"The violinist is that peculiarly human phenomenon distilled to a rare potency - half tiger, half poet"

This quote by Yehudi Menuhin speaks to the distinct mix of qualities that a violinist must possess. The violinist is an uncommon phenomenon, a mix of two relatively opposite qualities: the tiger and the poet. The tiger is a sign of strength, power, and ferocity, while the poet is a sign of creativity, emotion, and level of sensitivity. The violinist needs to be able to draw on both of these qualities in order to create lovely music. They must have the ability to draw on their strength and power to play with precision and accuracy, while likewise having the ability to draw on their imagination and feeling to produce a special and stunning noise. The violinist is a special mix of these 2 qualities, and it is this combination that makes them so special.