Interesting information about the violin. Legends and stories associated with the violin

The violin is an ideal instrument for developing imagination. It is also good to play it because it gives the ability for creative insights.
Did you know that out of more than a hundred musicians in a professional symphony orchestra, more than thirty are violinists?
The beauty of tone, as well as the wide range of expression of sounds, of violins is considered much better than that of other instruments.

The violin is practically the only musical instrument, not counting ritual drums and Greek harps, that was deified. The names of the parts of the violin have been preserved: head, neck, chest, waist, darling. The violin was created as an analogue of the human voice. Until now, even with the most modern technology, it has not been possible to synthesize the timbre of a human voice and a violin. For centuries, the technology, materials and methods of its manufacture have been developed, which have remained virtually unchanged since the mid-18th century. The violin has become one of the most classical instruments.

The structure of a violin is the most complex in terms of physics, acoustics and resistance of materials. In fact, it is a complex acoustic device that requires precise tuning and adjustment.
The exact date of birth of the violin is unknown, but it is still possible to approximately judge the time of its origin - this is the end of the fifteenth or beginning of the sixteenth century. The very first violins were made by the same craftsmen who made lutes and viols, and then violin makers appeared. One of them, Gasparo Bertolotti, settled in 1562 in the Italian town of Brescia and worked there until the end of his days. Bertolotti had many students, and among them was Giovanni Paolo Magini, who later founded his own school of masters.

Bertolotti, Magini and their students had already arrived at basically the form of the violin that we know. And the sound of the instruments also took shape with them - it became louder and brighter than that of the viols. And the first Brescian masters, apparently, did not set themselves any other tasks. Their work was continued by the famous Cremonese. However, “continued” is not entirely accurate.

There are many schools and directions of violin making, but the most prominent are Italian, French and German. They all have their advantages and disadvantages and differ significantly from each other both in sound and manufacturing methods. The sound of instruments of the Italian school is recognized as the most timbre, flexible and controllable. That is, the musician can control the timbre characteristics of the instrument. The sound of German school instruments is bright and empty. French instruments sound somewhat glassy and hollow. Although in all schools there were instruments with “foreign” characteristics.

Dramatic and sometimes mystical events always unfold around the violin. Not a single musical instrument in the world has been involved in so many crime stories, including bloody murders. Masters have never put their soul so deeply into any musical instrument, endowing each of their products with unique features that allowed them to assign their own name to the instrument, like a person. Not a single musical instrument regularly appears at famous auctions, where astronomical, most often seven-digit, figures appear in connection with it. No one! Except for the violin.

So why do such events always unfold around her?! Let's dig into history! The violin “descended” from the ancient viol - a rather large instrument with frets on the neck. The viol was played sitting down, held between the legs or placed sideways on the thigh. As the years passed, the instrument changed. History connects the final transformation of the viol into a violin with three families of violin makers from the Italian city of Cremona: Amati, Guarneri and Stradivari. It was the founder of the Stradivari dynasty, Antonio (1644–1736), who is revered as the main creator of the modern violin.

The new instrument had many influential opponents and even outright enemies. And the violin took the place it rightfully deserved only thanks to the great musicians who advanced the technique of violin playing far forward. And the most notable of them was the great Niccolo Paganini.
His performances brought the audience into ecstasy.
Those present were always amazed by his incredible, “inhuman” mastery of performance. Without any visible effort, he extracted virtuoso trills from the violin and performed the most complex variations even on one string.
They said that his art was the music of heaven, the voices of angels. But there were others who whispered behind the musician’s back that witchcraft signs were inscribed on his instrument and that he had long ago sold his soul to the devil...
Having experienced all the facets of success, the brilliant violinist lived to the age of 58, leaving behind several million francs and dozens of musical works he wrote, some of which are so complex that no one can play them to this day. Humanity has not yet given birth to a second Paganini.

Amati Nicolo (1596 - 1684) - Italian violin maker. From the 2nd half of the 16th century. Violins made by the Amati family, who had long lived in Cremona, became famous throughout Italy. In their works, the classical type of instrument was finally formed, which has survived to this day. Few violins and cellos created by the most famous of the Amati family masters, Nicolo, have survived, and they are especially highly valued. It was from N. Amati that A. Guarneri and A. Stradivari learned the most complex art of violin construction.

