Which is bigger, viola or violin? Difference between violin and viola. How does a viola work?

Which has a similar device to the violin. However, it is slightly larger, which is why its sound has a lower register. The viola strings are tuned in a special way. They are lower than violin ones by a fifth, while higher than cellos by an octave. Notes for viola are written in treble and alto clefs.

History of origin

The viola instrument is considered to be the earliest existing bowed instrument. The time of its origin dates back to the 15th–16th centuries. This instrument was the first to receive the form familiar to us today. It was designed by Antonio Stradivari. The ancestor of the viola is considered to be the hand viol. This instrument was held at the left shoulder. It should be mentioned that the closest relative, the viola da gamba, was held on the knee. The Italian name for the musical instrument was shortened over time to viola. It is preserved in this form in English. Bratsche got into German and similar ones. The viola instrument is measured in millimeters. There are specimens from 350 to 425 mm. The choice of size depends on the length of the performer’s arm. Of the violin series, it is the viola that comes closest to the viol, taking into account the size and sound. Therefore, he quickly appeared in the orchestra as a middle voice, he joined the symphony very harmoniously. The viola, thus, was a bridge between the disappearing family of viols and violin instruments, which were emerging at that time.

Playing technique

The viola is a musical instrument that requires a special performance that is different from that of the violin. The difference lies in the method of sound production. Playing technique is more limited due to the large size and the need for significant finger stretching. The timbre of the viola is matte, thick, less bright compared to the violin, velvety in the lower register, somewhat nasal in the upper register. The dimensions of the body of the musical instrument do not correspond to the tuning. This is what creates the unusual timbre. With a length of 46 to 47 centimeters, the instrument has a length of 38 - 43 cm. Violas with large sizes, which are close to classical ones, are mainly played by solo performers. They have strong hands, as well as developed techniques. The viola is used relatively rarely as a solo instrument. The point here is a small repertoire. However, relatively recently many good violists have appeared, such as: Yuri Kramarov, Kim Kashkashyan. The main area of ​​application of this musical instrument remains string and symphony orchestras. Here solo episodes are dedicated to the alto, as well as middle voices. This musical instrument is an obligatory participant in a string quartet. Can be used in other chamber compositions. For example, a piano quintet or quartet or a string trio. Traditionally, people did not become violists from childhood, but switched to this instrument at a relatively mature age. As a rule, after graduating from music school, while entering a conservatory or college. Most often, violinists with a large physique, wide vibration and large hands switch to viola. Some great musicians combined the two instruments. For example, David Oistrakh and Niccolo Paganini.

Famous musicians

The viola instrument was chosen by Yuri Abramovich Bashmet. Among other famous musicians who gave preference to our hero, it should be noted Vladimir Romanovich Bakaleinikov, Rudolf Borisovich Barshay, Igor Isaakovich Boguslavsky, Vadim Vasilyevich Borisovsky, Fyodor Serafimovich Druzhinin, Yuri Markovich Kramarov, Tertis Lionel, Maurice Vieux, Maxim Rysanov, Kim Kashkash Yana, Paula Hindemith, Tabea Zimmerman, Dmitry Vissarionovich Shebalin, William Primrose, Mikhail Benediktovich Kugel.

Works

The viola instrument with orchestra is heard in “Symphony Concertante” by W. A. ​​Mozart, “Sonata” by Niccolo Paganini, as well as in B. Bartok, Hindemith, William Walton, E. Denisov, A. Schnittke, G. F. Telemann, A. I. Golovina. The combination with the clavier is found in M. I. Glinka, D. D. Shostakovich, Brahms, Schumann, Nikolai Roslavets, A. Hovaness. Solos can be heard in the works of Max Reger, Moses Weinberg, Ernst Kshenek, Sebastian Bach. Adolphe Adam's ballet "Giselle" could not have been done without our hero. It also sounds in Richard Strauss's symphonic poem Don Quixote. Leo Delibes’ ballet “Coppelia” could not do without it either. One should also remember the opera “The Makropoulos Remedy” by Janacek. It also sounds in Boris Asafiev’s ballet “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai”.

