How many parts does a violin consist of? Interesting Facts

History of the violin

"And since then everyone knows about the violin family,

and it is unnecessary to say or write anything about it."

M. Pretorius.

Before we start talking about the great masters who created magical violins, let's find out where this instrument came from, why it is what it is and, in general, what is so special about it that it has been disturbing our minds and hearts for half a thousand years...

Now, it is probably impossible to say exactly in which country and even in what century she was born. What is known is thatThe violin acquired its modern appearance in the 16th century and became widespread in the 17th century, thanks to the works of the great Italian masters.

The violin, as the most common bowed string instrument, is not without reason called the “queen of the orchestra.” And not only the fact that there are more than a hundred musicians in a large orchestra and one third of them are violinists confirms this.

The expressiveness, warmth and tenderness of her timbre, the melodiousness of her sound, as well as her enormous performing capabilities rightfully give her a leading position both in the symphony orchestra and in solo practice.
Of course, we all represent modern appearance violin, which was given to it by famous Italian masters, but its origin still remains unclear.

There is still controversy surrounding this issue. There are many versions of the history of this instrument. According to some sources, homeland bowed instruments considered India.

Some suggest China and Persia. Many versions are based on the so-called “hard facts” from literature, painting, sculpture, or on early documents confirming the origin of the violin in such and such a year, in such and such a city.

From other sources it follows that many centuries before the appearance of the violin as such, almost every cultural ethnic group already had similar bowed instruments and therefore look for the roots of the origin of the violin in separate parts light is impractical.

Many researchers consider the synthesis of such instruments as the rebec, the guitar-shaped fiddle and the bowed lyre, which arose in Europe around the 13th - 15th centuries, to be a certain prototype of the violin.

Rebek is a three-stringed bowed instrument with a pear-shaped body that smoothly turns into a neck. It has a soundboard with resonator holes in the form of brackets and fifth scale.

Rebek came to Europe from the Middle East. It is much older than the violin, having been known already in the twelfth century. Rebec (French rebec, Latin rebeca, rubeba; goes back to Arabic rabāb) is an ancient bowed string instrument that influenced the formation of instruments of the entire violin family. The origin is unknown, perhaps late Middle Ages Rebec was brought to Spain by the Arabs, or the Arabs became acquainted with it after the conquest of Spain.

The peak of popularity for this instrument occurred in the Middle Ages, as well as during the Renaissance.

At first, the rebec was a folk instrument, not a court instrument, used by jugglers, minstrels and other traveling musicians. Later it was also used in church and secular court music. Moreover, the rebeck sounded not only at social events, but also at village holidays. It is also a church instrument, an invariable companion to many religious rituals. Since the fifteenth century, the rebec has been used only in folk music playing.

Externally, the rebeck looks like an elongated violin. It does not have those sharp bends that are inherent in the body of a violin. In this case, the smoothness of the lines is important. The rebeck has a pear-shaped wooden body, the upper tapering part of which goes directly into the neck.

The body contains strings with a stand, as well as resonating holes. The frets and tuning pegs are located on the neck. The neck is crowned with an original curl, which is business card Rebecca. Two or three strings of the instrument are tuned in fifths.

The instrument is played with a bow that is moved along the strings. It is important to note that the use of the bow in playing stringed instruments supposedly originated in Asia in the ninth century and spread through Byzantium and Muslim countries throughout Western Europe in the tenth to twelfth centuries. Rebek is one of the first instruments on which it became customary to play with a bow.

The tonal range of the instrument is quite extensive - up to two octaves inclusive. This allows you to perform not only program works, but also various types of improvisation. This largely explains why rebec was so popular among the people. The tool is quite compact in size. Its total length does not exceed sixty centimeters. This allows you to easily transport the instrument without worrying about bulky cases.

Of course, this once again proves the “convenience” of the tool even in everyday life. An interesting fact is that one of the descendants of the rebec was called “pocket”, which translated from French means “small pocket”. This instrument was so small in size that it could easily fit in a dance teacher's pocket. Then, during a rehearsal or ball, the teacher led the part, accompanying him on the poket.

Rebek belongs to the class of accompanying instruments that produce sounds due to the vibration of strings. The musician moves the bow along the strings, causing the strings to vibrate. This is how the sound of the instrument is born. These days, the instrument is classified as rare, but not forgotten. Rebek rightfully occupies important place in the heritage of world musical culture.

The rebec was once played in fairs, streets, but also in churches and palaces. Images of the rebec remained in psalters, illuminated manuscripts, and in the paintings of cathedrals.

The greatest artists of the Renaissance painted angels and saints who played the rebec: Raphael, Giotto, and the “blessed angelic brother” Fra Beato Angelico...

Raphael - “The Coronation of Mary” (fragment)

Giotto "The Wedding Procession of Mary" (fragment)

As we can see, the tool was quite popular.And yet the reputation of the rebec seemed to be ambivalent.

Just like the minstrels themselves - even though the gift is from God, the artists are still no, no, and they were suspected of something bad. In some places the rebek was demoted in rank: then he was placed in the underworld among the pagans,then they gave him into the clutches of strange half-humans - half-beasts of a suspicious appearance.

Paradoxes led to the fact that one day it turned out that although the rebec was once good enough for angels and saints to play on it, so that its playing would delight the ears of the Most Pure Virgin and the Lord God, as well as kings and queens, it was not good enough for to be played and listened to by decent people.

