The violin is just big. Stringed musical instruments. Components and types of modern violins

Basic information, structure Viola or violin viola is a stringed, bowed musical instrument of the same structure as a violin, but somewhat larger in size, which is why it sounds in a lower register. Viola names in other languages: viola (Italian); viola (English); alto (French); bratsche (German); alttoviulu (Finnish). The viola strings are tuned a fifth below the violin strings and an octave above the cello strings.

Basic information, origin Apkhyartsa or Apkhyartsa is a stringed musical instrument, one of the main folk musical instruments of the Abkhaz-Adyghe peoples. The name "apkh'artsa" in its origin is associated with the military life of the people and goes back to the word "apkh'artsaga", which translated into Russian means "that by which one is encouraged to go forward." Abkhazians use singing accompanied by apkhartsa as a healing remedy. Under

Basic information Arpeggione (Italian arpeggione) or guitar-cello, guitar of love is a stringed bowed musical instrument. It is close to the cello in size and method of sound production, but, like the guitar, it has six strings and frets on the neck. The German name for the arpeggione is Liebes-Guitarre, the French name is Guitarre d’amour. Origin, history The Arpeggione was designed in 1823 by the Viennese master Johann Georg Stauffer; a little

Basic information, origin Banhu is a Chinese stringed musical instrument, a type of huqin. The traditional banhu was used primarily as an accompanying instrument in northern Chinese musical drama, northern and southern Chinese operas, or as a solo instrument and in ensembles. In the 20th century, the banhu began to be used as an orchestral instrument. There are three types of banhu - high, medium and

Basic information, history, types of viols Viola (Italian viola) is an ancient stringed musical instrument of various types. Viols form a family of ancient stringed bowed musical instruments with frets on the fingerboard. Violas developed from the Spanish vihuela. Viols were widely used in church, court and folk music. In the 16th-18th centuries, the tenor instrument became especially widespread as a solo, ensemble and orchestral instrument.

Basic information Viola d'amore (Italian viola d'amore - viola of love) is an ancient stringed musical instrument of the viol family. The viola d'amore was widely used from the end of the 17th to the beginning of the 19th century, then gave way to the viola and cello. Interest in the viola d'amore was revived at the beginning of the 20th century. The instrument has six or seven strings, on the earliest models -

Basic information Viola da gamba (Italian viola da gamba - foot viol) is an ancient stringed musical instrument of the viol family, close in size and range to the modern cello. The viola da gamba was played sitting down, holding the instrument between the legs or resting it sideways on the thigh - hence the name. Of the entire viol family, the viola da gamba is the longest of all instruments.

Basic information, structure, playing The cello is a stringed musical instrument of the bass and tenor register, known since the first half of the 16th century. The cello is widely used as a solo instrument, a group of cellos is used in string and symphony orchestras, the cello is an obligatory participant in a string quartet, in which it is the lowest sounding instrument, and is also often used in other compositions

Basic information Gadulka is a Bulgarian folk stringed musical instrument used to accompany dances or songs and has a special soft harmonic sound. Origin, history The origin of the gadulka is associated with the Persian kamancha, Arab rebab and medieval European rebek. The shape of the body and sound holes of the gadulka is very similar to the so-called armudi kemenche (also known as the Constantinople lyre,

Basic information Gidzhak (gydzhak) is a stringed musical instrument of the peoples of Central Asia (Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Turkmen). Gijak has a spherical body and is made of pumpkin, large nut, wood or other materials. Covered in leather. The number of gijak strings is variable, most often - three. The tuning of a three-string gijak is fourth, usually es1, as1, des2 (E-flat, A-flat of the first octave, D-flat of the second octave).

Basic information Gudok is a bowed string musical instrument. The most common whistle was in the 17th-19th centuries among buffoons. The horn has a hollowed-out wooden body, usually oval or pear-shaped, and a flat soundboard with sound holes. The neck of the buzzer has a short neck without frets holding 3 or 4 strings. You can play the buzzer by installing it

Basic information Jouhikko (youhikannel, jouhikantele) is an ancient Finnish stringed musical instrument. Similar to the 4-string Estonian hiyukannel. Jouhikko has a hollowed out birch body in a boat-shaped or other shaped shape, covered with a spruce or pine soundboard with resonator holes, and a side cutout that forms the handle. There are usually 2-4 strings. As a rule, the strings are hair or gut. The tuning of the jouhikko is quart or quart-fifth. During

Basic information Kemenche is a folk stringed musical instrument, akin to the Arabic rebab, medieval European rebec, French pochette, and Bulgarian gadulka. Pronunciation options and synonyms: kemendzhe, kemendzhesi, kemencha, kemancha, kyamancha, kemendzes, kementsia, keman, lira, pontiac lira. Video: Kemenche on video + sound Thanks to these videos you can get acquainted with the instrument, watch a real game on it, listen to it