The Guarneri are a family of Italian bowed instrument makers. The founder of the family, Andrea Guarneri (1626 - 1698) was a student of the famous N. Amati. Particularly famous and recognized were the instruments created by his grandson, Giuseppe Guarneri (1698 - 1744), nicknamed del Gesù. Few instruments made by del Gesù have survived (10 violas and 50 violins); at present they are of exceptional value.

Stradivari (Stradivarius) Antonio (c. 1644 - 1737) - an outstanding Italian violin maker, a student of the famous N. Amati (1596 - 1684). From a young age until the last days of his life, Stradivarius worked in his workshop, driven by the desire to bring the violin to the highest perfection. Over 1,000 instruments made by the great master have been preserved, distinguished by their elegant form and unsurpassed sound qualities. Stradivari's successors were the masters C. Bergonzi and G. Guarneri.

In many countries, the clergy took up arms against good violinists - even in quiet Norway they were considered accomplices of dark forces, and Norwegian folk violins were burned like witches.
But not everyone knows that there were directly opposite stories!
If we look into a more ancient “layer” of time, we will find that with bowed instruments, similar to the violin, angels were initially depicted on the frescoes of temples and in handwritten Bibles, and in one ancient manuscript Christ was named not by anyone, but "beloved violinist"
Such things were later hushed up, and the frescoes were destroyed, but on the fresco of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv you can still see a musician playing a bowed instrument.

The word virtuoso was once applied to scientists. Many violinists were not only artists, painters, and violin poets, but also scientists and inventors. (One violin work written in those days was called “sonata for inventive violin”).
The word “virtuoso” is now used (if we are talking about music) in only one meaning – “technical”. Meanwhile, the situation has not changed: in order to play the violin well, including virtuoso music, you still need to have not developed muscles, but a flexible mind and strong intuition.

Interestingly, the opposite is also true: the violin stimulates the brain (there is a scientific explanation for this). It is not for nothing that many outstanding minds loved to play this magical instrument in their spare time in order to prepare the mind for the birth of new ideas. (See – Sherlock Holmes and Einstein violin).

Interesting facts about the violin
(Anna Blagaya)

God or devil?

Legends about violinists who allegedly sold their souls to the devil are known to everyone: let’s remember Niccolo Paganini.

If we look into a more ancient “layer” of time, we will find that bowed instruments, akin to the violin, were actually originally depicted on temple frescoes and in handwritten Bibles angels, and in one ancient manuscript Christ was named not by anyone, but "beloved violinist"

Such things were later hushed up, and the frescoes were destroyed, but on the fresco of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv you can still see a musician playing a bowed instrument.

(And not only there. See the page “Angels with violins (frescoes)”)

Why did the Mona Lisa smile?

Leonard ordered that the entire time that Gioconda was posing in his studio, there would be music performed by strings. The model's smile was a reflection of the music being played; Apparently, that’s why it is considered either the smile of an angel or the smile of the devil. (See above: God or Devil?)
In general, the artist, apparently, did not conduct this experiment with music by chance. After all, he wanted to achieve synthesis in his painting, the unity of opposites (see Chicherin about this in his book about Mozart). And the violin has exactly this property. Auer quoted Berlioz as saying that “The violin is capable of many apparently opposing shades of expression. She has strength, lightness and grace, conveys gloomy and joyful mood, thought and passion. You just need to be able to make her talk.”

Violins and Venetian gondolas

There is a beautiful episode in the film “Stradivari” (with Anthony Quinn): a gondola gliding in the rays of the setting sun, on the stern of which a violinist was playing, so captured the imagination of young Antonio Stradivari that he threw himself into the water, tagged along with the violinist and ultimately became a violin maker .

The violin and the gondola actually have something in common. Moreover, this connection is not only aesthetic, it also manifests itself at the most “organic” level.

The violins of the legendary Cremonese school use the same sycamore (wavy maple) from Dalmatia and Bosnia that was used for the oars of Venetian gondolas.