And it became a completely street instrument. And then he took it and disappeared completely.

But how did he disappear? Firstly, caring people made reconstructions in the 20th century, and secondly, maybe we feel some features of this instrument when we play the violin?

And the rebeck still sounds. And we can listen to him….. Like fidel (viola).

Of course, everyone knows the violin. The most refined and sophisticated among string instruments The violin is a way of transmitting the emotions of a skilled performer to the listener. While sometimes gloomy, unrestrained and even rude, she remains tender and vulnerable, beautiful and sensual.

We have prepared a few for you fascinating facts about this magical musical instrument. You will learn how a violin works, how many strings it has, and what works are written by composers for the violin.

How does a violin work?

Its structure is simple: body, neck and strings. Tool accessories vary widely in their purpose and importance. For example, one should not overlook the bow, thanks to which sound is extracted from the strings, or the chinrest and bridge, which allow the performer to place the instrument most comfortably on the left shoulder.

There are also accessories like a machine, which allows the violinist to correct the tuning that has changed for any reason without wasting time, in contrast to the use of string holders - pegs, which are much more difficult to work with.

There are only four strings themselves, always tuned to the same notes - E, A, D and G. violins? From different materials- they can be vein, silk or metal.

The first string on the right is tuned to E of the second octave and is the thinnest of all the strings presented. The second string, together with the third, “personify” the notes “A” and “D”, respectively. They have an average, almost identical thickness. Both notes are in the first octave. The last, thickest and bassiest string is the fourth string, tuned to the note “G” of the small octave.

Each string has its own timbre - from piercing (“E”) to thick (“Sol”). This is what allows the violinist to convey emotions so skillfully. The sound also depends on the bow - the reed itself and the hair stretched over it.

What types of violins are there?

The answer to this question may be confusing and varied, but we will answer quite simply: there are the most familiar wooden violins for us - the so-called acoustic ones, and there are also electric violins. The latter operate on electricity, and their sound is heard thanks to the so-called “speaker” with an amplifier - a combo. There is no doubt that these instruments are designed differently, although they may look the same in appearance. The technique of playing an acoustic and electronic violin is not significantly different, but you have to get used to an analog electronic instrument in its own way.

What works are written for violin?

The works are a separate topic for reflection, because the violin shows itself magnificently both as a soloist and in music. That's why they write for the violin solo concerts, sonatas, partitas, caprices and plays of other genres, as well as parts for all kinds of duets, quartets and other ensembles.

The violin can participate in almost all types of music. Most often on this moment it is included in classical, folk and rock. You can even hear the violin in children's cartoons and their Japanese adaptations - anime. All this only contributes to the increasing popularity of the instrument and only confirms that the violin will never disappear.

Famous violin makers

Also, don't forget about the violin makers. Probably the most famous is Antonio Stradivari. All his instruments are very expensive, they were valued in the past. Stradivarius violins are the most famous. During his lifetime, he made more than 1,000 violins, but at the moment between 150 and 600 instruments have survived - the information in various sources is sometimes amazing in its diversity.

Other families associated with violin making include the Amati family. Different generations of this big Italian family improved bowed musical instruments, including improving the structure of the violin, achieving a strong and expressive sound from it.

Famous violinists: who are they?

Once upon a time there was a violin folk instrument, but over time, the technique of playing it became complex and individual virtuoso craftsmen began to emerge from among the people, who delighted the public with their art. From the time of musical renaissance Italy is famous for its violinists. It is enough to name just a few names - Vivaldi, Corelli, Tartini. Niccolo Paganini also came from Italy, whose name is shrouded in legends and secrets.

Among the violinists who came from Russia are such great names as J. Heifetz, D. Oistrakh, L. Kogan. The modern listener knows the names and current stars in this area performing arts– these are, for example, V. Spivakov and Vanessa-Mae.

It is believed that in order to start learning to play this instrument, you must have at least good skills, strong nerves and patience, which will help you overcome five to seven years of study. Of course, such a thing cannot do without disruptions and failures, however, as a rule, even these are only beneficial. The study time will be difficult, but the result is worth the pain.

Material dedicated to the violin cannot be left without music. Listen to the famous music of Saint-Saëns. You've probably heard it before, but do you know what kind of work it is?

C. Saint-Saens Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso

Classical music lovers appreciate the sound of each instrument, especially the violin. The sounds extracted from the strings by the bow touch the heartstrings and convey a bouquet of emotions that the composer wanted to convey to the listener. Some would like to learn how to play this instrument, while others are simply interested in how it works, how many strings a violin has, and what each of them is called.

Structure

The violin consists of a body and a neck along which the strings are stretched. Two planes, called decks, are connected by shells, forming the basis of a round-shaped instrument. A damper is installed inside, transmitting throughout the entire body. The sound, liveliness and fullness of timbre depend on the design. More familiar classical instruments made of wood, but there are also electric ones, in which the sound comes out of the speakers. Do you know how many strings a violin has? The answer is simple - only four, and they can be made from different materials, wires, silk or metal.

Name of strings

Each of them has its own name and is tuned to a certain tone. So, the first string on the left makes the lowest sound - small octave G. Usually it is veined, entwined with silver thread. The next two strings differ little in thickness, since they are in the first octave - these are the notes D and A. But the second is entwined with aluminum thread over the cores, and the third is solid intestinal or stretched from a special alloy. The string on the far right is the thinnest of all, it is tuned to the E of the second octave and is made of solid metal.