Basic information Kobyz is a Kazakh national stringed musical instrument. The kobyz does not have a top board and consists of a hollowed-out, bubble-covered hemisphere, with a handle attached to it at the top and an outlet at the bottom to secure the stand. The strings tied to the kobyz, two in number, are woven from horse hair. They play the kobyz, squeezing it in their knees (like a cello),

Basic information The double bass is the largest stringed musical instrument, combining the features of the violin family and the viol family. The modern double bass has four strings, although double basses of the 17th and 18th centuries may have had three strings. The double bass has a thick, hoarse, but somewhat dull timbre, which is why it is rarely used as a solo instrument. Its main area of ​​application is a symphony orchestra,

Basic information Morin khuur is a stringed musical instrument of Mongolian origin. Morin khuur is widespread in Mongolia, regionally in northern China (primarily the Inner Mongolia region) and Russia (in Buryatia, Tuva, Irkutsk region and Trans-Baikal Territory). In China, the morin khuur is called matouqin, which means “horse-headed instrument.” Origin, history One of the Mongolian legends attributes

Basics The Nyckelharpa is a traditional Swedish bowed string instrument that has several modifications as it has evolved over more than 600 years. In Swedish, "nyckel" means key. The word "harpa" usually refers to stringed instruments like the guitar or violin. The nyckelharpa is sometimes called the "Swedish keyboard violin". The very first evidence of the use of nykelharpa is considered to be an image of two musicians playing this instrument,

Basic information, structure Rabanastre is an Indian stringed musical instrument, related to the Chinese erhu and distantly to the Mongolian morin khuur. Rabanastre has a small cylindrical wooden body, covered with a leather soundboard (most often made of snakeskin). A long neck in the form of a wooden rod passes through the body, with pegs attached near the upper end of it. The rabanastrum has two strings. Usually the strings are silk

Basic information Rebab is a stringed musical instrument of Arabic origin. The word "rebab" in Arabic means combining short sounds into one long one. The body of the rebab is wooden, flat or convex, trapezoidal or heart-shaped, with small notches on the sides. The sides are made of wood or coconut, the soundboards are made of leather (from the intestines of a buffalo or the bladder of other animals). The neck is long,

Basic information, structure, origin Rebek is an ancient stringed musical instrument. The rebek consists of a pear-shaped wooden body (without shells). The upper tapering part of the body of which passes directly into the neck. There are 2 resonator holes in the soundboard. The rebec has 3 strings that are tuned in fifths. Rebec appeared in Western European countries around the 12th century. Applied until the 3rd quarter

Basic information The violin is a high-register stringed musical instrument. Violins have a leading place among bowed strings - the most important part of a modern symphony orchestra. Perhaps no other instrument has such a combination of beauty, expressiveness of sound and technical agility. In an orchestra, the violin performs various and multifaceted functions. Very often violins, due to their exceptional melodiousness, are used for

Violin- an artifact in the world of music, it is a real magic wand. Everyone knows the violin. When remembering it, no one starts arguing like they do about other strings: “And the cello, is it such a big one? Or a bigger double bass? What kind of violina then?”

Everyone knows what a violin is and what it looks like. But this is only if you are not going to play on it. But if you are going, you will have to learn much more about it, because violins are very, very different.

So, the violin is a high-register bowed string instrument, considered primarily intended for solo parts. It has an ancient history and received its modern appearance in the 16th century. Violins have always been made by violin makers; today the works of Stradivarius and Guarneri are highly valued.

The instrument has four strings in fifths g, d1, a1, e2, (there are five strings, c - “to” of the small octave). The timbre of the instrument is thick in the low register, soft in the middle and brilliant in the upper.

Components and types of modern violins

The body has a pear-shaped shape, calculated strictly mathematically.

Hull decks– the upper and lower ones are connected by shells. They form the arches of the violin, their thickness and shape are important for the strength and timbre of the sound. The higher the hardwood shells, the duller and softer the sound; the lower, the more piercing and weightless the top notes.

The corners on the shells are needed to position the bow. The body contains a damper that transmits vibrations from the stand through the upper soundboard to the lower one, making the violin sound thick and clear.

The back is made from a whole piece or two identical halves of hardwood. The upper half is made of spruce, and has resonator holes - f-holes. A stand for strings is fixed in the middle of the soundboard; a spring, a bar, is attached under it, thanks to which the upper soundboard resonates better.

The strength and sound depend very much on the material and less on the composition of the varnish for the instrument. Varnish plays a big role in protecting the instrument from the external environment, and gives it colors from golden to nutty.

