Organological Peculiarities of the Development of the Violin: European and Ukrainian Experience

Abstract

Relevance of the study. Organological research on the violin remains one of the most dynamic fields of contemporary musicology, integrating historical, acoustic, and performanceoriented perspectives. In the context of renewed interest in national traditions, the analysis of Ukrainian makers’ contributions to European lute-making and violin building is gaining significance. The study is relevant for refining the broader European narrative of violin development and for enriching current organological methodologies.

Main objectives and scientific novelty. The novelty lies in a comprehensive comparison of the violin’s technical evolution across Italian, French, German, and Ukrainian traditions, combined with the introduction of underexplored Ukrainian sources into the European discourse. The study aims to reconstruct the organological foundations of the instrument’s development and to determine the role of “maker–performer” communication in shaping performance style and technique.

Methodology (how the study was done). The historical-comparative method was applied to juxtapose structural features of violins from various schools through the analysis of archival descriptions, makers’ catalogues, and preserved instruments. Morphological examination enabled systematic documentation of body proportions, top-plate construction, varnish types, and bow design, followed by a generalisation of their evolution over time. Elements of discourse analysis were used to trace how treatises and correspondence between makers and violinists formulated expectations regarding sound, timbre, and technical capabilities. Within the cultural-historical approach, the study explored correlations between artistic demands, social conditions, and structural modifications of the instrument.

Results, findings, and conclusions (significance). The research establishes that the modern violin emerged through extensive organological experimentation shaped by the dialogue between master makers (Amati, Stradivari, Vuillaume) and performers whose evolving technical demands stimulated innovation. It demonstrates that nineteenth-century bow reforms and changes in string tension enabled virtuoso performance practices and expanded repertoire possibilities. The Ukrainian tradition, though historically influenced by several European schools, developed its own constructive innovations, acoustic models, and aesthetic principles. The significance of the study lies in deepening the interdisciplinary understanding of violin organology and highlighting the Ukrainian contribution to the development of European instrumental culture.