So, now you know how many strings a violin has, what they are called and what they are made of. Although sometimes you can find five-string models with an additional string. It produces sound up to a small octave.

Stradivarius violins

The famous master made not only violins, but also cellos and double basses. It was he who brought the instrument to perfection both in form and sound. Over 80 years of creativity, he created about 1,100 musical instruments, of which approximately 650 have survived. Some of them can be purchased for personal use or as a museum exhibit. How many strings does it have? The same number as the factory model - four. The master gave the instrument exactly the form in which we find it in modern life.

We hope that the question of how many strings a violin has will no longer confuse you. Enjoy the sounds of wonderful music!

"Family tree" of the origin of the modern violin. Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed.

The ancestors of the violin were the Armenian bambir, the Arabic rebab, the Spanish fidel, and the British crotta, the fusion of which formed the viola. Violin forms were established by the 16th century; Famous violin makers - the Amati family - date back to this century and the beginning of the 17th century. Their instruments are distinguished by excellent shape and excellent material. In general, Italy was famous for the production of violins, among which Stradivarius and Guarneri violins are currently extremely highly valued.

The violin has been a solo instrument since the 17th century. The first works for violin are considered to be: “Romanesca per violino solo e basso” by Biagio Marini () and “Capriccio stravagante” by his contemporary Carlo Farina. Founder art game on violin is considered Arcangelo Corelli; followed by Torelli, Tartini, Pietro Locatelli (-), a student of Corelli, who developed a bravura technique of violin playing.

Since the 2nd half of the 19th century it has become widespread among the Tatars. Since the 20th century it has been found in the musical life of Bashkirs.

Violin structure

The violin consists of two main parts: the body and the neck, along which the strings are stretched.

Frame

The body of the violin has a specific round shape. In contrast to the classic case shape, the trapezoidal parallelogram shape is mathematically optimal with rounded notches on the sides forming the “waist”. The roundness of the external contours and waist lines ensures comfortable play, particularly in high positions. The lower upper plane of the body - the deck - is connected to each other by strips of wood - shells. They have a convex shape, forming “arches”. The geometry of the vaults, as well as their thickness and its distribution, to one degree or another, determine the strength and timbre of the sound. A damper is placed inside the case, transmitting vibrations from the stand - through the upper deck - to the lower deck. Without it, the violin's timbre loses its liveliness and fullness.

The strength and timbre of a violin's sound is greatly influenced by the material from which it is made, and, to a lesser extent, by the composition of the varnish. There is a known experiment with the complete chemical removal of varnish from a Stradivarius violin, after which its sound did not change. The varnish protects the violin from changes in the quality of the wood under the influence of the environment and colors the violin transparent color from light golden to dark red or brown.

The back (musical term) is made of solid maple (other hardwoods) or two symmetrical halves.

The top deck is made from resonant spruce. Has two resonator holes - f-holes(in shape they resemble Latin letter(f). A stand rests on the middle of the top soundboard, on which the strings, attached to the tailpiece (underneck), rest. Under the foot of the stand on the side of the Sol string, a single spring is attached to the upper soundboard - a longitudinally located wooden plank, which largely ensures the strength of the upper soundboard and its resonant properties.

The shells combine the lower and upper soundboards, forming the side surface of the violin body. Their height determines the volume and timbre of the violin, fundamentally influencing the sound quality: the higher the shells, the duller and softer the sound, the lower the shells, the more piercing and transparent the upper notes. The shells, like the soundboards, are made from maple wood.

Dushka is a round (spruce wood) spacer that mechanically connects the soundboards and transmits string tension and high-frequency vibrations to the lower soundboard. Its ideal location is found experimentally; as a rule, the end of the strut is located under the foot of the stand on the side of the E string, or next to it. It can only be rearranged by the master, since its slightest movement significantly affects the sound of the instrument.

The neck, or tailpiece, is used to secure the strings. Previously made from hard ebony or mahogany (usually ebony or rosewood, respectively). Nowadays it is often made from plastics or light alloys. On one side of the neck there is a loop, on the other there are four holes with splines for attaching strings. The end of the string with the button (E and A) is threaded into the round hole, after which, by pulling the string towards the fingerboard, it is pressed into the slot. D and G strings are often secured in the neck with a loop going through the hole. Nowadays, lever-screw machines are often installed in the holes of the neck, making adjustments much easier. Arms made of light alloys with structurally integrated machines are produced commercially.

a loop of thick string or steel wire. When replacing a vein loop with a larger diameter than 2.2 mm with a synthetic one (diameter 2.2 mm), it is necessary to wedge the wedge and re-drill a hole with a diameter of 2.2, otherwise the point pressure of the synthetic string may damage the wooden neck.

A button - the head of a wooden peg, inserted into a hole in the body, located on the side opposite the fingerboard, serves to fasten the underneck. The wedge is inserted into a conical hole corresponding to its size and shape, completely and tightly, otherwise the wedge and shell may crack. The load on the button is very high, about 24 kg

The bridge affects the timbre of the instrument. It has been experimentally established that even a small shift of the stand leads to a significant change in the tuning of the instrument due to a change in the scale length and to a slight change in timbre - when moving towards the neck, the sound is duller, while from there it is brighter. The stand raises the strings above the top soundboard to different heights so that each of them can be played with a bow, and distributes them at a greater distance from one another on an arc of a larger radius than the top saddle.