Another principle

There is also a fundamentally different alto - it is usually called an althorn. We are talking about a brass musical instrument. It belongs to the saxhorn family. Range - A - es 2. Due to the inexpressive and dull sound, the scope of use is limited only to brass bands. There, as a rule, he is assigned middle voices.

"Organ of the Middle Ages"

The viola is an ancient stringed bowed musical instrument that appeared a little earlier than the medieval Baroque era - at the turn of the 15th century. XVI centuries. This instrument was the progenitor of all stringed bowed musical instruments; this can be easily seen in the foreign names of stringed bowed instruments, especially in Italian, since the instrument itself comes from sunny Italy.

The development of the Spanish Vihuela was Alto (in Italian “Viola”), which received its Russian name thanks to the French language (French “Alto”), which was widely known in Russia for a long time. The closest relative of the viola is Viola d'amore (Italian "Viola d"amore" - viola of love). Then, on the basis of the viola, new instruments appeared - a small viola - violin (Italian "Violino"), a large viola - cello (Italian "violoncello"), double bass (Italian "cello"), viola da gamba (Italian "viola da gamba" - foot viol), viola da braccio (Italian "viola da braccio" - hand viol).

The viola itself has three close relatives - the violin, which borrowed its playing position (i.e., a “hand” instrument) and the cello, which borrowed its tuning (the only difference is that the cello’s tuning is an octave lower, whereas in the violin it differs by a fifth).

The viola, like the violin and cello, is built in fifths. The viola strings are tuned a fifth below the violin strings and an octave above the cello strings - c, g, d 1, a 1. Notes are written in alto and treble clefs.

Contrary to public opinion, the technique of playing the viola is significantly different from the violin. For example, the viola is characterized by playing a pizzicato harmonic (the sound of a harp harmonic), playing a pizzicato with pressing the string with the nail of the second finger (the sound of a snare drum), a chord with a rich bass, and much more. However, the large size of the viola makes it difficult to quickly perform complex passages. But this small drawback pales in comparison to the sea of ​​opportunities opening up to the performer.

“The timbre of a viola is less bright than a violin,” we read in a well-known encyclopedia, but it’s easy to argue with this, since a good violist plays much brighter than even five violinists. The timbre of the viola is bright, rich, colorful, velvety (especially in the lower registers) and a little nasal, born from the depths of wood, glue joints, varnish... a tree that has stood for many centuries under downpours, experienced drought, winter, spring, summer, autumn...

“A feature of the viola’s timbre is the greater variety of sounds of individual strings than on other string instruments, for example on a violin,” writes E. Yu. Stoklitskaya. Regarding the brightness, richness, and even grandeur of the viola timbre, the famous teacher I. D. Labinskaya likes to repeat: “This is not some kind of violin, this is a viola.” It’s not for nothing that in many viola works they write: “risoluto” (Italian – decisively). It is impossible not to note the piano performance on the viola. V.V. Borisovsky emphasized that “piano is not a colorless, faceless nuance. The quietest piano should be crisp and clear, like the choreographed voice of a singer...” (E. Stoklitskaya, Viola Pedagogy of V.V. Borisovsky, 2007).

The timbre of the viola can only be matched by that of the organ - both of these instruments can accurately reproduce other instruments. Only the timbre of the organ is limited by the number of registers, and the timbre of the viola has no restrictions.

This timbre is a consequence of the inconsistency of the instrument’s tuning. With an optimal length of 48o - 490 mm (only the soundboard), the sizes of modern instruments range from 350 to 420 (extremely rare, 430).

The viola is not taught from childhood, but violinists with a developed physique and large vibration switch to it in adulthood. Many outstanding performers, such as Niccolo Paganini and David Oistrakh, perfectly combined playing the viola with playing the violin.

Having “reigned in palaces” for a long time, the viola, as well as the art of viola (playing the viola is a true art), fell into decline, dirty rumors began to spread that “violists are failed violinists,” which subsequently became the basis for many, often offensive, jokes. For example: “What is the same between a grenade and a violist’s fingers? They don’t fall in the same place twice,” “The violist and the priest died on the same day and found themselves at the gates of heaven at the same time. Saint Apostle Peter happily allows the violist to enter Paradise, but asks the priest to wait. The priest is indignant:

I've been praying all my life, and this guy has been playing his viola all his life! Why are you letting him go ahead?!

