Violin
A bowed string instrument with four strings, held between the shoulder and chin and played with a bow or by plucking.
Violin bow: A tensioned bundle of horsehair mounted on a stick, drawn across string instruments to produce sound. Friction between bow hair and strings sustains the violin’s vibrations.
String instrument: A musical instrument that produces sound through vibrating strings. The violin is one member of this broad instrument family.
Violin concerto: A composition for solo violin and instrumental ensemble, usually an orchestra. The genre places the violinist’s technique and musical voice in the foreground.
Andrea Amati: A sixteenth-century Cremonese luthier associated with the early development of the violin. His surviving instruments document the violin’s early form and craftsmanship.
Bridge (instrument): A raised support that transfers string vibrations to an instrument’s body. The violin’s bridge carries string motion into its resonating body.
Violin family: A family of bowed string instruments that includes the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. Its related instruments share construction principles but differ in size and range.
String quartet: A chamber ensemble of two violins, viola, and cello, and music written for it. The violin commonly carries melody within this closely balanced ensemble.
Cremonese violinmaking: The tradition of violin making centered in Cremona, Italy, especially from the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. Cremonese workshops established models that shaped the violin’s enduring design.
Sound post: A small wooden dowel fitted inside a violin or related instrument between its top and back plates. Its placement affects how the violin’s plates vibrate and project sound.
Viola: A bowed string instrument slightly larger and lower in pitch than a violin. Its darker register complements the violin in chamber and orchestral music.