Vulture

The neck (a part of a musical instrument) of a violin is a long plank made of solid hard wood (ebony or rosewood), curved in cross-section so that when playing on one string the bow does not catch adjacent strings. The lower part of the neck is glued to the neck, which goes into the head, consisting of a peg box and a curl.

The nut is an ebony plate located between the fingerboard and the head, with slots for strings. Slots in the nut distribute the strings at equal distances from each other.

The neck is a semicircular part that the performer covers with his hand while playing. Attached to the neck from above vulture And sill.

Pegging box - part of the neck in which a slot is made at the front, two pairs are inserted on both sides pegs, with the help of which the strings are tuned. Pegs are conical rods. The rod is inserted into the conical hole in the peg box and adjusted to it - failure to comply with this condition can lead to destruction of the structure. For tighter or smoother rotation, the pegs are respectively slightly pressed or pulled out of the box when rotating, and for smooth rotation they must be lubricated with lapping paste (or chalk and soap). The pegs should not protrude too much from the peg box. The pegs are usually made of ebony and are often decorated with mother-of-pearl or metal (silver, gold) inlay.

The curl has always served as something of a brand mark - evidence of the taste and skill of the creator. Initially, the curl rather resembled a woman’s foot in a shoe, but over time the similarity became less and less - only the “heel” was recognizable, the “toe” changed beyond recognition. Some masters replaced the curl with a sculpture, like that of a viol - a carved lion's head, for example, as did Giovanni Paolo Magini (1580-1632). The 19th century masters, lengthening the neck of ancient violins, sought to preserve the head and scroll as a privileged “birth certificate”.

Strings

The strings pass from the neck, through the bridge, over the surface of the neck, and through the nut to the pegs, which are wound around them in the head.

The violin has four strings:

first(“fifth”) - upper, tuned to E of the second octave. The solid metal E string has a ringing, brilliant timbre.
second- tuned to A of the first octave. The vein (intestinal or made from a special alloy) solid “A” has a soft, matte timbre.
third- tuned to D of the first octave. The vein (intestinal or artificial fiber) “D”, entwined with aluminum thread, has a soft, matte timbre.
fourth(“bass”) - lower, tuned to G of a small octave. Vein (intestinal or artificial fiber) “salt”, entwined with silver thread, a harsh and thick timbre.

Accessories and Accessories

The bow is an accessory for continuous sound production. The basis of the bow is a wooden cane, which passes into the head on one side, and a block is attached on the other. The hair from the ponytail is stretched between the head and the block. The hair has keratin scales, between which, when rubbed, rosin is impregnated, which allows the hair to catch the string and produce sound.

Chin pad. Designed to make it easier to hold the violin with your chin. Side, middle and intermediate positions are selected according to the violinist's ergonomic preferences.

Bridge. Designed for easy placement of the violin on the collarbone. Attached from the bottom deck. It is a plate, straight or curved, solid or coated soft material, wooden, metal or plastic, with fastenings on both sides. The necessary electronics, for example, a microphone with an amplifier, are often hidden in a metal structure. The main brands of modern bridges are WOLF, KUN, etc.

Sound pickup devices. Required to convert the mechanical vibrations of the violin into electrical ones (for recording, amplifying or converting the sound of the violin using special devices).

If the sound of a violin is formed due to the acoustic properties of the elements of its body, the violin is acoustic.
If the sound is generated by electronic and electromechanical components, it is an electric violin.
If the sound is produced by both components to a comparable degree, it is a semi-acoustic violin.

Case (or trunk for violin and bow and additional accessories.

The mute is a small wooden or rubber “comb” with two or three teeth with a longitudinal slot. It is placed on top of the stand and reduces its vibration, making the sound muffled and “wearable”. The mute is most often used in orchestral and ensemble music.

"Jammer"- a heavy rubber or metal mute, used for home exercises, as well as for exercises in places that do not tolerate noise. When using a jammer, the instrument practically stops sounding and emits barely audible pitch tones that are sufficient for the performer to perceive and control.

Typewriter- a metal device consisting of a screw inserted into the hole in the neck, and a lever with a hook that serves to fasten the string, located on the other side. The machine allows for finer adjustments, which is most critical for monometallic strings with low stretch. There is a specific machine size for each violin size; there are also universal ones. Typically available in black, gold-plated, nickel-plated or chrome-plated, or a combination of finishes. There are models specifically for gut strings, for the E string. The instrument may not have machines at all: in this case, the strings are inserted into the holes in the neck. It is possible to install machines not on all strings. Usually in this case the machine is placed on the first string.

Recording and performance

Record

The violin part is written in treble clef. The standard range of the violin is from the G minor octave to the fourth octave. Higher sounds are difficult to perform and are used, as a rule, only in solo virtuoso literature, but not in orchestral parts.

Hand placement

"Franco-Belgian" way of holding the bow.

The strings are pressed with four fingers of the left hand to the fingerboard ( thumb excluded). The strings are played with a bow held in the player's right hand.

When pressed with a finger, the length of the vibrating area of the string decreases, due to which the frequency increases, that is, a higher sound is obtained. Strings not pressed with a finger are called open and are designated by zero when indicating the fingering.

By touching the string with almost no pressure in certain places, harmonics are obtained. Some harmonic sounds go beyond the standard violin range in pitch.

