Marini’s dance compositions are characteristic of all dance music at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Among them, however, is one that possesses particular interest for us from the fact that it is the first extant composition marked distinctly ‘for violin solo.’ It is entitled _La Romanesca per Violino Solo e Basso_ (ad libitum), and has four sections, each consisting of two parts. The first section, _Parte prima_, has six measures in the first and second part; the second section has five measures in the first part and six in the second. The form of the third section is not so clear as that of the previous ones, although, as we may see from the basses, the composer endeavored to give clear-cut melodies. The same may be said of the fourth section, where the figures are in the bass. The third section--_terza parte in altro modo_--with new melodic and rhythmic material, has the character of a dance. The violin part moves in figures of eight, and there are sustained notes in the bass. The first few measures of each section will serve as illustration. Section I [Illustration: Music score] Section II [Illustration: Music score] Section III [Illustration: Music score] Section IV [Illustration: Music score] In his technique Marini does not go beyond the first position; consequently the fluency of the melody suffers many a break, for when he reaches the limit of the first position, he continues the melody an octave lower. Yet he is responsible for several technical innovations for the violin. He was the first to mark the bowing (legato playing) and to introduce--seven years before Monteverdi’s _Combattimento_--the coloring effect of the tremolo, thus: [Illustration: Music score] Tremolo con arco. Other innovations are to be found in his _Sonate e Sinfonie Canzoni_ (1629) where in a Capriccio ‘two violins play four parts’ (_due violini sonano quattro parti_), thus: [Illustration: Music score] and a ‘Capriccio to be played on the violin solo with three strings after the manner of a lyre’ (_Capriccio per sonare il Violino solo con tre corde a modo di Lyra_). [Illustration: Music score]