The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest,
highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also
includes the viola and Cello.
Origin:
In Europe,
the violin can be traced back to the 9th century, with its origin possibly in
Asia. Not less than 450 years were required to bring it to its present form,
representative of the experience acquired throughout the centuries by the
makers of stringed instruments.
The
primitive form of the stringed instruments is the musical bow, an arched
stick held by a taut string tied to its two ends. The string is divided by a
loop or bridge. In order to enhance its resonance, the primitive bow was
held before the mouth. In the more evolved forms, resonance enhancers included
coconut, calabash (a hollowed out, dried gourd generally used as a recipient),
tortoise shells, wooden boxes or pig bladders that were thrust tightly between
the strings and the bow.
In the
manufacture of stringed instruments, TWO ORIGINAL FORMS were already present in
classical antiquity: the polygonal drum of the zither and the rounded
sound-box of the lyre, carved so as to imitate a tortoise shell, and used,
apparently, as the first resonance device. This distinction in form was
accompanied by a distinction in usage. The instrument with the polygonal drum,
the more noble of the two, was used exclusively for serious music and for
accompanying religious or lyric song; as for the lyre, it was a popular
instrument used in feasting.
The origin
of stringed instruments played by rubbing the strings is linked to the
appearance of the bow. The more ancient stringed instruments were played
by plucking the strings with the fingers. Perhaps the bow was at first a simple
stick before the hair-bow was adopted. As there is no trace of a bow
instrument in classical antiquity, it is freely admitted that the bow was
imported from Asia by the Arabs or the Nordic tribes. But whether the evolution
occurred in northern Europe, the Near East, India or Central Asia remains a
mystery... The bow may have appeared in various places at the same time, as did
several major discoveries in the history of mankind!...
As from the 11th century we also find in Europe the
TWO MAJOR TYPES of bow instruments: first, the instruments with a pear-shaped
or pyriform resonance box, no distinct neck, no pegs, and a flat belly;
second the flat-bodied, oval or elliptic instruments, whose only
slightly arched body was connected to the generally flat back by ribs.
These instruments had a distinct neck (vielle of the Middle Ages - Not
to be confused with hurdy-gurdy, "vielle à roue").
The
Ravanastron (this instrument is said to have belonged to a sovereign of India
5000 years before Christ), the Rabab or Rebab (very ancient, it was played in
Persia, in Arabia and in North Africa), the Rebec (the rubebe or rebel or rebec
was brought to southern Europe in the Middle Ages by Muslim merchants and
artists)... and many other more or less rudimentary instruments dating back to
ancient times are considered to be interesting - although distant - precursors
of the violin.
The North
African rebab (centre, with inlaid bow) gave birth, in Europe, to the
pear-shaped (or pyriform) rebec. The more ancient type has round sound holes
(front, left); later the sound holes took the form of an f (behind, left). The
ribbed vielle (right) represented, with the rebec, the second major mediaeval
type of instrument. The four strings and the f-holes were forerunners of the
future violin.
In the
Middle Ages in Europe, as from the 11th century, we can find the vielle and the
rote (rotta), a simple reproduction of the ancient zither: in order to use it
as a bow instrument and produce various sounds by shortening the strings, a
fingerboard was placed between the sound-box and the upper transversal bar of
the zither.
In the
10th and 11th centuries the rote was widely used in all of central Europe, as
testified by iconography. It was superseded by the vielle in the 12th century.
Already
quite early on, small instruments were played by holding against the left
shoulder or the breast and not only on the knees!
As from
the 12th century there appeared a slightly more deeply cut-out form similar to
the modern guitar and representing the last phase of the evolution of the
vielle. This instrument was already predominant during the Middle Ages,
probably because it was easy to handle, it had a vast sound range, and all the
notes of the scale could be played relatively easily.