Time Machine

Good violinists, in addition to hearing and dexterity, have some talents that have not yet been explained by science. Including the ability to manage time. (Not only violinists, but all concert musicians can do this). V. Grigoriev writes about a curious mechanism that allows you to “travel in time” (let’s call it that), when the entire play in the musician’s mind is folded into a certain formula, a code, and unfolds already when playing on stage. There were also cases when the “machine” malfunctioned. (Which, of course, only proves its existence =) There are a number of interesting evidence about how this or that virtuoso stopped after playing just one note, because time passed for him at a different speed than for the listeners, and the entire work had already been completed echo in his mind.

Another interesting point: musicians often look younger than their years. Apparently, the point here is that time flows differently on stage. But there is something more. Opera bass Matorin recalls Obraztsova’s words on this occasion that “we, artists, until old age - Masha, Petka, Katka, because b O We spend most of our time not in this world.” (That is, in the creative world, this is another dimension where time slows down). Science has yet to explain these things.

Virtuosos are scientists

The word “virtuoso” is now used (if we are talking about music) in only one meaning – “technical”. Meanwhile, the situation has not changed: in order to play the violin well, including virtuoso music, you still need to have not developed muscles, but a flexible mind and strong intuition.

Perhaps nowhere is the loss of time more obvious than when raising a child. An adult lying on the sofa with an empty book can probably make up for the time if he goes to bed later. A child left behind from upbringing - labor, mental, physical or musical - loses some precious personality qualities that are difficult to return. It's difficult, but possible. Therefore, we will not overdramatize the situation. If you have not taken your first steps in musical education in early childhood, then start today, when your child is 4 or 5 years old.

Listening to music

With proper musical development, children at this age get comfortable and become silent before listening to music. They recognize familiar music and happily tell adults about it. They can express their impression of the music: “It’s a good song,” “There’s a bird singing there,” “I hear the wind rustling,” etc. Some can pick up a melody they hear on a children's musical instrument or on a real piano.

Children are different. Some are sociable, like to do everything together, ask if something is not clear; others look for the answer to their question on their own. The first is the majority. There’s this little bundle of energy running around the apartment, and it seems like nothing can stop his attention for long. But then he sees that you are sitting motionless and listening to music. Sociable children will not stand it and will definitely ask:

- What are you doing?
- I listen to music.
- What music?
- This is a symphony.
-What other symphony?
— A symphony is when many instruments play together, telling about something important.
- Is this interesting?
- Very.

It is possible that the child will ask:

-Can I listen?
- You can, just don’t play around. Do not speak. And if you get tired of it, leave.

Although this method of introducing preschoolers to listening to music does not always work, it is worth trying to act in this direction. The child learns from the example of adults that they listen to music attentively. At the same time, they do not talk or disturb others. It is also important that children see how an adult, who is always so busy, takes his time, listens to music with concentration, and is not distracted. Personal example is more effective than the most eloquent words.

How to talk about music

Many people believe that it is not at all necessary to explain to a child what a symphony or sonata is. All the same, they say, he won’t understand. He will not understand, of course, what the essence of the symphony is. It's right. But he learns that such a form exists and that music has different forms. Mastering knowledge about music, musical instruments, composers and musicians (of course, if all this is said in a language accessible to children) helps the child’s musical development. It is best to talk about musical instruments in the form that is closest to the little person. In the form of a fairy tale.

The Tale of the Violin

Listen to a piece with a violin. And the fairy tale itself can be told against the backdrop of quiet violin music.

Show your child a picture of a violin. Or draw it yourself. It’s even better if you have a toy violin at home. It's very good if there is a real one. Now tell us the fairy tale we invented about the violin. We are sure that many parents, who have more imagination than we do, can come up with a better fairy tale. It’s good if you can introduce elements of play into listening to a fairy tale.

Attention, game. You write in advance the answers to the questions given here and others that you have come up with on the theme of the fairy tale, and lay out the sheets of paper on the table under the corresponding numbers. Before you start telling the story, explain to your child the conditions of the game. For example, like this:

- Now I will tell you a fairy tale about an instrument that is called the queen of music - the violin. Then I'll ask questions. Listen carefully. For every correct answer you get a point. For the wrong one - me. The one who gets more points wins.

