Violin and Roses

The Violin

16 Dec 2014 | From Valeria of Russia

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

Learning to play the violin has always been one of my biggest frustrations. I've always wanted to learn how to play the violin. I see it in my dreams, daydreams, and fantasies. Every time I would see someone playing the violin, I would imagine myself being that person. But alas, that dream was never realized. Heck! I don't even know how to play any musical instrument!

The word violin is derived from the Italian word 'violino' which literally means 'small viola'. Also known as a fiddle, the violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola, and the cello.

The violinist produces sound by drawing a bow across one or more strings (which may be stopped by the fingers of the other hand to produce a full range of pitches), by plucking the strings (with either hand), or by a variety of other techniques.

The violin is first known in 16th-century Italy, with some further modifications occurring in the 18th and 19th centuries. Someone who plays the violin is called a violinist or a fiddler, and a person who makes or repairs violins is called a luthier.