“When you prayed,” Peter answers, “everyone fell asleep.” And when he started playing, everyone began to pray...", "Program of the international violist competition: 1st round - tuning the instrument, 2nd round - moving the bow along open (original: empty) strings. The program for the 3rd round is not announced - no one gets to him anyway,” “There were three sons in the family: two smart, and the third is a violist...” and many others. As you can see, these jokes are not only untrue, but are offensive (not only for violists), humiliating and contain a large number of gross errors.

Alto gave up his seat. The ancient instrument fell silent. The great viola works of Bach, Mozart, Paganini, Berlioz and others have been forgotten. Of course, during the period of oblivion, some composers continued to compose music for the viola - B. Bartok, W. Walson, M. I. Glinka, J. Brahms, R. Schumann, N. Roslavets, A. Adam, L. Delibes, R. Strauss , L. Janacek, I.F. Stravinsky, M. Reger - the famous organist, etc. There were also performers of these works, but, alas, there were few of them.

The revival of viola art occurred only at the end of the 19th century and lasted throughout the 20th century. The father of the Russian viola school was V.V. Borisovsky. His teacher V.R. Bakaleinikov, although he was a violist, emigrated to the USA in 1927, where, at the invitation of conductor Fritz Reiner, he took the post of his assistant and first viola in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Borisovsky himself became “fascinated” with the viola, one might say purely by accident. One day, he heard an orchestra perform, where the viola was the soloist. Closing my eyes and not listening to low notes, the viola sounded like a violin.

V.V. Borisovsky is a former famous violinist, accompanist of the first violins of the Moscow State Conservatory. P.I. Tchaikovsky, but having felt the fullness of the sound of the viola, he became a violist.

Vadim Vasilyevich literally “promoted” the viola everywhere, infecting everyone with its magical sound. “The idea of ​​equalizing the rights of the viola as a solo instrument with the violin and cello, proclaimed by Borisovsky at the beginning of his creative activity, in those years seemed... not only bold, but even daring. The level of viola performance was extremely low, and the creation of the school had to start almost from scratch” (Yuzefovich V. “V.V. Borisovsky - founder of the Soviet viola school, 1977”).

Founding the viola school, Vadim Vasilyevich studied the technique of playing the Viol d'Amour, which is closest to the viola technique.

“Before my eyes and ears, a special viola class was emerging. For a long time now, but especially today, I am convinced that historically, practically and in every possible way, its creation and subsequent non-stop, very successful development have been justified. “You have done a lot, a lot for the prosperity of your brainchild,” MGK professor K. G. Mostras wrote to Borisovsky in 1956. Many famous composers, such as D. D. Shostakovich, B. Astafiev, E. Denisov, often friends of the great violist, wrote for the viola, and Vadim Vasilyevich was the first performer of these works.

A huge part of the works for viola are transcriptions and arrangements by Borisovsky. Among them are “Unfinished Sonata” by M. I. Glinka, “Pavane for the Death of the Infanta” by M. Ravel.

The number of viola fans increased. Professional violists were F. S. Druzhinin, Yu. A. Bashmet, E. Yu. Stoklitskaya, I. I. Boguslavsky, A. Koval, A. V. Bagrintsev, I. D. Labinskaya, L. N. Gushchina, E. Strakhov, R. Seid-Zade and others.

In our time, this phenomenon has become global and is called world altism. Sites dedicated to viola have become increasingly popular. For example, the site of violists “Violamusic”, whose main users are already more than 1800 people, not to mention those who just drop by.