We are sure that after such an introduction the child will listen to the fairy tale attentively and with great interest.

In one kingdom, in one state, there lived a girl. Her parents loved music. That's why they named the girl Violin and taught her to play the violin. The girl grew up and became a musician. She traveled around cities and villages, played the violin and brought joy to people.

An evil man lived in this kingdom. He didn't like music, and he didn't like the fact that people were happy when they heard the sound of a violin. One day before a concert, he secretly snuck into the room where the violin lay and cut three strings. But I didn’t have time to cut the last fourth one. However, the girl managed to play very well on one string.

Then, at another concert, the evil man again snuck into the room where the violin lay and tore out all the hairs from the bow with which the violin made the sound. This time the villain managed to disrupt the concert because the girl had no other bow. And most importantly, in this kingdom there was no horse from whose tail one could take hair for a bow.

The violin could not play without a bow. The girl sat on the road and cried. At this time, a prince from a neighboring kingdom rode past on a white horse.

- Why are you crying? - asked the prince.
“I don’t have horsehair for a bow, and I can’t play the violin,” said the Violin.
- Do not Cry. “I will give you a hair from the tail of my horse,” said the prince.

He inserted hair from his horse's tail into the bow, and the Violin began to play. The prince liked the playing of the violin and the Violin herself so much that he invited the girl to go with him to his kingdom and become his wife.

So the Violin became the queen, and her violin became the queen of music.

Questions for a fairy tale

— What was the name of the girl and the instrument she played?
— How many strings does a violin have?
— What is the name of what is used to move along the strings and produce sound?
-What is the hair on the bow made of?
— Why did the evil man cut the strings on the violin and tear out a hair from the bow?

Of course, other questions are possible, as well as another development of the fairy tale plot. Write the answers clearly, in block letters, on the other side of the piece of paper so that children who can read can read them themselves.

Talking about music in a way that is interesting to a child is not easy. It has been noticed that little listeners are most interested in the childhood years of a musician or composer. Or stories whose heroes are children.

A story about the “March of the Wooden Soldiers” by P. Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky had an 8-year-old nephew, Volodya Davydov. He loved playing toy soldiers, and the composer dedicated this march to him. Volodya took the soldiers out of the box. If you want, you can take out your soldiers and put them in a row. You see, they stand straight and wait for the command. The order was given, the music started playing, and they went. Listen, and you will hear how cheerfully and clearly they walk: “One-two! One-two! The soldiers pass by Volodya, who is receiving the parade.

After such a story, children understand that music is capable of expressing something quite specific. They become interested in understanding what music expresses and, consequently, have a desire to listen to music.

About children's mood

A few words about children's mood separately. Today's, momentary mood plays a significant role for a child (to a much greater extent than for an adult), both when listening to music and when practicing a musical instrument. Yesterday, on a sunny, successful day, everything was a joy for him. But today something is not going well, and the music only irritates him. Well! In relation to children, especially small ones, precise routines and strict discipline are not always appropriate. On the contrary, here, in our opinion, flexibility and the ability to compromise are necessary.

We know a family in which the daily routine for five children was planned down to the smallest detail. And the parents set themselves the task of strictly adhering to the schedule. Any deviations from it were severely punished. The result was disastrous. As soon as the children grew up and left the control of their parents, they, as they say, “got into all sorts of bad things”: they left the family, entered into sexual relations early, and even took drugs. The desire to break free from the system of suppression of children's desires, which do not always coincide with the desires of adults, was victorious. This happens when water, long held back by a dam, breaks free, flooding everything around.

You shouldn’t force children to do something that they don’t feel like doing today.

Children's musical taste usually depends on the taste of their parents.

What kind of music should I listen to in preschool? It is important to answer this question correctly, since children’s musical taste is just developing and they are not able to distinguish good music from bad, uninteresting music. We believe that children’s tastes should be educated in the classics and accustomed to good music.