The arrangement of the fingers of the left hand on the fretboard is called fingering(from the word applicate). The index finger is called the first, the middle finger is the second, the ring finger is the third, and the little finger is the fourth. Position is called the fingering of four adjacent fingers, spaced one tone or semitone apart. Each string can have seven or more positions. The higher the position, the more difficult it is to play cleanly. On each string, excluding fifths, they go mainly only up to the fifth position inclusive; but on the fifth or first string, and sometimes on the second, higher positions are used - up to the twelfth.

There are at least three ways to hold the bow:

Old (“German”) way, at which forefinger touches the bow cane with its lower surface, approximately opposite the fold between the nail phalanx and the middle one; fingers tightly closed; the thumb is opposite the middle finger; The bow hair is moderately taut.
New (“Franco-Belgian”) method, in which the index finger touches the cane at an angle with the end of its middle phalanx; there is a large gap between the index and middle fingers; the thumb is opposite the middle finger; strongly stretched bow hair; inclined position of the cane.
The newest (“Russian”) method, in which the index finger touches the side of the cane with a bend between the middle phalanx and the metacarpal; deeply enveloping the cane in the middle of the nail phalanx and forming an acute angle with it, it seems to guide the bow; there is a large gap between the index and middle fingers; the thumb is opposite the middle finger; loose bow hair; straight (not inclined) position of the cane. This way of holding the bow is the most appropriate for achieving the best sound results with the least amount of energy.

The violins also form a significant part of the orchestra, in which the musicians are divided into two groups, known as the first and second violins. Most often, the melodic line is dedicated to the first violins, while a group of second violins performs an accompanying or imitating function.

Sometimes the melody is entrusted not to the whole group of violins, but to a solo violin. Then the first violinist, the accompanist, plays the melody. Most often, this is necessary to give the melody a special color, delicate and fragile. The solo violin is most often associated with the lyrical image.

A string quartet in its original form consists of two violins (musicians playing the parts of the first and second violins), a viola and a cello. Similar to an orchestra, most often the leading role is played by the first violin, but in general each instrument can have solo moments.

Famous violinists

See also: Violinists by country.

17th century

Arcangelo Corelli (-) - Italian violinist and a composer considered the creator of artistic violin playing. His contemporaries called him the Columbus of music.
Antonio Vivaldi (-) - Venetian abbot. Composer, violinist, teacher, conductor. Creator of the violin concerto as a musical form. One of the most famous works is the cycle of 4 concerts for violin and orchestra “The Seasons”.
Giuseppe Tartini (-) - Italian violinist and composer. He improved the design of the bow, lengthening it, and developed the basic techniques of bowing, recognized by all contemporary violinists in Italy and France and which came into general use.

XVIII century

Ivan Khandoshkin (-) is a Russian virtuoso violinist, composer and teacher. The founder of the Russian violin school. Russia's first violin virtuoso. During his lifetime he was popular in wide circles Russian society.
Giovanni Battista Viotti (-) is a famous Italian violinist of the generation that preceded Niccolò Paganini. Apart from ten piano concertos, all of Viotti's works are written for string instruments, the most important of which are the 29 violin concertos.

19th century

Niccolo Paganini (-) - Italian violinist and virtuoso guitarist, composer. One of the most bright personalities musical history XVIII-XIX centuries. Recognized genius of world musical art.
Henri Vietan (-) - Belgian violinist and composer, one of the founders of the national violin school. Vieutang is the author of numerous works for violin, which are still very popular: seven concertos with orchestra, a number of fantasies, variations, concert etudes, etc.
Henryk Wieniawski (-) is a Polish virtuoso violinist, composer and teacher.
Leopold Auer (-) - Hungarian, Russian violinist, teacher, conductor and composer. He is the founder of the so-called Russian violin school.
Eugene Ysaye (-) is a Belgian violinist, conductor and composer. He wrote 6 violin concertos, variations on a theme by Paganini and others.

XX century

Jascha Heifetz (-) - American violinist Jewish origin. Considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century.
David Oistrakh (-) - Soviet violinist, violist, conductor and teacher, professor at the Moscow Conservatory, National artist THE USSR.
Leonid Kogan (-) - Soviet violinist, teacher, professor at the Moscow Conservatory, People's Artist of the USSR.
Yehudi Menuhin (-) is an American violinist and conductor. He also left his mark on philately; one of the philatelic prizes is named in his honor.

XXI Century

Itzhak Perlman (August 31, 1945) is an American violinist, conductor and teacher.
Vadim Repin (August 31, 1971) is a Russian violinist.

Famous violin makers

Giovanni Paolo Maggini (-) - Italian violin maker. His tools are different soft sound, similar to a viola and highly prized. His son, Pietro Santo Magini, also made excellent violins, violas and basses.
Nicola Amati (-) is one of the most famous masters of the Amati family. Creator of many stringed instruments, including cellos. Teacher of such renowned string instrument makers as Jacob Steiner, Antonio Stradivari and Andrea Guarneri.
Jakob Steiner (approx. -) is the first known Austrian master, the most famous representative of the so-called Tyrolean school.
Andrea Guarneri (or -) is a famous manufacturer of bowed instruments. Andrea was a student of the famous master Amati, and lived in the 17th century in Cremona.
Antonio Stradivari (-) - famous master of string instruments, student of Amati. Completed the formation of the violin as a structure in detail. Any modern violin is essentially a Stradivarius violin. About 650 instruments of his work have survived.
Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, - Andrea's grandson, gained the greatest fame. Giuseppe's instruments are valued on par with those of Stradivarius. On the Guarneri violin “Il Cannone Guarnerius ( English)" played by Niccolo Paganini.
Ivan Andreevich Batov (-) is the first famous Russian master of musical instruments.
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875) - French violin maker. In 1828 he opened his own workshop in Paris. Since 1835 he was engaged in imitation of antique Italian instruments(mainly Stradivari and Guarneri). He made over 3,000 instruments.