Underneck holds the strings, was previously made of mahogany or ebony, now often made of plastics or alloys. The neck has a loop and four loops for strings. Nowadays, lever-screw mechanisms are often installed in the hole, which facilitate adjustment.

The violin also includes a loop made of thick string or wire, and a button, the top of the peg, which holds the neck and can withstand a load of about 24 kg.

The stand provides support for the strings and transmits vibrations from the strings to the soundboards, so its location determines the sound - if it is closer to the neck, the sound is duller, and further away - brighter.

Vulture consists of a whole shelf of hard wood (black ebony or rosewood), curved so that the bow does not catch other strings when playing.

Threshold- a wooden plate into which strings are inserted.

Neck- a semicircular part by which the performer holds the violin. The tuning box is the part of the neck where there are two pairs of tuning pegs that tune the strings.

They must be lubricated with lapping paste. The curl is the decoration of the violin, the “trademark” of the master.

Strings: 1st - E of the second octave, sounds ringing and brilliant, 2nd - A of the first octave, soft sound, 3rd - D of the first octave, soft matte timbre, 4th - G of the small octave, thick sound.

Accessories

A bow, a wooden cane with a block and horsetail hair with scales. The chin rest is a device for holding the violin. Bridge - a plate for holding the violin on the collarbone.

The violin also comes with a “jammer”, thanks to which the violin barely sounds - audible to the performer and inaudible to others (for studying), as well as a machine - a tool for tuning, which depends on the size of the violin.

Types of violins

Violins are:

• Acoustic. In other words, this is an ordinary wooden violin, which sounds thanks to the body and its features.

  An acoustic violin is designed to be played in an orchestra or solo.

  This is the best option for learning to play the violin, because only on a natural instrument can you learn to fully produce sounds; this is impossible on other types of violin.

  Only after full training in playing the acoustic violin can you play other instruments.

• Electric violin . Its sound differs in material - steel, ferromagnet, electromagnet, as well as piezoelectric or magnetic pickups.

  The electronic violin is very similar to the traditional violin, but its sound is sharper and closer to synthetic, this can be easily understood by listening to Vanessa May or Lindsey Stirling.

  A violin can have up to 10 strings and a resonating or framed body. Unfortunately, the violin is not suitable for an orchestra; it will stand out in sound and will not provide a pure and unique sound.

• Semi-acoustic violin – combining cabinet sound and pickups.

There are also craftsman, factory or factory violins.

Craftsman ones are very expensive and made for a specific musician, factory ones are old ones, made by hand by craftsmen of small factories before the 20th century, and factory ones are the basic option for any musician - they can sound no worse than original ones, but have no material value.

Violin - main dimensions

The size of the violins depends on the length of the player's hand. So, the violin – main dimensions:

• 4/4 – four quarters (whole) – the largest violin, intended for the oldest school students and adults. A 4/4 violin in Chisinau is purchased mainly for confident playing of the instrument.
• 1/2 – one half (half) – for children 9–10 years old, as well as for younger but tall ones.
• 3/4 - three-quarters (three-quarter) - something between (1/2) and (4/4), for children about 12-15 years old, but this is an optional option, you can move from a half to a whole violin at once.
• 1/4 – one quarter (quarter) – for ages 4 to 9 years.
• 1/8 and 1/16 (eighth and sixteenth) - for the little ones. Children's violin 1/8 in Moldova is in consistently high demand; this size is mainly purchased for children who are still in the process of learning.
• 7/8 - a little more than three-quarter, usually the violins of the famous masters Amati and Stradivari had this size.

It is impossible to extract high-quality sound from a small violin, because they are intended for study. To understand what size violin a musician needs, you need to measure the length from the bottom of the scroll to the soundboard (excluding the “button” on which the neck is attached.

Let's look at the table data:

Using this table you can select the approximate size of the tool.

You can select a violin bow using the following parameters:

Mostly all adults play full-size violins. The most important thing in choosing is to make sure that you are comfortable playing the instrument, so that the fourth finger fits comfortably into intonation.

A violin is a living being, with character, emotions and soul. Her voice is able to play on the strings of our soul and make them thinner, opening up new, previously unknown depths in them. You can purchase these wonderful tools on our website.

In our store we have available violins of different sizes, including a teaching instrument for the little ones. The price of violins in Moldova in our store fully corresponds to the declared high quality!

In our online store you can. We have the lowest prices for violins in Chisinau. Acoustic violins 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 3/4, 4/4 available. Delivery is carried out throughout the country.

Parents planning to send their child to music school, as well as all art lovers, need to know that the instruments they play are divided into several types. Electrical devices, such as a synthesizer, stand apart. Wind instruments sound by oscillating air in a hollow tube. When playing the keyboard, you need to activate the hammer, which strikes the string. This is usually done using finger pressure.