The number
of strings soon grew from one or two to three or four. As early as the
beginning of the 11th century the classical form of the five-stringed vielle
came into being and remained until the 16th century. Little by little ribs were
introduced to facilitate the use of the bow; the plaque to which the strings
were fitted, characteristic of the plucked stringed instruments, was replaced
by a separate tailpiece and bridge, more appropriate for bowed instruments.
Thus gradually the transition was made from the stringed instrument of the
Middle Ages to the Renaissance viol, equipped at first with a round opening
that was eventually transformed into two crescent-shaped sound holes.
Following
a series of combinations of the two primitive types, three other families of
instruments appeared before 1500: the viola da gamba (viol held on or between
the player’s knees), the lira da braccio (played with a bow) and the viola da
braccio (held against the shoulder). It is from the viola da braccio that the
VIOLIN evolved.
The viola
da braccio resulted from reducing the number of strings of the vielle to three
or four, adopting the pegbox and the lateral pegs of the rebec as well as the
tuning in fifths, which is most convenient for small arm instruments as it
allows the use of four fingers, thus increasing both the range and the
manoeuvrability. It should be noted that the ribs are much lower than in the
viola da gamba, and the cut-out becomes increasingly marked. As for the two
sound holes, which at the beginning were C or crescent-shaped, they soon
adopted the form of an ƒ as in the modern violin.
Thus, with
the passing of the centuries, the violin, properly speaking, took form. As we
have seen, the origins of the violin are several and varied; each of its parts
is the outcome of a more or less complex evolutionary process whose beginnings
are often difficult to determine; each of its parts, therefore, has its own
history. An instrument with a rather chaotic family tree, the violin is an
entity encompassing many destinies in a single instrument...
Importance of violin in
music:
Since the Baroque era the violin (Baroque violin) has been one of the most important of all
instruments in classical
music, for several reasons.
The tone of the violin stands out above other instruments, making it
appropriate for playing a melody line. In the hands of a good player, the
violin is extremely agile, and can execute rapid and difficult sequences of
notes. Indeed, the violin seems to lend itself to virtuosity more than any
other instrument (its only possible rival is the piano), and top violinists have amazed their
audiences with their skill since the 17th century.
The violin is also considered
a very expressive instrument, which is often felt to approximate the human
voice. This may be due to the possibility of vibrato and of slight expressive
adjustments in pitch and timbre. Many leading composers have contributed to the
violin concerto and violin sonata repertories.
Playing the Violin - Importance and Benefits:
Considered
as the most powerful musical instrument that could call an army to stand down,
the violin produces a soothing a relaxing sound every time it is played. You
will feel the intensified aura of the music waives getting into your soul. Here
are some insights that will give the violin more admiration.
Unlike other
musical instruments, the violin is something we love to listen to even if we
don't understand how it is played. More than a hobby, violinist or the people
playing the violin have a deep sense of passion towards playing their
instrument. You can feel the connection between the violin and its musician. It
is undeniably soothing and relaxing; not only to the audio sensory but most
importantly to the mental relaxation and profound calmness of the spirit.
A student can
capitalize on his or her willingness to start learning the stages of violin.
Once learned, the craft can be mastered through rigorous and consistent
practice.
Apart from playing
solo in a small concert or occasion, the objective of every violinist is to be
part of a great orchestra that will collectively produce great opera.
The music that the
violin produces is indeed captivating to its listeners. Spectators will always
stop to lend their ear and heart to the music it creates. It helps one to
express creative aura that soothes another's mood. It is important to explore
the imagination when the violin is played. It seems to take you to a world
beyond reality. It helps you connect to nature and its wonderful components.
Depending on the
mood of the audience, the power of the sound the violin creates can
exponentially multiply to create the spirit of calmness and harmony. The violin
is now being used to help patients of traumatic experiences. It is now
considered a tool of music therapy. It is believed to have an impacting energy
to the patient. It brings the patient to a different dimension that makes him
forget past negative experience with the goal of moving forward. It encourages
god aura and optimism in the patient's mind and soul. This is the best benefit
that violin has provided us. Be mesmerize with the elegant and empowering sound
it creates.
