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The Violin

The violin, or the fiddle, as it is sometimes called, is a four-stringed musical instrument in the family of violins. It is known to be the highest-pitched instrument of its family, which also comprises of other instruments such as the double bass, cello, and viola.

History

The first ever violin is believed to have been made in 1555 by Andrea Amati, an Italian luthier. This violin had four strings, and it closely resembled the modern-day version. After the creation of the first violin, the instrument became so popular, that Charles IX, the then King of France, requested Andrea to construct 24 violins for him, one of which still survives to date; it is named Charles IX.

With the likes of Claudio Monteverdi and other famous composers embracing the violin in the 1600s, the instrument became even more popular. By the 1750s, the violin was already enjoying a high status in the ensembles of instrumental music. This status continued into the 19th century, with virtuoso violinists such as Pablo de Sarasate and Nicolo Paganini taking the popularity of the stringed instrument to a whole new level. The instrument would hit new artistic and technical heights in the 20th century, with icons such as Itzhak Perlman, Fritz Kreisler, and Isaac Stern playing a pivotal role. Today, you will see the violin used not only as a musical instrument but also featured in many favourite online casino and video games.  

How to Play

The violin can be played in various ways, including drawing a bow across the strings (the most common method). Other ways of playing the violin include collegno (using the bow’s wooden side to strike the strings) and pizzicato (using the fingers to pluck the strings of the instrument).