Violin and its variants

There are two types of string instruments:

• bowed;
• plucked

They are very popular among music lovers. Bowed instruments often play the main melodies in orchestral pieces and symphonies. They acquired their modern appearance quite late. The violin replaced the ancient viol only in the 17th century. The rest of the bowed strings were formed even later. In addition to the classical violin, there are other varieties of this instrument. For example, baroque. Bach's works are often performed on it. There is also a national Indian violin. Folk music is played on it. In the folklore of many ethnic groups there is a sounding object similar to a violin.

Main group of the symphony orchestra

String instruments are very popular all over the world. Their names are:

• violin;
• alto;
• cello;
• double bass

These instruments make up the string section of a symphony orchestra. The most popular of them is the violin. It is she who attracts many children who want to learn music. This is logical, because there are more violins in the orchestra than other instruments. Therefore, art needs specialists of the appropriate profile.

String instruments, the names of which are listed here, were formed in parallel. They developed in two directions.

1. Appearance and physical and acoustic properties.
2. Musical abilities: melody or bass performance, technical agility.

Antonio Stradivari

In both cases, the violin was ahead of its “colleagues”. The heyday of this instrument was the 17th and 18th centuries. It was at this time that the great master Antonio Stradivari worked. He was a student of Nicolo Amati. When Stradivari began to learn the profession, the shape and components of the violin were already formed. The size of the instrument was also established, convenient for the musician. Stradivarius contributed to the development of art. He focused on the material from which the body is made and the composition covering it. The master made musical instruments by hand. The violin was an exclusive item at that time. Only court musicians played it. They often made individual orders. Stradivari knew the requirements and preferences of all leading violinists. The master paid a lot of attention to the material from which he made the instrument. He often used used wood. There is a legend that Stradivari tapped fences with a cane while walking. If he liked the sound, then the students, at the command of Signor Antonio, broke out suitable boards.

Secrets of the master

Stringed instruments are coated with a special varnish. Stradivari developed a special composition, which he kept secret. He was afraid of competitors. Researchers have established that the master coated the body with oil to prime wooden boards, which was used by painters of that time. Stradivari also added various natural dyes to the composition. They gave the instrument not only an original color, but also a beautiful sound. Today violins are coated with alcohol varnishes.

String instruments developed very intensively. In the 17th and 18th centuries, virtuoso violinists worked at aristocratic courts. They composed music for their instrument. Such a virtuoso was Antonio Vivaldi. The violin developed as a solo instrument. She acquired unprecedented technical capabilities. The violin could play beautiful melodies, brilliant passages and even polyphonic chords.

Sound features

String instruments were often used in orchestral works. Composers used such a property of violins as continuity of sound. A smooth transition between notes is possible by moving the bow along the strings. The violin sound, unlike the piano sound, does not fade. It can be strengthened or weakened by adjusting the bow pressure. Therefore, the strings were assigned to play long-sounding melodies at different volume levels.

Musical instruments of this group have approximately the same properties. The viola, cello and double bass are very similar to the violin. They differ in size, timbre and register.

The viola is larger than the violin. It is played with a bow, pressing the instrument with the chin to the shoulder. Because the viola's strings are thicker than those of the violin, it has a different range. The instrument is capable of low sounds. He often plays accompanying melodies and backing notes. The large size interferes with the viola's mobility. He cannot master rapid virtuoso passages.

Bow giants

Music under current

Harrison was an electric guitar virtuoso. This instrument does not have a hollow resonator body. Vibrations of metal strings are converted into electric current, which is then transformed into sound waves perceived by the ear. The performer can change the timbre of his instrument using special devices.

There is another type of electric guitar that is widely popular. It sounds exclusively in the low range. This is a bass guitar. It has four thick strings. The function of an instrument in an ensemble is to support a strong bass support.

Welcome to a brief overview of the musical instruments of a symphony orchestra.

If you are just starting to get acquainted with classical music, then perhaps you do not yet know what musical instruments the members of the symphony orchestra play. This article will help you. Descriptions, images and sound samples of the main musical instruments of the orchestra will introduce you to the huge variety of sounds produced by the orchestra.

Preface

The musical symphonic tale "Peter and the Wolf" was written in 1936 for the new Moscow Central Children's Theater (now the Russian Academic Youth Theater). This is the story of the pioneer Pete, who shows courage and ingenuity, saves his friends and captures the wolf. From the moment of its creation to the present day, the piece has enjoyed undiminished worldwide popularity among both the younger generation and experienced classical music lovers. This play will help us identify different instruments, because... each character in it is represented by a certain instrument and a separate motive: for example, Petya - string instruments (mainly violins), Birdie - flute in a high register, Duck - oboe, Grandfather - bassoon, Cat - clarinet, Wolf - horn. After familiarizing yourself with the presented instruments, listen to this piece again and try to remember how each instrument sounds.