The definition given by S. Marshak for children's literature is quite suitable for music for children: “It should be written as for adults, only much better.” Both in classical music and in “easy” music (the division is quite arbitrary), children have their own preferences. We don’t undertake to explain why, but it is noticeable that, for example, little ones listen to Mozart especially willingly. Who knows why? It is possible that the composer, who had the fame of a child prodigy in childhood, retained in his music that bright, childish perception of the world, half-forgotten by us adults. And therefore it is especially understandable to young listeners...

We know a family in which a girl enjoyed listening to Chopin’s music. In another family, dad was fond of modern music, and his six-year-old daughter’s favorite composer was Hindemith. The son of one of the authors, at the age of four, loved listening to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. “Children,” wrote I. P. Pavlov, “subtly adopt not only the habits and manners of adults, but also their emotions.”

Composing music

It also happens: after listening to music combined with a story, kids try to compose music themselves. This happens especially often after they learn that some composers and musicians composed music in childhood. If there is a piano or children's musical instruments in the house, the baby sits for a long time, pressing the keys and listening to the sounds. There is no need to stop it, even if the sounds seem meaningless to you. Against. Such attempts should be encouraged in every possible way: “Oh, well done! Come on, say it again! How great you did! As if a bear had passed... As if a squirrel had run by...” Etc.

Here are some tips

Record the melody on a tape recorder. Then listen with your child.
Try to express in words what the music written by your child is like, what mood is expressed in it.
Together with the young composer, come up with a name for the melody.
If you can, write down the children's composition in notes.
Let children who are learning to play a musical instrument have their own works included in their repertoire.
Your assignments can be a good incentive to compose music. Come up with a sad melody. Or funny. Or the melody of a lullaby for a doll. Write a melody for the poem. In our opinion, it is good to use children’s poems by A. Barto, S. Marshak, K. Chukovsky and other popular authors for these purposes. Good children's poems go well with music.

Music and drawing

Children think in images. Therefore, they are happy to draw what they hear. This especially applies to musical works of a visual nature. Where the image embedded in the music is expressed clearly and distinctly. Sometimes even in the title of the play, as, for example, in “Children's Album” by P. Tchaikovsky, R. Schumann or, say, in plays for children by S. Maykapar, A. Grechaninov and other composers.

Interesting facts about the violin
(Anna Blagaya)

God or devil?

Legends about violinists who allegedly sold their souls to the devil are known to everyone: let’s remember Niccolo Paganini.

In many countries, the clergy took up arms against good violinists - even in quiet Norway they were considered accomplices of dark forces, andNorwegian folk violinsburned like witches.
But not everyone knows that there were directly opposite stories!

If we look into a more ancient “layer” of time, we will find that bowed instruments, akin to the violin, were actually originally depicted on temple frescoes and in handwritten Bibles angels , and in one ancient manuscript Christ was named not by anyone, but"beloved violinist"

Such things were later hushed up, and the frescoes were destroyed, but on the fresco of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv you can still see a musician playing a bowed instrument.

Why did the Mona Lisa smile?

Leonardo ordered that the entire time that Gioconda was posing in his studio, there would be music performed by strings. The model's smile was a reflection of the music being played; Apparently, that’s why it is considered either the smile of an angel or the smile of the devil. (See above: God or Devil?)
In general, the artist, apparently, did not conduct this experiment with music by chance. After all, he wanted to achieve synthesis in his painting, the unity of opposites (see about thisat Chicherin'sin a book about Mozart). And the violin has exactly this property. Auer quoted Berlioz as saying that “The violin is capable of many apparently opposing shades of expression. She has strength, lightness and grace, conveys gloomy and joyful mood, thought and passion. You just need to be able to make her talk.”

Violins and Venetian gondolas

The violin and the gondola actually have something in common. Moreover, this connection is not only aesthetic, it also manifests itself at the most “organic” level.

The violins of the legendary Cremonese school use the same sycamore (wavy maple) from Dalmatia and Bosnia that was used for the oars of Venetian gondolas.

Time Machine

Good violinists, in addition to hearing and dexterity, have some talents that have not yet been explained by science. Including the ability to manage time. (Not only violinists, but all concert musicians can do this). V. Grigoriev writes about a curious mechanism that allows you to “travel in time” (let’s call it that), when the entire piece in the musician’s mind is folded into a certain formula, a code, and unfolds already when playing on stage. There were also cases when the “machine” malfunctioned. (Which, of course, only proves its existence) There are a number of interesting evidence about how one or another virtuoso stopped after playing just one note, because time passed for him at a different speed than for the listeners, and the entire piece had already been completely played out in his mind.