The most famous works for violin

A. Vivaldi. Seasons for violin and orchestra
J. S. Bach. 3 sonatas and 3 partitas for solo violin
G. Tartini. Sonata “Devil's Trills” for violin and piano
W. A. Mozart. 5 concertos for violin and orchestra
L. Beethoven
L. Beethoven. 10 sonatas for violin and piano
I. Brahms. Concerto in D major for violin and orchestra
I. Brahms
F. Mendelssohn. Concerto in E minor for violin and orchestra
E. Grieg. 3 sonatas for violin and piano
N. Paganini. 24 caprices for solo violin
N. Paganini. Concerto in D major for violin and orchestra
S. Frank. Sonata for violin and piano
C. Saint-Saens. "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso" for violin and orchestra
G. Wieniawski. 2 polonaises for violin and orchestra
P. Sarasate. Fantasia on themes from G. Bizet's opera "Carmen"
J. Sibelius
P. Tchaikovsky. Concerto for violin and orchestra
E. Izai. 6 sonatas for solo violin
S. Prokofiev
D. Shostakovich. 2 concertos for violin and orchestra

Literature

K. Flash, The Art of Violin Playing (Volume 1)- Music, M., 1964.
K. Flash, The Art of Violin Playing (Volume 2)- Classics-XXI, M., 2007.
L. Auer, Violin Playing as I Teach It(1920); in Russian lane - My violin school, L., 1933;
V. Mazel, Violinist and his hands (right)- Composer, St. Petersburg, 2006.
V. Mazel, Violinist and his hands (left)- Composer, St. Petersburg, 2008.

A. Tsitsikyan “Armenian bow art”, Yerevan, 2004

Links

Violin alphabet, history of the violin, sheet music, books and films about the violin, violin in literature, painting, animation, etc.

Happy is the home where the singing of the violin guides us on the path
and gives us hope, the rest is somehow.
Happy is the instrument pressed to the angular shoulder,
by whose blessing am I flying across the sky...

It is difficult to meet in our time a person who has no idea about the violin - the main musical instrument belonging to the bow family. The violin is one of the most noble, widespread and perfect musical instruments of our time. The Queen of Music is the most apt description of this amazingly beautiful sounding musical instrument. Enormous performing capabilities, richness, expressiveness and warmth of its timbre have ensured this instrument, together with its relatives - viola, cello and double bass, has a leading position in symphony orchestras, in various kinds of ensembles, in solo performing practice and in folk musical life.