In 2010, the entire world viola community celebrated a remarkable event: the 110th anniversary of the birth of V.V. Borisovsky. Also, in 2010, the teacher of violin and viola, I. D. Labinskaya, celebrated her 80th birthday. Inessa Dzhamilievna devoted most of her life to the preparation and education of future musicians. She still works at the Children's Music School named after M. M. Ipollitov - Ivanov. I am happy that I had the opportunity to learn from her. And now I have the opportunity to simply communicate with her. The love and professionalism with which she teaches young children to extract sound from small violins is like a miracle (future violists take violin classes in elementary school, and only switch to viola at an older age). She is that kind teacher who lives with her students: their successes and failures, teaching them to love and understand music. Although she did not want to be mentioned in this article, this is just a small thank you for her enormous work. I would like to wish Inessa Dzhamilievna good health, strength and many years of life.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the viola no longer enters the musical “arena”, but is rapidly overtaking other instruments, increasingly establishing itself as the king of musical instruments, which has a rich history full of ups and downs.

alto, German Bratsche) or viola violin- a stringed-bowed musical instrument of the same structure as the violin, but somewhat larger in size, which is why it sounds in a lower register. The viola strings are tuned a fifth below the violin strings and an octave above the cello strings - c, g, d 1 ,a 1(do, G of the small octave, D, A of the first octave). The most common range is from c(to small octave) to e 3 (mi of the third octave), in solo works it is possible to use higher sounds. Notes are written in alto and treble clefs.

History of the origin and development of the instrument

The viola is considered to be the earliest existing bowed instrument. The time of its appearance dates back to the turn of the 15th–16th centuries. The viola was the first instrument that was exactly the shape we are used to seeing. It was designed by Antonio Stradivari.

The ancestor of the viola is considered to be the viola da braccio (Italian: viola da braccio), or viola for the hand. This viol, like today's violins and violas, was held on the left shoulder, unlike the viola da gamba (Italian: viola da gamba), which was held on the knee or between the knees. Over time, the Italian name for the instrument was shortened to simply viola, under which it entered, for example, the English language, or before Bratsche(distorted braccio), established in German and similar languages. The design of a modern viola is almost no different from a violin, with the exception of size. The viola does not have a size division like the violin; the size of the viola is measured in millimeters. There are violas from 350 mm (this is less than a whole violin) to 425 mm. The choice of instrument size depends on the length of the performer's arms.

Of the entire violin family, the viola was closest to the viol in size and sound, so it quickly became part of the orchestra as a middle voice and harmoniously joined it. Thus, the viola was a kind of bridge between the fading viol family and the emerging violin instruments.

Technique of playing the viola

Techniques for playing the viola are slightly different from those for playing the violin in terms of sound production and technique, but the playing technique itself is a little more limited due to the larger size, and as a result, the need for greater stretching of the fingers of the left hand. The timbre of the viola is less bright than the violin, but thick, matte, velvety in the lower register, somewhat nasal in the upper register. This viola timbre is a consequence of the fact that the dimensions of its body (“resonator box”) do not correspond to its tuning: with an optimal length of 46–47 centimeters (such violas were made by old masters of Italian schools), a modern instrument has a length of 38 to 43 centimeters. Larger violas, approaching classical ones, are played mainly by solo performers with stronger hands and more developed technique.

Traditionally, people did not become violists from childhood, switching to this instrument at a more mature age (at the end of music school, upon entering a college or conservatory). Mostly, large-built violinists with large hands and a wide vibration switch to the viola. Some famous musicians successfully combined playing the violin and viola, for example, Niccolo Paganini and David Oistrakh.

Famous violists

• Maurice Vieux
• Tertis Lionel

Works for viola

With orchestra

• W. A. ​​Mozart. Symphony Concertante for viola and violin and orchestra
• Sonata for high viola by Niccolo Paganini
• G. Berlioz. Symphony concertante for viola and orchestra "Harold in Italy"
• B. Bartok
• Concerto for viola and orchestra "Hindemith"
• Concerto for viola and orchestra by William Walton
• Concerto for viola and orchestra by E. Denisov
• Concerto for viola and orchestra by A. Schnittke
• Concerto for viola and orchestra (G major) by G. F. Telemann
• Concert-symphony for viola and cello and orchestra (Symphony N1) A. I. Golovin

