Bach, J.S.: Violin Concertos 1 & 2

Baroque violin refers both to the instrument in its Baroque setup and to the repertory and performance practice for violin from roughly 1600–1750. Typical instruments use gut strings, a lighter bass bar, a shorter/shallower neck angle, and no chin- or shoulder-rest. They are paired with a Baroque bow, whose camber and weight distribution encourage speech‑like articulation, sprung strokes, and a clear attack/decay. Pitch is commonly at A≈415 Hz (varying by region), and temperaments may be circulating or meantone rather than modern equal temperament. Stylistically, Baroque violin playing emphasizes rhetorical phrasing (the "Doctrine of Affections"), ornamental vibrato (used as a coloristic embellishment rather than a constant), extempore ornamentation, and expressive bowing. The music lives in sonatas (da chiesa/da camera), dance suites, concerti (including the concerto grosso), and theatrical or sacred contexts, nearly always underpinned by basso continuo.