History of the violin

Information on the history of bowed musical instruments is not very rich and detailed, as we would like. From the history of India, Iran and other countries, one can glean some information about the existence of these instruments over two thousand years ago. It can be assumed that the first bowed instruments appeared among the eastern peoples.
The oldest bowed instrument, apparently, was the ravanostron. It consisted of an empty cylinder made of mulberry tree, one side of which was covered with the skin of a broad-scaled water boa constrictor. A stick attached to this body serves as a neck and a neck; holes are made at the upper end of the stick for two pegs. The strings were made from gazelle intestines, and the bow was made of bamboo wood, bent in an arc, and was equipped with hair. The sound of the ravanostron is weak, dull, but pleasant. According to legend, Ravanostron was invented by Ravana, the king of Ceylon, 5000 BC. e. Ravanostron has been preserved to this day by the wandering priests of the Buddha.
The following ancient bowed instruments include the rebab. The rebab (rebab, rebek) had a body made of four wooden plates making up a frame on which two pieces of parchment were stretched, forming the lower and upper decks. The neck has the shape of a cylinder and, together with the head, forms one whole. The leg is an iron rod attached to the fingerboard, which runs through the entire instrument and serves as a support during playing. In the 9th century, writings on the music of the Middle Ages mention the bowed musical instrument lyre - a one-stringed instrument with a stand, a fingerboard and horseshoe-shaped holes in a wooden soundboard (this is not the lyre that is usually depicted in ancient greek mythology).
In the XIII-XIV centuries, another type of bowed musical instrument appeared - the fidel, which was the prototype of the viol. The fidel body was built according to a different principle than the lyre. The body consisted of an elongated frame, an upper and lower deck. The top deck had cutouts. In this form, the body of the fiddle looked like a guitar, and later changed to the shape of a viol.
Already in the 14th century, a large number of species of violas appeared, and in the 17th century there were already dozens of them. The most widely used were the following: very large viol - bass; large bass viola de gamba (gambas (from the Italian gamba - leg) were the names of all instruments that were held between the knees while playing, while violas de braccio (from the word “hand”) were called, in contrast to gambas, all instruments that held in hands during the game.); small bass viola de gamba in five tuning options; tenor viola and alto viola de gamba, each in two tunings; cant-viola de gamba in four versions; viola bastard in five variants; viola de braccio in four versions. From these varieties of viols, the double bass, cello, viola and violina (violin) were subsequently developed. The last instrument was formed from the viol by reducing in volume (violina is a diminutive of the word “viola”).
Violina - violin or real treble violin has existed since the first half of the 16th century. Its homeland is Northern Italy. The invention of the violin as we know it is attributed to an Italian master German origin, who lived in Bologna, Gaspar Duifopruggar (1467-1530), who initially made viols and lutes. The oldest violin, made in 1510 by Gaspar Duifopruggar and preserved to this day, is kept in the Netherland collection and the city of Aachen. This violin was made for King Franz I.
Bowed instruments received further development in the 16th-17th centuries in the cities of Northern Italy - Brescia and Cremona. The most prominent masters in Brescia were Gaspar Bertolotti (1540-1609) and Paolo Magini, in Cremona - Niccolò Amati, Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù. At that time, the most common bowed instruments were viols, so Bertolotti and Magini mainly made these instruments. But violins made by them are also known. The violins of Paolo Magini are especially valued, giving him the reputation of the greatest master of the Brescia school. Magini violins were played by Berio, Vietan, Marteau and other famous violinists.
Andrea Amati (1535–1612) was the founder of the Cremona school of violin makers. However, violins made by him are rare nowadays. Amati's sons Antonio (1555-1640) and Jerome (1556-1630) worked according to their father's model, and yet the shapes of their violins already indicated significant progress. The son of Jerome, Niccolò (1596-1684), ends the line of masters of the Amati family, which enjoyed worldwide fame for a century and a half. They are rightfully considered the founders of the Cremona school, but they were not destined to bring the violin to the highest perfection. Did it greatest master of all times, Niccolo Amati's student is Antonio Stradivari, whose name is known not only to any educated musician, but to everyone in general cultured person.
Antonio Stradivari was born in 1644 and according to some information it can be judged that he began to study violin making at the age of 13. By 1667, Stradivari completed his apprenticeship with Amati and from that time began to make bowed instruments on his own. First independent work The Stradivarius, although they bore obvious signs of the teacher’s influence, were already distinguished by their graceful forms and powerful sound. The period of creative quest, during which Stradivari developed his own model, lasted about 30 years. Despite the fact that until the end of his long (93 years) life he remained an experimenter, since 1695 there were no significant deviations from the models he developed.
Stradivari created the ideal violin both in form and sound qualities. Stradivari also has the honor of completing the formation of the cello in the form in which it has survived to this day.
Antonio Stradivari's most capable student was Carlo Bergonzi (1686-1747), whose violins have much in common with his teacher's instruments. One of Stradivari's contemporaries and his rival was Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri, the grandson of the founder of the dynasty of violin makers, Andrea Guarneri. Giuseppe Guarneri was given the nickname “del Gesù” because on the labels of his instruments he put an icon reminiscent of the emblem of the Jesuit monastic order. There is almost no information about Guarneri's life. For a long time, there was a legend that he spent his last years in prison and made violins there, and the jailer sold these instruments at a great profit for himself. However, the reliability of this legend is highly doubtful.
Guarneri instruments differ from Stradivarius violins in having a flatter soundboard and covered with varnishes of a wide variety of shades - from golden yellow to cherry. The sound of violins is strong and rich, especially when playing in large concert halls. In this regard, Guarneri instruments were especially popular in the 19th century, when violins went beyond the confines of cramped chamber spaces.
There were other violin schools in Italy in the 17th-18th centuries - Venetian, Milanese, Neapolitan, Florentine and others. However, these schools did not acquire the same importance as the Cremona and Brescia schools.
Other countries also made their contribution to the development of violin making. The violin appeared in France later than in Italy. One of the first violin makers in France was Caspar Tiefenbrucker (1553-1571), also known as Dunfopruggard, a resident of Lyon. However, violins made by him have not survived to this day. Currently only viols made by Tiefenbrucker are known.
Nicolas Lupo (1758-1824) is considered the most outstanding of a number of other French masters. Lupo came from a family that had been making violins for generations. He worked first in Orleans and then in Paris. In his works, Lupo relied on models of Stradivarius violins. However, his instruments, although distinguished by their loud sound, were inferior in richness of timbre to Italian models.
Of the French masters of the 19th century, Jean Baptiste Villaume (1798-1875) won worldwide fame. In 1819, Vuillaume arrived in Paris and there began making instruments for the violin maker François Janot, who designed an original model of a violin without corners and therefore had a temporary major success with his innovation. Under the guidance of the highly educated Jeannot Villaume, he intensively studies samples of instruments of famous Italian masters, and then intensively copies models of Guarneri and Stradivari, so skillfully that his works are mistaken for originals. William was the greatest connoisseur of ancient instruments, a huge number of which passed through his hands. He was incredibly productive: he made about 3,000 instruments. William was consummate master bows, his cellos had excellent concert qualities.
Tyrolean violins became very famous. Tyrol is a small mountainous country in the Alps, whose inhabitants have long spent their winters in woodcarving and making musical instruments. The largest violin maker, who enjoyed extreme popularity in Western Europe in the 17th century, was Jacob Steiner (1621 -1683). Steiner's violins were similar in shape to Niccolò Amati's instruments, but were distinguished by higher soundboard arches; The sound of Steiner's instruments has a soft, lyrical character. There was a time when Steiner violins were valued several times more than Stradivarius instruments. There are currently very few authentic instruments of Steiner's work. The violins found today with Steiner labels are nothing more than fakes, which were made by Tyrolean masters - followers of Steiner.
Of the German masters who followed Stradivari's models, Bachmann, Hunger, Ernst and some others, who worked at the end of the 18th and the first half of the 19th century, achieved outstanding success.
In England, the works of Italian masters were learned and appreciated much later. English masters copied Steiner, and later violins from Magini, Amati and Stradivarius. Famous English masters are Barack Norman (1678–1740), Richard Duke (worked from 1750 to 1780), and Bejaman Banke (1727–1795). Duke's follower was Dodd, whose remarkable bows became widely known.
Of the Dutch, the most famous is Henbrik Jacobe, who worked in Amsterdam from 1690 to 1712, a student of Niccolo Amati. Most violins made by Jacobs have long been labeled with Amati's name and are sold as authentic instruments by this master.
In Poland in the 16th century, the wonderful master Martini Groblich (1555-1610) worked, probably a student of Magini, who followed her models. Groblich's instruments are excellent and are now fully-fledged concert instruments. In addition to violins, Groblich made many viols, which, in terms of their technique, elegance of form and wonderful sound, are masterpieces of world significance. Other famous violin makers in Poland include the names of Jan Duckwart and Groblicz the Younger (first half of the 18th century), Mikołaj Sawicki (1792-1850), Kpucinski (late XIX - beginning XX century).
In Czechoslovakia, violin making is a common profession. First violin makers came to the Czech Republic from Tyrol and Bavaria at the end of the 16th century. The most talented craftsmen in the Czech Republic are Tomas Edlinger (1662-1729), Ulrik Eberle (1699-1768), a native of Tyrol, who founded his own workshop in Prague in 1725. At one time Eberle was considered the best master Central Europe; Kašpar Strnad (1759 1823) worked on Stradivarius models. His violins are famous far beyond the borders of Czechoslovakia. From Prague masters of the 20th century. we can name Franz Spiedlen (1867-1916), his son Otakar Spiedlen (1895-1938), a talented, highly educated craftsman and instrument specialist.

