Written to be enjoyed by all music lovers, this study reveals for the first time the founder of the vibrato, Lambert Massart--documented by original sources recently discovered by the author. It is the most comprehensive history of the violin available today. It describes the connection between the masters and their pupils from all the major schools; lists the instruments played and owned by each violinist; suggests important recordings to understand each artist; explains the major schools of study; plus a detailed encyclopedia of terms and names so both professional musician or general music lover will enjoy and appreciate the result of more than eleven years of careful study and research.