Baroque violin owing to the high placement of its "eyes"—holes on either side. The fingerboard on a Baroque violin is also shorter than that on a modern violin. During the Baroque period, the use of higher positions on the violin increased. In 1600, the highest note in regular use was the C above the E-string, while by 1700 the A one octave above the E-string was relatively common (being, for instance, the highest note used in Bach's violin music). Virtuoso violinists throughout the period continued to push the boundaries of possibility, with Locatelli reputedly playing in 22nd position. Baroque violins are typically
Sicilian Baroque 1780s, Baroque decor was still deemed more suitable for Catholic ritual than the new pagan-based neoclassicism. The Church of San Benedetto in Catania (Illustrations 15 and 16) is a fine example of a Sicilian Baroque interior, decorated between 1726 and 1762, the period when Sicilian Baroque was at the height of its fashion and individuality. The ceilings were frescoed by the artist Giovanni Tuccari. The most spectacular part of the church's decoration is the nun's choir (Illustrations 16), created c. 1750, which was designed in such a way that the nuns' voices could be heard during services, but the nuns