With clavier

• Sonatas for viola and clavier BWV 1027-1029 I.S. Bach
• Unfinished by M. I. Glinka (found and edited by V. V. Borisovsky)
• Sonata for viola and piano by Henri Vietang
• Sonata for viola and piano by D. D. Shostakovich
• 2 sonatas for viola (clarinet) and piano by Brahms
• Fairytale paintings for viola and piano by Schumann
• Sonatas for viola and piano by Nikolai Roslavets
• Viola Sonata by A. Hovaness

Solo

• Suites for solo viola by Max Reger
• Sonata for solo viola by Moses Weinberg
• Sonata for solo viola by Ernst Kscheneck
• Sonatas for solo viola by Paul Hindemith

Solo in orchestra

• Ballet "Giselle" by Adolphe Adam
• Ballet Coppelia by Leo Delibes
• Symphonic poem "Don Quixote" by Richard Strauss
• Ballet “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai” by Boris Asafiev
• Ballet "The Firebird" by Igor Stravinsky
• Capriccio for piano and orchestra by Igor Stravinsky

Viola in literature and other fields of art

• Vladimir Orlov - “Violist Danilov”

• Ivan Krylov - “Quartet”

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Notes

Literature

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Grinberg, M. Russian alto literature. - Moscow: Music, 1967.
• Manolova, I.M., Belenov, L.D. At the origins of V. Borisovsky's school (Memories of the Future). - M., Music and Time No. 4 2016, pp. 32-39.
• Poniatowski, S. Alt. - M.: Music, 1974.

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Excerpt characterizing Viola