Sergei Prokofiev: "Peter and the Wolf"

Bowed string instruments.

All bowed string instruments consist of vibrating strings stretched over a resonating wooden body (soundboard). To produce sound, a horsehair bow is used, clamping the strings in different positions on the fingerboard to produce sounds of different pitches. The family of bowed string instruments is the largest in the lineup, grouped into a huge section with musicians playing the same line of music.

A 4-string bowed instrument, the highest sounding in its family and the most important in the orchestra. The violin has such a combination of beauty and expressiveness of sound as, perhaps, no other instrument. But violinists often have a reputation for being nervous and scandalous people.

Felix Mendelssohn Violin Concerto

Alto - in appearance it is a copy of a violin, only slightly larger, which is why it sounds in a lower register and is a little more difficult to play than a violin. According to established tradition, the viola is assigned an auxiliary role in the orchestra. Violists are often the target of jokes and anecdotes in the musical community. There were three sons in the family - two smart, and the third was a violist... P.S. Some people believe that the viola is an improved version of the violin.

Robert Schumann "Fairy Tales" for viola and piano

Cello- a large violin that is played while sitting, holding the instrument between the knees and resting its spire on the floor. The cello has a rich low sound, wide expressive abilities and a detailed performance technique. The performing qualities of the cello won the hearts of a huge number of fans.

Dmitri Shostakovich Sonata for cello and piano

Double bass- the lowest in sound and the largest in size (up to 2 meters) among the family of bowed string instruments. Double bass players must stand or sit on a high stool to reach the top of the instrument. The double bass has a thick, hoarse and somewhat dull timbre and is the bass foundation of the entire orchestra.

Dmitri Shostakovich Sonata for cello and piano (see cello)

Woodwind instruments.

A large family of various instruments, not necessarily made of wood. Sound is generated by the vibration of air passing through the instrument. Pressing the keys shortens/lengthens the air column and changes the pitch of the sound. Each instrument usually has its own solo line, although it can be performed by several musicians.

The main instruments of the woodwind family.

- modern flutes are very rarely made of wood, more often of metal (including precious metals), sometimes of plastic and glass. The flute is held horizontally. The flute is one of the highest sounding instruments in the orchestra. The most virtuoso and technically agile instrument in the wind family, thanks to these advantages she is often assigned orchestral solos.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Flute Concerto No. 1

Oboe-a melodic instrument with a range lower than that of a flute. Slightly conical in shape, the oboe has a melodious, but somewhat nasal timbre, and even sharp in the upper register. It is primarily used as an orchestral solo instrument. Because oboists must contort their faces while playing, they are sometimes perceived as abnormal people.

Vincenzo Bellini Concerto for oboe and orchestra

Clarinet- Comes in several sizes, depending on the required pitch. The clarinet uses only one reed (reed), and not double like a flute or bassoon. The clarinet has a wide range, warm, soft timbre and provides the performer with wide expressive possibilities.
Check yourself: Karl stole corals from Clara, and Clara stole a clarinet from Karl.

Carl Maria von Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 1

The lowest sounding woodwind instrument, used both for the bass line and as an alternative melody instrument. There are usually three or four bassoons in an orchestra. Due to its size, the bassoon is more difficult to play than other instruments in this family.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Bassoon Concerto

Brass instruments.

The loudest group of instruments in a symphony orchestra, the principle of producing sounds is the same as that of woodwind instruments - “press and blow”. Each instrument plays its own solo line - there is a lot of material. At different eras of its history, the symphony orchestra changed groups of instruments in its composition; a certain decline in interest in wind instruments occurred in the era of romanticism; in the 20th century, new performing possibilities for brass instruments opened up and their repertoire expanded significantly.

Horn (horn)- originally derived from the hunting horn, the horn can be soft and expressive or harsh and raspy. Typically, an orchestra uses from 2 to 8 horns, depending on the piece.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade

An instrument with a high clear sound, very suitable for fanfares. Like the clarinet, the trumpet can come in different sizes, each with its own timbre. Distinguished by its great technical agility, the trumpet brilliantly fulfills its role in the orchestra; it can perform wide, bright timbres and long melodic phrases.

Joseph Haydn Concerto for trumpet

Performs more of a bass line than a melodic line. It differs from other brass instruments by the presence of a special movable U-shaped tube - a backstage, by moving which back and forth the musician changes the sound of the instrument.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Trombone Concerto

Percussion musical instruments.

