violin

The violin is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the string family, with four strings tuned in fifths (G3–D4–A4–E5). Its remarkable range of over four octaves, combined with its ability to produce everything from a whisper to a singing forte, has made it the most prominent instrument in Western classical music. The great Italian violin makers — Stradivari, Guarneri, and Amati — crafted instruments in the 17th and 18th centuries that remain unsurpassed. Their instruments now sell for millions. The violin repertoire is vast, from Bach's solo sonatas through Mozart and Beethoven's concertos to the virtuosic showpieces of Paganini and beyond. In the orchestra, the first violins typically carry the melody, while the second violins provide harmonic support.