Tenor violin
Encyclopedia
A tenor violin is an instrument with a range between those of the cello
and the viola
. An earlier development of the evolution of the violin family
of instruments, the instrument is not standard in the modern symphony orchestra. Its tuning, typically G2 D3 A3 E4 - an octave below the traditional violin, places the range between the cello
and viola and thus is sometimes confused with the modern baritone violin
which has the same tuning on the standard violin body. As a formal development, the 17th century tenor violin existed as an instrument with a body larger than a viola but with a short neck. In earlier designs, the tenor was played upright in the musician's lap.
Improvements in string technology in the 18th century led to greater focus of sound coming from the viola and cello ranges leading to a diminished role for tenor violins and violin makers
constructed fewer of these instruments. It is known that Antonio Stradivari
constructed two different models of tenor violin as well as tenor variations of violas.
In the modern new violin family or violin octet
, the tenor violin exists as an instrument tuned an octave below the violin and sized approximately the same size as a 3/4 cello. The baritone violin in the same is an enlarged version of the cello.
By analogy with the vocal quartet of soprano-alto-tenor-bass, a few composers featured the tenor violin as the voice between the alto of the viola and bass of the cello (e.g. Felix Draeseke
or Sergei Taneyev
. In contemporary musical improvisation
these instruments are again finding a place.
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and the viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
. An earlier development of the evolution of the violin family
Violin family
The violin family of musical instruments was developed in Italy in the sixteenth century. The standard modern violin family consists of the violin, viola, cello, and double bass....
of instruments, the instrument is not standard in the modern symphony orchestra. Its tuning, typically G2 D3 A3 E4 - an octave below the traditional violin, places the range between the cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and viola and thus is sometimes confused with the modern baritone violin
Baritone violin
A Baritone violin is a member of the violin family and has two specific meanings:* a violin tuned an octave below conventional violin tuning . This is commonly accomplished by stringing a standard violin with heavy gauge strings, sometimes specially manufactured for this purpose. Oversize...
which has the same tuning on the standard violin body. As a formal development, the 17th century tenor violin existed as an instrument with a body larger than a viola but with a short neck. In earlier designs, the tenor was played upright in the musician's lap.
Improvements in string technology in the 18th century led to greater focus of sound coming from the viola and cello ranges leading to a diminished role for tenor violins and violin makers
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
constructed fewer of these instruments. It is known that Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
constructed two different models of tenor violin as well as tenor variations of violas.
In the modern new violin family or violin octet
Violin octet
The violin octet is a family of stringed instruments developed in the 20th century primarily under the direction of the American luthier Carleen Hutchins. Each instrument is based directly on the traditional violin and shares its acoustical properties, with the goal of a richer and more homogeneous...
, the tenor violin exists as an instrument tuned an octave below the violin and sized approximately the same size as a 3/4 cello. The baritone violin in the same is an enlarged version of the cello.
By analogy with the vocal quartet of soprano-alto-tenor-bass, a few composers featured the tenor violin as the voice between the alto of the viola and bass of the cello (e.g. Felix Draeseke
Felix Draeseke
Felix August Bernhard Draeseke was a composer of the "New German School" admiring Liszt and Richard Wagner. He wrote compositions in most forms including eight operas and stage works, four symphonies, and much vocal and chamber music.-Life:Felix Draeseke was born in the Franconian ducal town of...
or Sergei Taneyev
Sergei Taneyev
Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev , was a Russian composer, pianist, teacher of composition, music theorist and author.-Life:...
. In contemporary musical improvisation
Musical improvisation
Musical improvisation is the creative activity of immediate musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous response to other musicians...
these instruments are again finding a place.
Classic Tenor Violins
- Andrea AmatiAmatiAmati is the name of a family of Italian violin makers, who flourished at Cremona from about 1549 to 1740.-Andrea Amati:Andrea Amati was not the earliest maker of violins whose instruments still survive today...
:
Modern makers of tenor violins
- Tenor violins played at the shoulder like a violin or viola:
- J.C. Letellier (France, circa 1925)
- Alfred StelznerAlfred StelznerAlfred Stelzner was a composer and designer of string instruments.Alfred Stelzner was born in Hamburg, Germany and educated in music, physics and mathematics. He produced string instruments of his own design in Wiesbaden and then in Dresden. Two instruments of his invention were the violotta and...
(Germany, circa 1890 - ViolottaViolottaA violotta is a tenor viola invented by the German luthier Alfred Stelzner and patented in 1891. It is tuned in G D A E, an octave below the violin. Other instruments called "tenor violin" were tuned a step lower: F C G D .It is rarely used by composers. One of the few works where it is used is...
) - Harry Vatilliotis (Australia, circa 2000)
- Johann Reiter (Germany, circa 1950)
- Gerardo Yañez (Bolivia, 2007, Viola ProfondaViola ProfondaThe Viola Profonda is a bowed string instrument in tenor-range, with four strings, which is bigger than a Viola and its standard way of playing is resting on the shoulder ....
)
- Tenor violins played vertically like a cello:
- Carleen HutchinsCarleen HutchinsCarleen Maley Hutchins was an American former high school science teacher, violinmaker and researcher, best-known for her creation, in the 1950s/60s, of a family of eight proportionally-sized violins now known as the violin octet and for a considerable body of research into the acoustics of violins...
(United States, circa 1970, tenor violin, part of the New Violin Family) - Robert J. Spear (Ithaca, NY USA 2000–present, New Violin Family)
- Joris Wouters (Westerlo, Belgium 2000–present New Violin Family))
- Carleen Hutchins