The Strings

THE VIOLIN
ltalian: Violino
(plural) Violini

ExAMPLE

French: Violon
Violons

German: Violine
Violinen
(or Geige
Geigen)

2.1
s-- -----

-&- :

.a.

The violin's four strings are tuned to the following pitches:

ExAMPLE

2.2

,,
o

1All

723

the string ranges given in this chaoter mav

hP f'Xtf'nrlPrl nnw~rrl hu ho " ~-

(Chords containing one open note)

G
string
o pen

D
string
o pen

A
string
o pen
E
strihg
o pen

't! ~ ti ~1 i ~1 9 ! ! j

li

li

' i~ i~ 1-~ I~ ~

F 'F F

tl i if#; #' ~a ~i # AJ i #; st
~ a i@' ##; "#! rft -~ #r ~ ~ #~ 1
(qlg

(Chords containing no open note)

li

rl

li

#
Note: Accidenta/s are written separately for each chord.

FOUR-NOTE CHOROS FOR THE VIOLIN (PARTIAL LIST)

EXAMPLE

2.8

(Chords containing three open notes)

D,A.andE~
strmgs
o pen

(Chords containing two open notes)

A and E
strings
o pen
G and E
strings
o pen

(Chords containing one open note)

i;

G
string
o pen

~1 1:i ~1 i -~ I~ ~ 1! ~a 1,s ~s i.,i ~~!

E
string
o pen

J:; ! , .~ ,,

~1

; ! #~

(Chords containing no open note)

to'

~to~~~
~~ t~~ li~q! ~ li
'~ to~
#~ li~
~ li~ to~~ li~==
Note: Accidentals are written separately for each chord.

Although double stops may be used effectively in sustained chords

and at a low dynamic levei, there is not much point in writing tripie and
quadruple stops except in fairly loud passages, usually in sharply detached
chords where an extra degree ofvolume or accent is wanted. It is, however,
eossible to sustain ~he top note or the two top notes of a three-note or fournote e ord:
~ EXAMPLE

2.9

Even inner notes may be sustained, though that possibility is not of

much practical use. Since the main objective in tripie and quadruple stops
is usually added resonance, those that contain one or more open tones are
ordinarily the most effective, besides being the most comfortable to play.

Certain other string effects, although not technically tripie or quadruple stops, depend on the sarne principie. For instance, in these passages,
._/ EXAMPLE

2.10

li
the player's fingm <emain fixed on the quadruple

stop~ while

the bow produces the particular effect called for.

Examples 3.12(b) and (h) illustrate the use of "multiple stops" (a term
that may conveniently be used to apply to double, tripie, and quadruple
stops).
EXAMPLES OF PASSAGES FOR THE VIOLIN
EXAMPLE

(a)

2.11

Symphony No. 40, K. 550

.--.....

Allegro assai

~r, UJ

Mozart

r t e t 1& tJ qC!F l EJ r
1

f
(b)

Third Symphony

Adagio assai
fo!fotto voce

Beethoven

nJ
~'
PP
(c)

l).

tJ. LJJ '

1

11

Overture to Oberon
Allegro con fuoco

=ftn~F ;J J1 JG
.

'--- .

Weber

gnnron JJ ,pr: rf

>

ff

li

(d)

Capriccio Espagnol

rn 51# f 1f1 ~ 1~r

J.= 66

(e)

sempre non div.

Fifth Symphony
Tchaikovsky

J"

W1C;

:~.,.,
~==

fff con desiderio e passione

. (f)

(g)

Death and Transfiguration

The Rite of Spring

Vivo arco

'JJJ

. div#.J.

PlZZ.

Stravinsky

#li#

-=tt=

ri

f
l B '!~

unia.
PiZI.

'

Lgj

THE VIOLA
ltalian: Viola

French: Alto

EXAMPLE

German: Bratsche
Bratschen

Altos

Viole

2.12
o
'O

...

Range

1111

Li

"
Open Strings