Another interesting point: musicians often look younger than their years. Apparently, the point here is that time flows differently on stage. But there is something more. Opera bass Matorin likes to repeat Obraztsova’s words that “we, artists, until old age -Masha, Petka, Katka, because b o We spend most of our time not in this world.” (That is, in the creative world, this is another dimension where time slows down). Science has yet to explain these things.

Virtuosos are scientists

The word “virtuoso” is now used (if we are talking about music) in only one meaning - “technical”. Meanwhile, the situation has not changed: in order to play the violin well, including virtuoso music, you still need to have not developed muscles, but a flexible mind and strong intuition.

Interestingly, the opposite is also true: violin stimulates the brain (there is a scientific explanation for this). It is not for nothing that many outstanding minds loved to play this magical instrument in their spare time in order to prepare the mind for the birth of new ideas. (Cm. -Sherlock Holmes and Einstein violin).

A report on the violin for children in grade 5 will briefly tell you a lot of useful information about this folk musical instrument.

Message about the violin

Violin- a high-register stringed musical instrument. It is of folk origin, acquired its modern appearance in the 16th century, and became widespread in the 17th century.

The violin is an exquisite and sophisticated musical instrument. It is not for nothing that she was given the role of queen of the orchestra.

History of the violin for children

Violin of folk origin: its ancestors were the Spanish fidel , Arab Rebab and German Rota . The fusion of these instruments led to the appearance of the violin.

In the middle of the 16th century, the modern violin design developed in northern Italy. Until the beginning of the 17th century, violin making was carried out by the Amati family in Italy. The instruments were distinguished by excellent material and excellent shape. In general, Italy has firmly taken a leading position in the production of high-quality violins. At one time, they were engaged in by Guarneri and Stradivari, whose instruments are today valued at the highest level.

It became a solo instrument in the 17th century. The first works written for her were “Romanesca per violino solo e basso” (Marini from Brescia 1620) and “Capriccio stravagante” (Farin). The founder of the artistic playing of the queen of the orchestra was A. Corelli, then Torelli, Tartini, Pietro Locatelli.

Description of the violin

The instrument has 4 strings, which are tuned in fifths - G of the small octave, D, A of the first octave, E of the second octave, respectively. It consists of the following parts:

Frame. It is oval in shape with rounded notches on the sides, forming the so-called “waist” of the violin. This roundness ensures comfortable playing. The lower and upper parts of the body (deck) are connected by shells. The lower part is made of maple, and the upper part is made of Tyrolean spruce. The top deck has 2 resonator holes (f-holes), which affect the sound timbre. In the middle of the upper part there is a stand with strings mounted on a tailpiece made of a strip of ebony. It expands in the direction where the strings are attached. Inside the resonant spruce body there is a round pin inserted, a darling. It provides resonance for sound vibrations.
Grif. This is a long piece of ebony or plastic. Its lower part is attached to a polished and rounded bar - the neck.

The composition of the varnish with which it is coated and the material of manufacture also influence the sound of the instrument.

The sound of a violin

The violin produces a graceful and assertive sound. The timbre of the sound depends on the quality of the instrument, the choice of strings and the skill of the performer. Bass strings produce a rich, thick, harsh and austere sound. The middle strings sound soulful, soft, velvety. The upper register of the strings sounds sunny, ringing and bright. The performer of the works can modify the sounds, introducing his own palette of sounds.

In 2003, Athira Krishna from India entered the Guinness Book of Records by playing the violin continuously for 32 hours.
Playing an instrument burns 170 calories per hour.
Until 1750, strings were made from sheep intestines.
The tool stimulates the brain.
The smallest violin in the world, 1 cm long, was created in the city of Guangzhou (southern China).

We hope that the report on the violin for children helped you prepare for the lesson, and you learned many interesting facts about it. You can leave your short story about the violin using the comment form below.