What makes a good 2nd Violinist?

Question

In other words, what makes someone a principal 2nd violinst rather than a mid level 1st violinist? Is it a different skill set? Temperment? I will not sleep until I know! Thanks!

Answer 1

Yes and no. 2nd violin parts can be more difficult to play than 1st violin's. Not because of the notes required or techniques required, but because 2nd violin is like a 'middle' part, with almost every possible thing thrown at them. Sometimes it echoes the 1st violin's part, sometimes it simply plays accompaniments, sometimes it gets solos, sometimes it's engaged in musical dialogues between eg. cello + 2nd violin + viola. In other words, the 2nd violin needs to be very flexible and adapt to the different types of sounds required from it. This is why the 2nd violins tend to be the people who know the score back to back and internalise the music. They need to know the music very well to be able to perform according to what the conductor and composer requires of them.

1st violins, on the other hand, is really a case of "I either have the melody or I play the accompaniment". And most of the time they get the melody. Even when they don't, they're usually not the ones involved in complicated dialogues. This probably doesn't require as much in-depth understanding of how the orchestration works as compared to 2nd violins. Although it usually gets higher notes which are harder to play in tune, their problems are not as great as the 2nd violins'.

In an orchestra, the conductor is the one who decides who should play 1st violin and who should take 2nd violin. So it doesn't really depend on temperament that much. But for chamber groups like string quartets, temperament is usually the key factor in deciding who will make the best 2nd violinist. You can't have a person who has to be heard every time in everything for a 2nd violinist. It would be disastrous. On the other hand, you also can't have a person who prefers to shy away from the limelight and constantly underplays his/her part. A good 2nd violinist needs to know when to come out and when to back off. This is also probably the main reason behind the peculiar phenomenon of good, successful conductors usually being 2nd violinists themselves. They tend to be more sensitive to what the other instruments are playing.

A 'principal' 1st or 2nd violinist (in fact, any 'prncipal' positions in orchestras) usually refers to the best player in his/her instrumental group, chosen to lead the section. This person is responsible for interpreting the section's music and also coming up with good solutions to problems like bowing and articulation, and the general sound quality produced by the section.

Answer 2

There's no difference between a 1st and 2nd violinist. To be a member of a good orchestra (like say the New York Philharmonic), a violinist needs to play at a virtuoso level and can fit into either role.

The roles 1st and 2nd are written into the music arbitrarily by the composer, based on how he/she wants the music to sound. The 1st violins may not always have the most difficult part to play.

The choice of which violinists play 1st or 2nd violin is an arbitrary decision made by the conductor or music director of the orchestra; it may or may not be based on some rational criteria.

A principal violinist, on the other hand, is usually the featured performer who is not part of the orchestra (like an Itzak Pearlman).

Answer 3

Depends on the director. Some directors will put the "X" best violinists on 1st part and the rest on 2nd part. Some directors will do it differently though- put the two or three best on first part, but then alternate. The fourth best goes to 2nd part, fifth best goes to 1st part, 6th best goes to 1st part, etc. This makes the sections more equal and balanced.

Answer 4

sesh! i bet you'll find on on ebay lol!!!!!!!!
i guess you could hire me cos i love to play the voilin. but you better have a good offer lol!!!!!!!