The oldest and most numerous among groups of musical instruments. Often the drums are affectionately called the “kitchen” of the orchestra, and the performers are called “jack of all trades.” The musicians treat percussion instruments quite harshly: they hit them with sticks, hit each other, shake them - and all this in order to set the rhythm of the orchestra, as well as to give color and originality to the music. Sometimes a car horn or a device that imitates wind noise (aeoliphone) is added to the drums. Let's consider only two percussion instruments:

- a hemispherical metal body covered with a leather membrane, timpani can sound very loud or, conversely, softly, like a distant rumble of thunder; sticks with heads made of different materials are used to produce different sounds: wood, felt, leather. An orchestra usually has two to five timpani players, and it is very interesting to watch the timpani players play.

Johann Sabastian Bach Toccata and Fugue

Plates (pairs)- convex round metal discs of different sizes and with an indefinite pitch. As noted, a symphony can last ninety minutes, and you only have to hit the cymbals once; imagine the responsibility for the exact result.

Musical instrument: Violin

The violin is one of the most refined and sophisticated musical instruments, with a charming melodious timbre very similar to the human voice, but at the same time very expressive and virtuosic. It is no coincidence that the violin is given the role of “ orchestra queens».

The voice of a violin is similar to a human one; the verbs “sings” and “cries” are often used to describe it. It can bring tears of joy and sadness. The violinist plays on the strings of the soul of his listeners, acting through the strings of his powerful assistant. There is a belief that the sounds of a violin stop time and take you to another dimension.

History violins and read many interesting facts about this musical instrument on our page.

Sound

Expressive singing of the violin can convey the thoughts of the composer and the feelings of the characters operas And ballet more accurate and complete than all other tools. Juicy, soulful, elegant and assertive at the same time, the sound of the violin is the basis of any work where at least one of this instruments is used.

The timbre of the sound is determined by the quality of the instrument, the skill of the performer and the choice of strings. The bass ones are distinguished by a thick, rich, slightly strict and harsh sound. The middle strings have a soft, soulful sound, as if velvety, matte. The upper register sounds bright, sunny, ringing. The musical instrument and performer have the ability to modify these sounds, add variety and an additional palette.

Photo:

Interesting Facts

• In 2003, Athira Krishna from India played the violin continuously for 32 hours as part of a festival in the city of Trivandrum, as a result of which he entered the Guinness Book of Records.
• Playing the violin burns about 170 calories per hour.
• Inventor of roller skates, Joseph Merlin, Belgian manufacturer of musical instruments. To introduce a new product, skates with metal wheels, he entered a costume ball in London in 1760, while playing the violin. The audience enthusiastically greeted the graceful gliding across the parquet to the accompaniment of a beautiful instrument. Inspired by success, the 25-year-old inventor began to spin faster, and at full speed crashed into an expensive mirror, breaking it into pieces, a violin and seriously injuring himself. There were no brakes on his skates then.

• In January 2007, the United States decided to conduct an experiment in which one of the brightest violin music performers, Joshua Bell, took part. The virtuoso went down to the subway and, like an ordinary street musician, played the Stradivarius violin for 45 minutes. Unfortunately, I had to admit that passers-by were not particularly interested in the brilliant playing of the violinist; everyone was driven on by the bustle of the big city. Only seven out of a thousand who passed during this time paid attention to the famous musician and another 20 threw money.In total, $32 was earned during this time. Joshua Bell's concerts typically sell out, with an average ticket price of $100.
• The largest ensemble of young violinists gathered at the stadium in Changhua (Taiwan) in 2011 and consisted of 4,645 school students aged 7 to 15 years.
• Until 1750, violin strings were made from sheep intestines. The method was first proposed by the Italians.
• The first work for violin was created at the end of 1620 by the composer Marini. It was called “Romanesca per violino solo e basso.”
• Violinists and violin makers often try to create tiny instruments. So, in the south of China in the city of Guangzhou, a mini-violin was made, only 1 cm long. It took the master 7 years to complete this creation. Scotsman David Edwards, who played in the national orchestra, made a violin 1.5 cm long. Eric Meisner in 1973 created an instrument with a melodic sound 4.1 cm long.

• There are craftsmen in the world who make stone violins that are not inferior in sound to their wooden counterparts. In Sweden, sculptor Lars Wiedenfalk, while decorating the facade of a building with diabase blocks, came up with the idea to make a violin from this stone, because surprisingly melodic sounds came out from under the chisel and hammer. He named his stone fiddle "Blackbird". The product turned out to be surprisingly jewelry-the thickness of the walls of the resonator box does not exceed 2.5 mm, the weight of the violin is 2 kg. In the Czech Republic, Jan Roerich made instruments from marble.
• When writing the famous “Mona Lisa,” Leonardo da Vinci invited musicians to play strings, including the violin. At the same time, the music was different in character and timbre. Many consider the ambiguity of Gioconda’s smile (“the smile of either an angel or the devil”) to be a consequence of the variety of musical accompaniment.
• The violin stimulates the brain. This fact has been confirmed more than once by famous scientists who knew how and enjoyed playing the violin. For example, Einstein played this instrument masterfully from the age of six. Even the famous Sherlock Holmes (collective image) always used its sounds when he was thinking about a complex problem.

