The classical violin
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
What's that then?
The Violins hourglass-shaped body is made up of several pieces of wood. The top and bottom of the box are carved and are fairly thick; the sides are thin pieces which are steamed and bent to a form, then allowed to dry until the form keeps. There is a 'sound post' which connects the back and front of the violin, this spreads the vibrations of the Violin evenly creating a good tone, It also helps keep the structure sound.
Affixed to the body is the neck of the instrument which leads to the tuning pegs. the strings are wound here, (with goggles and in the company of an adult). The violin ends in a wooden flourish called the scroll, (which looks like a botched attempt at ending a violin, but the design has stuck). The fingerboard, usually made of ebony, is glued to the neck, this is where the left hand rests. the other end of the strings rests over the wooden bridge which is held to the body by the tension of the strings (another saftey risk) the strings attach to the tailpiece past the bridge. at the rear left quarter of the body is the chin rest, where one would rest the chin.
Strings and tunes
The strings themselves were origionaly of pig's gut, but today theese strings are too expensive for most players. modern strings are made with cores made from steel titanium or nylon (or much anything else) and often have steel coating.
The main sounds on a violin are produced in three different ways:
arco. the drawing at right angles of a wooden bow which is strung with horse hairs, theis friction (aided by the aplication of rosin (tree sap)) vibrates the strings rapidly
pizicato through the plucking of the strings with either hand (like a guitar)and
con legno playing with the wooden side of the bow.
The different notes crucial to making music are then made by the left hand fingers of the player. the strings are stopped along the fingerboard, varying the length of the vibrating strings making different notes1, Just think of a stringy, more civilized Trombone. You may think this is a rather backward way of making a tune, but it works for about half of the musical instrumentalists worldwide.
along with Violas, 2 Violoncellos, 3and double basses,4 the violins make up the String section of any orchestra .
What's it good for?
Well a well constructed well played violin has the power to milk all the major emotions.5 Some examples of Violin prowess can be seen in The following list, But there are many pieces for Violin, but here are a few to get you started
The Lark ascending - Vaughan Williams
The Pachelbell cannon - J. Pachelbell
Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis -Vaughan Williams again
Tchicovsky's violin concerto in D major - P. I. Tchiakovsky6
Gymnopedié No.1 - Eric satié7
almost every style of music can employ the violin (and In theory the player). But alas, Although The violin is seen as the height of musical excellence there are many drawbacks
What's it Bad for?
The Violin (along with the 'cello) is without much doubt the most difficult of the mainstream instruments. This is no doubt due to the way notes are produced. and many children struggling with this initially terrible sounding instrument will soon find themselves left in the lurch by there friend bob, Who took up the flute and now plays with The London Philharmonic.
This makes the violinist a very bitter and sour person always looking at that Clarinettist or flautist, wishing they had picked that one. (until they get good, at which point they just become sarcastic, bitter and sour (kind of like a mountaineer climbing an uncharted mountain only to find a Tesco at the top).This is the main drawback of The Violin, The Violinist, an evil Twisted character, if you don't know rudimentary bowing small talk, you wont get far in a conversation with one. They all have really great names, for example.
Nicoli Paganini8
yehudi Menuin
Tossy Spivakovsky
Vanessa mae
Nigel Kennedy
