Violin

The earliest violins, with three strings, appeared in northern Italy about 1505. They had evolved from the viol, alongside which they co-existed for half a century before the violin gradually assumed its accepted place as an accompainiment for dancers, acquiring a fourth string in the process. Amati, founder early in the 16th century of the violin-making school at Cremona, and Stradivari perfected the violin and other instruments for their own time. The four strings of the violin are tuned to G-D-A-E. The violin has to be constructed in order to withstand the pressure exerted by the 4 strings which is approximately 7.7 kg.

Not until 1610 did G. B. Cima and soon after that, B. Marini, write violin sonatas, accompanied by a baso continuo, but its first real solo was a passacaglia by Biber, about 1675. By now, its tone, more 'lively' and penetrating that that produced even by the smallest of the viol family, was attracting many composers and its place in operatice orchestras and chamber ensembles was established. Torelli's violin concertos appeared in 1698, the first in a long line of showpieces.

The violin is easily the most popular solo string instrument. Hundreds of works have been written for it and it has also been given important solos in pieces like Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade and Vaughan William's The Lark Ascending.

Midi: Bach's Double Violin Concerto

When a man is not disposed to hear music, there is not a more disagreeable sound in harmony that that of the violin. -- Richard Steele

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