Violin - King of Instrument?

February 12, 2005 at 10:32 PM · Because it is?

February 12, 2005 at 10:37 PM · I've always heard that the Organ is the "King" of instruments, and I tend to agree.

February 12, 2005 at 10:46 PM · The organ is the instrument of god - because in its playing we hear the magnificance of god, and in its ending we hear the grace of god :)

February 12, 2005 at 11:03 PM · To quote Charles-Auguste de Beriot-

"The true mission of the violin is to imitate the accents of the human voice, a noble mission that has earned for the violin the glory of being called the king of instruments."

February 12, 2005 at 11:06 PM · Ah, a de Beriot fan. I have a very large collection of all of his works. Happy to see another fan.

February 12, 2005 at 11:59 PM · Mozart stated that it was the organ that was the King of Instruments. Like Marty, I agree, because it can play full orchestral arrangements, with the boldest, arguably the most striking, sound around.

February 13, 2005 at 08:13 AM · Perhaps if we could use all fours to play the fiddle, it would be the true king.

February 13, 2005 at 10:01 AM · I rather think the fiddle's status as the king of the standard orchestral instruments stems chiefly from the principal violinist's role as the leader of the orchestra. The violin is also the best-represented instrument, numerically, in an orchestra. Musically, though, what instrument dominates the melody line as comprehensively as the violin?

So, all factors considered, I think these would be important contributors to the widely-held perception of the violin as the king (or leader, if you like) of the standard orchestral instruments.

February 13, 2005 at 07:41 PM · The violin has also been called the devil's instrument, presumably because of the technical difficulty of playing, or perhaps because of Paganini's pact with the devil.

February 13, 2005 at 08:41 PM · I call it the most vocal like of all instruments

Im with marty though the organ is the ultimate

ps god i love deberiot's music!

February 13, 2005 at 08:17 PM · Jessica quoted de Beriot:

"The true mission of the violin is to imitate the accents of the human voice, a noble mission that has earned for the violin the glory of being called the king of instruments."

Many thanks Jessica. That certainly represents how I feel about the violin, but I hadn't ever seen that most significant quote before. Milstein said something similar. His words were: "The violinist's dream is to imitate the human voice."

February 13, 2005 at 09:29 PM · i think the harpsichord is at least the princess of instruments.

February 13, 2005 at 09:35 PM · Mark,

I believe Sir Thomas Beecham described the sound of a harpsichord as 'like a pair of skeletons copulating on a corrugated tin roof'.

I don't quite share this view.

Carl.

February 14, 2005 at 04:10 AM · Oliver the Beriot quote comes straight from his method...a great method indeed! I recommend the 3rd part of the series for any student studying de Beriot's 9th concerto. Beriot fingered and phrased as he played it so if you study it to the tee you'll sound just like the great!

February 14, 2005 at 04:48 AM · I am glad you liked the quote. I found it in the Barns and Noble Books' book, The Encyclopedia of music. (which is a really interesting book...)

February 14, 2005 at 01:14 PM · I apologise for my previous post. I meant no offense to anyone, though I now see that I might have caused it.

Carl.

February 14, 2005 at 02:02 PM · I think vivaldi's opinion of the harpsichord would've been better:

"a skeleton scratching on the lid of a coffin"

(hence I always prefer to hear vivaldi accompanied by chamber organ not harpsichord)

February 14, 2005 at 04:57 PM · Actually, I have heard that the cello most closely resembles the range and tenor of the human voice, but I wouldn't classify it as the king of instruments.

February 14, 2005 at 06:34 PM · That would depend on the human in question, wouldn't it? Some women cannot sing comfortably below the g which is the lowest note on the violin.

I can't sing comfortably down to the low c on the cello.

February 14, 2005 at 09:02 PM · I'd have to say that the flute has a lot of qualities that are like the human voice. I know for a fact it's one of the hardest instruments to sing over. If you're singing against a flute, with the instrumentalist forward of you, the voice just disappears.

JackieJ

February 14, 2005 at 11:37 PM · I am still sticking by my harpsichord comment, although I was not the one who demerited Carl. I had a feeling someone would mention that quote, although I believe Beecham added "during a thunderstorm." Even Bach reputedly found the harpsichord lacking soul and preferred the clavichord, but I must say I adore both of them. I do love the witty miniatures of Couperin and the sad lamentations of Froberger, which can only be played on the harpsichord for full effect. And Gould's fiery rendition of Handel's suites?

As for the cello, I love the sound of the solo cello, but I find that the cello doesnt penetrate the orchestral texture well, and sometimes seems to disappear in concertos. But it is still fun to watch. Just my opinion.

February 15, 2005 at 12:15 AM · That's odd no one mentioned the piano as the King of Instruments. In the classical and romantic period, the piano was THE main instrument. The violin didn't reach its full popularity until the 20th century, when more composers started writing for the instrument. As for most vocal, I would say the viola is clearly the most closest to the range of the human voice.

February 15, 2005 at 04:28 AM · I always like to think of Oistrakh's injunction to my mom in a lesson: "Never forget, Ninochka, that we violinists must imitate singers - though always remembering that SINGERS ARE TRYING TO IMITATE US."

For what it's worth, it's been Pavarotti's voice, more than any violinist's sound, that has been my model for tone production...