- Look, you rascal, she’s come! - Pierre heard the same gentle voice at the end of the booth. - The rogue has come, she remembers! Well, well, you will. - And the soldier, pushing away the little dog that was jumping towards him, returned to his place and sat down. In his hands he had something wrapped in a rag.
“Here, eat, master,” he said, again returning to his former respectful tone and unwrapping and handing Pierre several baked potatoes. - There was stew at lunch. And the potatoes are important!
Pierre had not eaten all day, and the smell of potatoes seemed unusually pleasant to him. He thanked the soldier and began to eat.
- Well, is that so? – the soldier said smiling and took one of the potatoes. - And that’s how you are. - He took out a folding knife again, cut the potatoes into equal two halves in his palm, sprinkled salt from a rag and brought it to Pierre.
“The potatoes are important,” he repeated. - You eat it like this.
It seemed to Pierre that he had never eaten a dish tastier than this.
“No, I don’t care,” said Pierre, “but why did they shoot these unfortunates!.. The last twenty years.”
“Tch, tsk...” said the little man. “This is a sin, this is a sin...” he quickly added, and, as if his words were always ready in his mouth and accidentally flew out of him, he continued: “What is it, master, that you stayed in Moscow like that?”
“I didn’t think they would come so soon.” “I accidentally stayed,” said Pierre.
- How did they take you, falcon, from your house?
- No, I went to the fire, and then they grabbed me and tried me for an arsonist.
“Where there is court, there is no truth,” the little man interjected.
- How long have you been here? – asked Pierre, chewing the last potato.
- Is that me? That Sunday they took me from the hospital in Moscow.
-Who are you, soldier?
- Soldiers of the Absheron Regiment. He was dying of fever. They didn't tell us anything. About twenty of us were lying there. And they didn’t think, they didn’t guess.
- Well, are you bored here? asked Pierre.
- It’s not boring, falcon. Call me Plato; Karataev’s nickname,” he added, apparently in order to make it easier for Pierre to address him. - They called him Falcon in the service. How not to be bored, falcon! Moscow, she is the mother of cities. How not to get bored looking at this. Yes, the worm gnaws at the cabbage, but before that you disappear: that’s what the old men used to say,” he added quickly.
- How, how did you say that? asked Pierre.
- Is that me? – asked Karataev. “I say: not by our mind, but by God’s judgment,” he said, thinking that he was repeating what had been said. And he immediately continued: “How come you, master, have estates?” And there is a house? Therefore, the cup is full! And is there a hostess? Are your old parents still alive? - he asked, and although Pierre could not see in the darkness, he felt that the soldier’s lips were wrinkled with a restrained smile of affection while he was asking this. He was apparently upset that Pierre did not have parents, especially a mother.
“A wife is for advice, a mother-in-law is for greetings, and nothing is dearer than your own mother!” - he said. - Well, are there any children? – he continued to ask. Pierre's negative answer again apparently upset him, and he hastened to add: “Well, there will be young people, God willing.” If only I could live in the council...
“It doesn’t matter now,” Pierre said involuntarily.
“Eh, you’re a dear man,” Plato objected. - Never give up money or prison. “He sat down better and cleared his throat, apparently preparing for a long story. “So, my dear friend, I was still living at home,” he began. “Our patrimony is rich, there is a lot of land, the men live well, and our home, thank God.” The priest himself went out to mow. We lived well. They were real Christians. It happened... - And Platon Karataev told a long story about how he went to someone else’s grove behind the forest and was caught by a guard, how he was whipped, tried and handed over to the soldiers. “Well, the falcon,” he said, his voice changing with a smile, “they thought grief, but joy!” My brother should go, if it were not for my sin. And the younger brother has five boys himself - and look, I have only one soldier left. There was a girl, and God took care of her even before she became a soldier. I came on leave, I’ll tell you. I see they live better than before. The yard is full of bellies, women are at home, two brothers are at work. Only Mikhailo, the youngest, is at home. Father says: “All children are equal to me: no matter what finger you bite, everything hurts. If only Plato hadn’t been shaved then, Mikhail would have gone.” He called us all - believe me - he put us in front of the image. Mikhailo, he says, come here, bow at his feet, and you, woman, bow, and your grandchildren bow. Got it? speaks. So, my dear friend. Rock is looking for his head. And we judge everything: sometimes it’s not good, sometimes it’s not okay. Our happiness, my friend, is like water in delirium: if you pull it, it swells, but if you pull it out, there’s nothing. So that. - And Plato sat down on his straw.
After being silent for some time, Plato stood up.
- Well, I have tea, do you want to sleep? - he said and quickly began to cross himself, saying:
- Lord Jesus Christ, Nikola the saint, Frola and Lavra, Lord Jesus Christ, Nikola the saint! Frol and Lavra, Lord Jesus Christ - have mercy and save us! - he concluded, bowed to the ground, stood up and, sighing, sat down on his straw. - That's it. “Put it down, God, like a pebble, lift it up like a ball,” he said and lay down, pulling on his greatcoat.
-What prayer were you reading? asked Pierre.
- Ass? - said Plato (he was already falling asleep). - Read what? I prayed to God. Don't you ever pray?
“No, and I pray,” said Pierre. - But what did you say: Frol and Lavra?
“But what about,” Plato quickly answered, “a horse festival.” And we must feel sorry for the livestock,” Karataev said. - Look, the rogue has curled up. She got warm, the son of a bitch,” he said, feeling the dog at his feet, and, turning around again, immediately fell asleep.
Outside, crying and screams could be heard somewhere in the distance, and fire could be seen through the cracks of the booth; but in the booth it was quiet and dark. Pierre did not sleep for a long time and, with open eyes, lay in his place in the darkness, listening to the measured snoring of Plato, who lay next to him, and felt that the previously destroyed world was now being erected in his soul with new beauty, on some new and unshakable foundations.

