Baroque Violin Shop Cincinnati Oh (2024)

FAQs

What is the most famous baroque violin piece? ›

The violin pieces from this era that are known to nearly everyone are Pachelbel's Canon in D, Air on the G String by Bach, and the Hallelujah Chorus by Handel. The violin is a central instrument for Baroque music, both in solo pieces and large groups.

Basically, the baroque violin has less tension than its modern cousin, by using a shorter bass-bar. The fingerboard on a baroque violin is larger, so the hand has a better hold in the neck - when you play without a shoulder rest and chin rest, you need another hold point for the hand in the neck.

The strings are usually tuned to: G3 - D4 - A4 - E5 (interval pattern of P5 - P5 - P5), however some works require the player to tune certain strings to other pitches (such tunings are called scordatura). The practical range of the instrument is G3 to E7, a little under four octaves.

In fact, most of the most highly prized modern violins were built during the baroque era by makers like Amati, Stradivari, and Guarneri.

The Messiah Antonio Stradivari - $20 million

The Messiah violin by Antonio Stradivarius is estimated to have a worth of $20 million and ranks among the most expensive violins in the world. Made in 1716, this historic instrument remains incredibly in almost perfect "like new" condition.

Baroque violins and violas were called da braccio (of the arm), not da mento (of the chin).

Vibrato was also well known and much valued during baroque times in its application on the clavichord, known in German as Bebung. The depression of the key strikes the string directly thus permitting variation of touch (hard/soft), as well as a form of vibrato achieved by moving the key gently from side to side.

Baroque violin tuning

Apart from classical violin, if you ever decided to play the baroque violin, you would tune it to A-415 Hz. The baroque pitch used during the Baroque period in the 17th century sounds almost like a “G” sharp in standard A-440 tuning.

Stradivarius violins are some of the most famous and admired around the world. They are considered to be superior to any other instrument because they are said to produce a unique, brilliant, deep sound.