Istria of the violin in Russia

Bowed instruments appeared in Russia, apparently, at a very distant time. The fact of the existence of such instruments in the 11th century is confirmed by the image on the fresco of the Kyiv St. Sophia Cathedral of the figure of a musician holding a bowed instrument at his shoulder, like a violin. The first literary mention of the violin in Russia was in 1596 in the dictionary of Lavrentiy Zizaniy, and one of the earliest images that have come down to us was in 1692 in the “Primer” by Karion Istomin. It can be assumed that the violin already appeared in Russia in a form close to the classical type by the beginning of the 16th century. Some literary sources presumably indicate that the predecessor of the violin was a kind of bowed instrument called a “suna”. Such an instrument existed in folk performing practice until the second half of the 19th century century.
Suna has the body of a violin and in its structure it can be attributed to the predecessor of the violin - the bowed lyre. But if the lyre had eleven or more strings, then the suna, like the violin, had only four strings. Bow instruments are most widespread in the south of Russia - Moldova, Ukraine, as well as in Belarus and the Volga region.
Although violins and other bowed instruments were widespread among the people, these instruments penetrated among the ruling classes only in exceptional cases. This is explained by the constant hostility on the part of the church, which viewed these instruments as “demonic games.” It is not surprising that Russian folk violins of the 16th and 17th centuries, like other instruments that preceded them, have not survived to this day. Only in the 18th century did bowed instruments become widespread.
In the 18th century, outstanding Russian concert violinists appeared, including the wonderful artist and composer Ivan Evstafievich Khandoshkin. At the same time, masters of making bowed instruments appeared. First, these are foreigners invited to Russia, and then Russians. Among the Russian masters of the 18th and 19th centuries there were many serfs serving the orchestras of their masters. The materials from which these craftsmen made their instruments were local. Along with spruce, pine was used for the upper decks. Maple, birch, alder, and linden were used to make the lower decks. Among the works of serf craftsmen there were also very successful instruments, but the names of these Russian craftsmen remained mostly unknown.
One of the first famous talented Russian masters is Ivan Andreevich Batov (1767-1841), a serf of Count Sheremetev. At the age of 17, Batov was apprenticed to Moscow instrumentalist Vasily Vladimirov. Already in 1789, after training in the staff of the Sheremetev serf theater, violin maker Ivan Batov was listed. Before Patriotic War 1812 Batov was not widely known. She came to him only in 1814, when Batov presented Alexander I with a violin of his work and received a reward of 2000 rubles for it. In 1822, Ivan Batov made a cello, which was highly appreciated by the famous cellist of that time, B. Romberg. Batov presented this instrument to Count D.N. Sheremetev and received his freedom along with his family. In 1829, Batov presented his instruments at the St. Petersburg exhibition and received a large silver medal for the violin and cello. Batov did not tolerate haste in his work. There is information that, working very hard every day, he spent about three months making a violin and about five months making a cello.
Considering that one of the most important conditions for the sound quality of instruments is the presence of old, seasoned wood, Batov spent a lot of money on its acquisition. Until the last days of his life, Batov retained a supply of wood that he had harvested under Catherine 2. During his life, Batov made a relatively small number of instruments: 41 violins, 3 violas and 6 cellos, not counting those that he made for the Sheremetev orchestra. In addition, Batov made several double basses and also made excellent guitars. Unfortunately, genuine Batov instruments are very rare. Most of the instruments attributed to Batov are fakes. Taking advantage of Batov's popularity, some craftsmen later pasted into various, most often instruments of foreign origin, labels with the name of the famous Russian master and thus caused significant confusion in defining his work.

Violin construction

- curl

Heel

Top deck

Shells

Bottom deck

Stand

Underneck