In the booth into which Pierre entered and in which he stayed for four weeks, there were twenty-three captured soldiers, three officers and two officials.
All of them then appeared to Pierre as if in a fog, but Platon Karataev remained forever in Pierre’s soul as the strongest and dearest memory and personification of everything Russian, kind and round. When the next day, at dawn, Pierre saw his neighbor, the first impression of something round was completely confirmed: the whole figure of Plato in his French overcoat belted with a rope, in a cap and bast shoes, was round, his head was completely round, his back, chest, shoulders, even the hands that he carried, as if always about to hug something, were round; a pleasant smile and large brown gentle eyes were round.
Platon Karataev must have been over fifty years old, judging by his stories about the campaigns in which he participated as a long-time soldier. He himself did not know and could not determine in any way how old he was; but his teeth, bright white and strong, which kept rolling out in their two semicircles when he laughed (which he often did), were all good and intact; There was not a single gray hair in his beard or hair, and his whole body had the appearance of flexibility and, especially, hardness and endurance.
His face, despite the small round wrinkles, had an expression of innocence and youth; his voice was pleasant and melodious. But the main feature of his speech was its spontaneity and argument. He apparently never thought about what he said and what he would say; and because of this, the speed and fidelity of his intonations had a special irresistible persuasiveness.
His physical strength and agility were such during the first time of captivity that it seemed that he did not understand what fatigue and illness were. Every day, in the morning and in the evening, when he lay down, he said: “Lord, lay it down like a pebble, lift it up into a ball”; in the morning, getting up, always shrugging his shoulders in the same way, he said: “I lay down and curled up, got up and shook myself.” And indeed, as soon as he lay down, he immediately fell asleep like a stone, and as soon as he shook himself, he immediately, without a second of delay, took up some task, like children, getting up, taking up their toys. He knew how to do everything, not very well, but not badly either. He baked, steamed, sewed, planed, and made boots. He was always busy and only at night allowed himself conversations, which he loved, and songs. He sang songs, not as songwriters sing, who know that they are being listened to, but he sang like birds sing, obviously because he needed to make these sounds just as it is necessary to stretch or disperse; and these sounds were always subtle, gentle, almost feminine, mournful, and at the same time his face was very serious.

A piano is an instrument with keys and hammer mechanics, the design of which allows you to extract sounds from strings stretched vertically.

Occasionally one comes across the following opinion: “A piano cannot be higher than 140 centimeters, but a piano, as a rule, can reach a height of 180 centimeters.” No matter the size, a piano is still a piano.

The piano is most often used for chamber performance of piano music, teaching and amateur music-making. Due to its relative compactness, it can be installed in most apartments.

The piano has a wing-shaped body, is mounted on three legs and is located horizontally.

The larger soundboard of the piano produces a louder sound, which makes it indispensable at concerts and in music school classes.

Violin, viola, cello and double bass

The violin is a classical musical instrument, I think almost everyone knows what it (she) looks like. Therefore, we will dance from it.

Although the size of the violins was a discovery for me.
Main size: 4/4 (355-360mm, soundboard (body) size, without neck - a whole violin for the average adult). the smallest 1/16 (230-240mm - from 3 to 5 years). At 3 years old on the violin?!

The viola differs from the violin only in size, the design and shape are the same. A modern viola has a length of 38 to 43 centimeters.
Violin on the left, viola on the right.

Larger violas, 46–47 centimeters (such violas were made by old masters of the Italian schools), are played mainly by solo performers with stronger hands and developed technique.

From jokers on music forums:
“What is the difference between a violin and a viola?
Alto burns longer.
The alto holds more beer.”

A cello has the same structure as a violin or viola, but is much larger in size. When playing, the performer rests the cello on the floor with a spike.
M. Rastropovich.

The principles of playing are the same as on the violin, however, due to the larger size of the instrument and the different position of the player, the technique of playing the cello is more complicated.
Quartet “Apocalyptica” (Finland).

In an orchestral score, the cello part is written between the viola and double bass parts. The cello is an obligatory participant in the string quartet.

The double bass (Italian contrabbasso) is the largest in size (about two meters in height) and the lowest in sound of the widely used bowed string musical instruments.

Modern double basses may have either a fifth string tuned to a counter-octave, or a special mechanism that “extends” the lowest string and allows additional lower sounds to be produced.

The main area of ​​application of the double bass is a symphony orchestra, in which the double bass group plays the most important role as the bass foundation. The double bass is also sometimes used in chamber ensembles, as well as in jazz and related genres.

In rockabilly, a double bass is used instead of a bass guitar, and they almost always play with a slap (strumming the thumb on the strings) - due to the “clicks”, the double bass complements the rhythmic section, and in groups without a drummer, it successfully replaces it.
"Mr. Twister"

If you just want to distinguish them, then remember the main thing: the violin is large and stands on the floor - if it is taller than a person of average height, it is a double bass, if it is shorter, call it a cello.
Quintet “Serenade” (Belarus)
From left to right: violin, violin, double bass, viola and cello.

Accordions, button accordions, accordion.

