Did you know that the violin is often characterized as the most difficult instrument? Playing the violin is a very rewarding experience and as many violinists say, you cannot choose a more expressive, sublime, and fun instrument to play other than the violin.
Violin's Role in the Orchestra
Violins may not be the biggest in size, but there are definitely a lot of them! Many times there are 30 violins playing together in the symphony orchestra. Typically, violins are grouped into Firsts and Seconds, in which there are usually sixteen Firsts and fourteen Seconds, seated two to a ‘desk’. The first chair violinist of an orchestra—known as the concertmaster—is a vital musical leader with widely ranging responsibilities, from tuning the orchestra to working closely with the conductor.
The violin often plays the melodies and is the highest pitched and most agile member of the string family. With the Firsts often playing the main melody, the Second violins will support the first violin’s harmony by playing it in a lower pitch. In other cases, Seconds may also play a countermelody.
History
Today's violin owes its existence to he Arabian rabab and the rebec, which came from the orient in the middle ages and was played widely in Spain and France during the fifteenth century. This ancient instrument was played in an upright position and bowed. Evolving from the raba, the Chinese erhu and morin khur are considered relatives of the violin as well. It wasn't until the early sixteenth century that the modern violin was developed in Europe, with its origins firmly in Italy. Paintings depict a three-string violin as early as 1520. It was in this time that marked the classic master period of Italian violin making, and it lasted until the eighteenth century. Famous luthiers included the Guarneri, Amati, da Salo, Ruggieri and Micheli families along with Antonio Stradivari and Jacob Stainer, among others that you may have heard of. Though players have preserved many of these treasured violins through the years, they are in limited supply and worth astronomical amounts today.
Craftsmanship
Through the centuries, the violin has evolved considerably. One major transformation is the length of the neck, originally being shorter, and the instrument had gut strings. In fact, some versions had only three strings. The most sweeping change happened in the 1800s, when a change in the accepted pitch of the violin resulted in luthier modifications to almost all existing violins.
Among famous luthiers, Stradivari, Amati, Guarneri, and Cremona are noted as the best violin makers in history to this day. Their manufacturing methods are still secret. Out of over a thousand instruments made by the Italian, there are still around 650 in good condition because of the high levels of craftsmanship. The Stradivarius violins remain a veritable legend in the world of music and are, in fact, considered to be the finest sounding instruments of all time.
Aspiring present luthiers still travel there to learn the techniques which have been used by Italian workshops for centuries. These handmade violins are, unsurprisingly, of the highest quality.
Notable Composers and Compositions
Most of the best-known composers of classical music worked during the last 600 years in the Western tradition. Among most prestigious include Archangelo Corelli, Antonio Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Fritz Kresler. They are the creators of some of the world's most renowned musical pieces, including Concerto in D Minor, Concerto No. 5 in A Major, The Bach Chaconne in D Minor, Christmas Concerti, and Twelve Violin Sonatas Op. 5.
Purchasing Options
You can find great violins at your local music store or luthier. There are also great online buying options such as the ones listed below.
Sources
“History of the Violin.” The Instrument Place, www.theinstrumentplace.com/history-of-the-violin/.
Ross, Daniel. “These Are Factually the 17 Best Violin Pieces in Existence.” Classic FM, 8 Dec. 2016, www.classicfm.com/discover-music/instruments/violin/features/best-violin-pieces/.
StringOvation Team. “History of the Violin: Facts You May Not Know.” Connolly Music Company, www.connollymusic.com/stringovation/history-of-the-violin-facts-you-may-not-know.
Yamaha. “The Origins of the Violin The Birth of the Violin.” The Origins of the Violin:The Birth of the Violin - Musical Instrument Guide - Yamaha Corporation, www.yamaha.com/en/musical_instrument_guide/violin/structure/.
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