The word Violin comes from the Italian word violino , diminutive of viola or viella. The violin is a stringed instrument, and the smallest of its family, followed by the viola, the cello and the double bass.
The shape of the violin has varied since the 16th century, it consists of a resonance box with two openings in the shape of an “f” for the expansion of the sound, a solid wooden handle set in the box, and four gut strings or made of wire or threaded around four pegs that, at the end of the handle, serve to regulate its tension, and consequently, the accuracy of its tone.
The violin is played by resting it on the shoulder with the strings up and holding it with the chin. By hand tightening the strings the violinist reduces the vibrating length of the string, thus achieving a very varied range of sounds.
However, no sound would be perceptible if the player's other hand, wielding a bow fitted with horsehair, did not rub the strings endlessly. Whether the loudness is strong or soft depends on the arc pressure, strong or light.
Playing the violin offers considerable technical difficulties, but once the skill is acquired, nothing can match its depth or the quality of its resonance. His passionate expression assures him an outstanding place in any symphonic line-up. In fact, if the violin had not been invented, orchestras would not exist, and almost half of the members of an orchestra are violinists.
The first violin was built in the middle of the 16th century in Cremona, Italy by Andrea Amati, founder of the most famous School of craftsmen especially in the construction of stringed instruments. Guiseppe Guarnieri and Antonio Stradivari, two Amati students, managed to further perfect the sound of the violin, and thus surpass their teacher in construction quality.
At the beginning of the 17th century this musical instrument increased its prestige by being used in operas. Later he began to have a fundamental role in the orchestras, almost all composers have written music for violin, such as Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, among others.