Let's look at the accordion right away. “In Stirlitz, nothing gave away the Russian intelligence officer, except for his earflaps with a star and the parachute dragging behind his back.”
In Russia, only instruments with a right-hand piano-type keyboard are usually called an accordion.

In the USA, Europe and other countries, it is customary to call all types of hand-held harmonicas accordions, which in turn can have their own names.
For example, they consider the button accordion to be a type of push-button accordion. God is their judge.

The number of keys on the right (piano) keyboard ranges from 41 for a full accordion to 24 for a small accordion, which are mainly used as student instruments. The left keyboard consists of 120 buttons for a full accordion, 6 rows of 20 keys. For small ones, from 72 to 24.
The numbers in the name 34x80 indicate the number of buttons (keys) on the right and left keyboard, respectively. I almost forgot - the sides on the harmonics are determined by the performer, so you can count the number of buttons on the left keyboard on the right half of the photo :)
Full accordion 41x120

Small accordion 26x48

The line between accordion and button accordion is, let’s say, somewhat blurry for me.
But there are several signs that allow you to say - this is definitely an accordion, and this is an iron accordion.

The most common accordion in our time is the two-row “lame”, but there are also three-row instruments and instruments with one row of buttons.
"Khromka" 25x25

In addition to the standard number of 25 keys on the right and left (25x25), harmonicas with both a reduced and an extended range are available in both factory and custom versions. On the left keyboard, the accordion can have a maximum of 31 buttons.

Bayans have a 3- or 5-row right-hand keyboard. In a 5-row keyboard, the first two rows (from the bellows) are auxiliary; they duplicate the notes located in the other three rows

The right keyboard of a concert accordion of the Moscow layout with 3 rows contains 67 buttons, with 5 rows 112 buttons.
5-row button accordion

3-row button accordion

The left keyboard, just like the full accordion, consists of 120 buttons on the full button accordion. The 6th row (with reduced seventh chords) is missing in some button accordions. Minimum 60 keys.
Half button accordions, compared to full button accordions, are smaller in size and more portable and lightweight. were convenient for teaching children.
Children's student accordion 30x30 nevertheless it is a button accordion!

Bayan is an elastic concept (c)

Concertina - better known as the harmonica of coupletists.

Attached to the musician's thumbs or wrists. It has a hexagonal shape and buttons on the ends.
N. Bandurin.

Where would we be without the “canary”.

The bandoneon is similar to a concertina, with the same arrangement of keys at the ends, but larger and always quadrangular in shape.

It was thanks to the bandoneon that Argentine tango music received that piercing, poignant sound that attracts so many fans to it.

Alto(English and Italian viola, French alto, German Bratsche) or violin viola is a string-bowed musical instrument of the same structure as the violin, but somewhat larger in size, which is why it sounds in a lower register. The viola strings are tuned a fifth below the violin strings and an octave above the cello strings - c, g, d1, a1 (C, G of the small octave, D, A of the first octave). The most common range is from c (up to the small octave) to e3 (mi of the third octave); in solo works, higher sounds can be used. Notes are written in alto and treble clefs.

Story

The viola is considered to be the earliest existing bowed instrument. The time of its appearance dates back to the turn of the 15th–16th centuries. The viola was the first instrument that was exactly the shape we are used to seeing. It was designed by Antonio Stradivari.

The ancestor of the viola is considered to be the viola da braccio (Italian: viola da braccio), or viola for the hand. This viol, like today's violins and violas, was held on the left shoulder, unlike the viola da gamba (Italian: viola da gamba), which was held on the knee or between the knees. Over time, the Italian name of the instrument was shortened to simply viola, under which it entered, for example, the English language, or to Bratsche (distorted braccio), which was fixed in German and similar languages.

The design of a modern viola is almost no different from a violin, with the exception of size. The viola does not have a size division like the violin; the size of the viola is measured in millimeters. There are violas from 350 mm (this is less than a whole violin) to 425 mm. The choice of instrument size depends on the length of the performer's arms.

Of the entire violin family, the viola was closest to the viol in size and sound, so it quickly became part of the orchestra as a middle voice and harmoniously joined it. Thus, the viola was a kind of bridge between the fading viol family and the emerging violin instruments.