Top 10 Best Modern Songs Featuring a Violin
The powerful and emotive sound of the violin has graced countless musical compositions throughout history, captivating listeners with its melodic beauty and evocative tones. In recent years, this classical instrument has found its way into the realm of modern music, transcending genres and proving its versatility and timelessness.These tracks showcase the incredible range of the violin, blending it with contemporary styles such as pop, rock, electronic, and more. They demonstrate how the violin can not only complement and elevate a piece but also take center stage and leave a lasting impression on the listener.
So, sit back, relax, and let the mellifluous sound of the violin transport you as we explore the top ten modern songs that beautifully incorporate this enchanting instrument.
Violinist: Dave Arbus
"Eleanor Rigby" employs a classical string ensemble, in this case an octet of studio musicians, comprising four violins, two violas, and two cellos, all performing a score composed by producer George Martin.
One of the best songs of all time, arguably!
String Arrangements: John Paul Jones
Although the song's lyrics were written by Verve vocalist Richard Ashcroft, its distinctive passage for strings was sampled from the 1965 Andrew Oldham Orchestra symphonic recording of "The Last Time", arranged and written by David Whitaker, inspired by the 1965 Rolling Stones' song of the same title.
This track mostly consists of a string section and a digital piano playing the song's upbeat riff, along with a steady bass drum beat, percussion (including a timpano and a church bell), bass guitar, and Martin's vocals. There is limited use of electric guitar. All the strings are arranged and conducted by violinist Davide Rossi, who is one of the main collaborators of the album. Rossi's strings comprise the main driving force throughout the song, with a strong beginning loop that supports Martin's voice, until the choruses where the symphonic power of the orchestra takes its fullest shape. The prominent chords played by the string section throughout the song (and in the chorus of "Rainy Day," another of the band's songs) are very similar to those used by "Viva la Vida" co-producer Brian Eno in his piece "An Ending (Ascent)," meaning they could have been suggested partially for the song by Eno.
Violinist: Olsen Involtini
The most beautiful song from ELO, I love the way they played the violin.
The violin parts were played by Beatrice Philips and Neil Amin-Smith. The instrumentation includes a violin, chiptune-style synth blips, a slow bass, piano, and vocals.
Instrumentation by: Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, and Sandy Vee
The strings were played by the London Session Orchestra which featured former Electric Light Orchestra violinist Wilfred Gibson. The strings were arranged by Nick Ingman and Noel Gallagher.
String Arrangements were done by Janson and Janson. A dance song with elements of bhangra music, "Toxic" features varied instrumentation, such as drums, synthesizers, and surf guitar. It is accompanied by high-pitched Bollywood strings, sampled from Lata Mangeshkar and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam's "Tere Mere Beech Mein" (1981), and breathy vocals.
The original by The Youngbloods has an even better violin intro.
How is it that nothing by Kansas cracks the top 25? The high level of musicianship required to play much of their material, let alone the creative genius it took to compose it, deserves much more attention. Magnum Opus is just one of many great tracks by this underrated band.
Other great tracks of Kansas that come to mind are: Icarus Borne on Wings of Steel, Mysteries and Mayhem, All the World, The Wall, Miracles Out of Nowhere, Cheyenne Anthem, Portrait (He Knew), and there are many others. Check them out and listen closely to all that is going on.