• Caprices are considered one of the most difficult pieces to perform. Nicolo Paganini and his other works, concerts Brahms , Tchaikovsky , Sibelius . And also the most mystical work - “ Devil's Sonata "(1713) G. Tartini, who was himself a virtuoso violinist,
• Guarneri and Stradivarius violins are considered the most valuable in monetary terms. The highest price was paid for a Guarneri violin "Vietang" in 2010. It was sold at auction in Chicago for $18,000,000. The most expensive Stradivarius violin is considered to be the “Lady Blunt”, and it was sold for almost 16 million dollars in 2011.
• The largest violin in the world was created in Germany. Its length is 4.2 meters, width 1.4 meters, bow length 5.2 meters. It is played by three people. This unique creation was created by craftsmen from Vogtland. This musical instrument is a scale copy of Johann Georg II Schonfelder's violin, which was made at the end of the eighteenth century.
• A violin bow usually has 150-200 hairs, which can be made of horsehair or nylon.
• The price of some bows reaches tens of thousands of dollars at auctions. The most expensive bow is considered to be the work of master François Xavier Tourte, which is estimated at approximately $200,000.
• Vanessa Mae is recognized as the youngest violinist to record violin concertos by Tchaikovsky And Beethoven at the age of 13. Vanessa-Mae made her debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 10 in 1989. At the age of 11, she became the youngest student at the Royal College of Music.

• Episode from the opera " The Tale of Tsar Saltan » Rimsky-Korsakov “Flight of the Bumblebee” is technically difficult to perform and is played at high speed. Violinists all over the world organize competitions to see how fast they can perform this piece. So in 2007, D. Garrett entered the Guinness Book of Records, performing it in 1 minute and 6.56 seconds. Since then, many performers have been trying to overtake him and get the title of “the fastest violinist in the world.” Some were able to perform this piece faster, but at the same time it greatly lost in quality. For example, the Discovery channel considers the British Ben Lee, who performed “Flight of the Bumblebee” in 58.51 seconds, not only the fastest violinist, but also the fastest person in the world.

Popular works for violin

Camille Saint-Saëns - Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (listen)

Antonio Vivaldi: "The Seasons" - Summer Storm (listen)

Antonio Bazzini - "Round Dance of the Dwarves" (listen)

P.I. Tchaikovsky - "Waltz-Scherzo" (listen)

Jules Masne - "Meditation" (listen)

Maurice Ravel - "Gypsy" (listen)

I.S. Bach - "Chaconne" from partita d minor (listen)

Application and repertoire of the violin

Thanks to its varied timbre, the violin is used to convey different moods and characters. In a modern symphony orchestra, these instruments occupy almost a third of the composition. The violins in the orchestra are divided into 2 groups: one plays the upper voice or melody, the other plays the lower voice or accompanies. They are called first and second violins.

This musical instrument sounds great both in chamber ensembles and in solo performance. The violin easily harmonizes with wind instruments, piano and other strings. The most common of the ensembles is the string quartet, which includes 2 violins, cello And alto . A huge number of works from different eras and styles were written for the quartet.

Almost all brilliant composers did not ignore the violin; they composed concertos for violin and orchestra Mozart , Vivaldi, Chaikovsky , Brahms, Dvorak , Khachaturian, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens , Kreisler, Wieniawski and many others. The violin was also trusted with solo parts in concerts for several instruments. For example, at Bach is a concerto for violin, oboe and string ensemble, and Beethoven wrote a triple concerto for violin, cello, piano and orchestra.

In the 20th century, the violin began to be used in various modern styles of music. The earliest mentions of the use of the violin as a solo instrument in jazz are documented in the first decades of the 20th century. One of the first jazz violinists was Joe Venuti, who performed with famous guitarist Eddie Lang.

The violin is assembled from more than 70 different wooden parts, but the main difficulty in manufacturing lies in the bending and processing of the wood. One piece can contain up to 6 different types of wood, and the craftsmen constantly experimented, using new options - poplar, pear, acacia, walnut. The best material is considered to be wood that grew in the mountains, due to its resistance to changes in temperature and moisture. Strings are made of veins, silk or metal. Most often the master makes:

1. Resonant spruce top.
2. Neck, back, scroll made of maple.
3. Hoops made of coniferous, alder, linden, mahogany.
4. Coniferous patches.
5. Ebony neck.
6. Chinrest, pegs, button, rest made of boxwood, ebony or rosewood.

