Mute violin

Leopold Mozart made mention of the instrument in his Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule (1756).

Nowadays, the instrument is still used by a few pop musicians and in Romanian folk music.

An example is Yamaha Corporation’s ‘silent violin’, which can be connected to a pair of headphones, an amplifier or recording equipment.

The American performance artist Laurie Anderson often plays violins like these.

In a recording of his five string quartets by the Schönberg Quartet (Olympia OCD 457, 1994) the effect of the mute violin was imitated by an extra heavy sordino on an 'ordinary' violin.

A mute violin, built by P. Grulli at the end of the 19th Century, in the collection of the Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali in Rome . This particular mute violin resembles an electric violin
This is a mute violin from the 19th Century. And its on the display in St Cecilia's Hall.
This is a mute violin from the 19th Century. And its on the display in St Cecilia's Hall.