopedia of Necessary Knowledge.
[Fr.] A musical instrument with four strings, played with a bow. Its tones are brilliant and of great power and variety, and in the orchestra it is the leading and most important instrument. - Viola, a violin a fifth lower in compass than the ordinary violin.- Violoncello [Ital.], a large bass violin with four strings, an octave lower than the viola.
 
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