In classic music in general, the violin had always been and still is of a
major presence and importance. Take for
example for its value, the Bach’s violin sonata number one in G minor and
witness its effect on you from the beginning of the work till its end. This
music was composed in 1720 as the first of six, where the five other works are two sonatas and three
partitas and all for violin as the principal or solo instrument. And although
we are approaching three hundred years of its composition, it is still amazing.
The violin which plays solo, is doing all the job alone, hence its uniqueness
as well as some other important instruments which are accomplished stand-alone like
the piano. Although in some interpretations, the violin is accompanied by a
harpsichord or a piano in the background playing mostly another melody, the
violin captures you, moves softly but decisively to penetrate you and
instantaneously alters your mood. From the Adagio of the first movement to the
Fugue allegro to the Siciliano till the final Presto, you are surrounded by the violin that talks to
your soul and mind. A whole fifteen minutes, or slightly more according to the
version, of pure spiritual pleasure. Vivaldi to my mind and knowledge was the greatest composer of the Baroque era and he consacrated a big part of his compositions for the violin. Not only the 'Le Quattro Stagioni' or 'Il Grosso Mogul' or 'La Stravaganza', go and listen to 'Dresden Concerti'. It is always a charming and marvellous time to listen to works of Vivaldi but in particular his violin ones. We can consider this red priest the champion of violin in the Baroque period and a leader of many musicians following his style.
(To be cont.)