Sometimes the master uses other types of wood or changes the options presented above at his discretion. The classical orchestral violin has 4 strings: from the “basque” (G of the small octave) to the “fifth” (E of the second octave). Some models may add a fifth alto string.

Different schools of craftsmen are identified by klotz, hoops and curls. The curl especially stands out. It can be figuratively called “the author’s painting.”

The varnish with which wooden parts are coated is of considerable importance. It gives the product a shade ranging from golden to very dark with a reddish or brown tint. The varnish determines how long the instrument will “live” and whether its sound will remain unchanged.

Do you know that the violin is shrouded in many legends and myths? Even at the music school, children are told an old legend about the Cremonese master and wizard. For a long time they tried to unravel the secret of the sound of the instruments of famous Italian masters. It is believed that the answer lies in a special coating - varnish, which was even washed off a Stradivarius violin to prove this, but all in vain.

The violin is usually played with a bow, except for pizzicato, which is performed by plucking the string. The bow has a wooden base and horsehair stretched tightly over it, which is rubbed with rosin before playing. It is usually 75 cm long and weighs 60 grams.

Currently, you can find several types of this instrument - a wooden (acoustic) and an electric violin, the sound of which we hear thanks to a special amplifier. One thing remains unchanged - the surprisingly soft, melodious sound of this musical instrument, mesmerizing with its beauty and melody.

Dimensions

In addition to the standard full-size whole violin (4/4), there are smaller instruments available for children to learn. The violin “grows” with the student. They begin training with the smallest violins (1/32, 1/16, 1/8), the length of which is 32-43 cm.

Dimensions of a complete violin: length - 60 cm. Body length - 35.5 cm, weight about 300 - 400 grams.

Techniques for playing the violin

The violin vibration is famous, which penetrates the soul of listeners with a rich wave of sound. The musician can only slightly raise and lower the sounds, introducing even greater variety and breadth of the sound palette into the musical range. The glissando technique is also known; this style of playing allows the use of the absence of frets on the neck.

By not pressing the string too hard, just touching it, the violinist produces original cold, whistling sounds, reminiscent of the sound of a flute (flajolet). There are harmonics that involve 2 fingers of the performer, placed a fourth or fifth from each other; they are especially difficult to perform. The highest category of skill is considered to be the performance of harmonics at a fast pace.

Violinists also use the following interesting playing techniques:

• Col Legno - striking the strings with a bow cane. This technique is used in "Dance of Death" by Saint-Saëns to simulate the sound of dancing skeletons.
• Sul ponticello - playing with a bow on a stand gives an ominous, hissing sound characteristic of negative characters.
• Sul tasto - playing with a bow on the fingerboard. Produces a gentle, ethereal sound.
• Ricochet - performed by throwing the bow onto the string with a free rebound.

Another technique is to use a mute. This is a comb made of wood or metal that reduces string vibration. Thanks to the mute, the violin produces soft, muffled sounds. A similar technique is often used to perform lyrical, emotional moments.

On the violin you can play double notes, chords, and perform polyphonic works, but most often its many-sided voice is used for solo parts, since the huge variety of sounds and their shades is its main advantage.

History of the violin

Until recently, it was generally accepted that the ancestor of the violin viola , however, it has been proven that these are two completely different tools. Their development in the XIV-XV centuries proceeded in parallel. If the viola belonged to the aristocratic class, then the violin came from the people. It was mainly played by peasants, traveling artists, and minstrels.

This unusually diverse sounding instrument can be called its predecessors: the Indian lyre, the Polish violin (rebeka), the Russian violin, the Arab rebab, the British mole, the Kazakh kobyz, and the Spanish fidel. All of these instruments could be the progenitors of the violin, since each of them served as the origin of the string family and endowed them with its own merits.

The introduction of the violin into high society and its inclusion as an aristocratic instrument began in 1560, when Charles IX ordered 24 violins from the string maker Amati for his palace musicians. One of them has survived to this day. This is the oldest violin in the world, it is called “Charles IX”.

The creation of violins in the form in which we see them now is disputed by two houses: Andrea Amati and Gasparo de Solo. Some sources claim that the palm should be given to Gasparo Bertolotti (Amati's teacher), whose musical instruments were later perfected by the house of Amati. All that is known for certain is that this happened in Italy in the 16th century. Their successors a little later were Guarneri and Stradivari, who slightly increased the size of the violin body and made larger holes (f-holes) for a more powerful sound of the instrument.

At the end of the 17th century, the British tried to add frets to the design of the violin and created a school for teaching how to play a similar instrument. However, due to a significant loss in sound, this idea was quickly abandoned. The most ardent supporters of the free style of playing with a clean fingerboard were virtuoso violinists: Paganini, Lolli, Tartini and most composers, especially Vivaldi.

Violin