Mark O'Connor

Mark O'Connor is an American violinist, born on August 5, 1961. He has been playing professionally since about 1974. Though he is primarily known as a (largely self-taught) fiddler crossover artist, he is heavily into composing what could pass as classical music heavily influenced by Jazz and Country Music idioms. His violin concertos have been especially successful with critics and audiences alike, though reviews of his works by sophisticated and high-powered critics are often diplomatically worded. In the style of Paganini, Spohr, Wieniawski, Enesco, Sarasate, Kreisler, and others, he plays and promotes his own music. O’Connor also frequently records with classical musicians as well as country music artists. Two such artists are cellist Yo Yo Ma and James Taylor. It could easily be said that he is one of the U.S.’s most successful composers, having written for practically every venue – the stage, television, and movies – and every format, from country songs to chamber music to concertos to large-scale symphonies. O’Connor could never be categorized as a classical violinist (playing Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, etc.) using other musical genres in his compositions (ala Copland), but neither could he be dismissed as having no influence (however slight) on the classical music landscape.

Pablo Sarasate

Pablo de Sarasate (Pablo Martín Melitón de Sarasate y Navascués) was a Spanish violinist and composer born on March 10, 1844 (Mendelssohn was 35 years old). His first studies were with his father at age five. At age eight, he performed in public for the first time. At twelve, he entered the Paris Conservatory where he studied with Alard (son-in-law of Vuillaume) and others. His Paris debut took place in 1860 and he henceforth concertized around the world. Several works in the standard violin repertoire were either composed or dedicated to him. Many works which he composed for the violin are also in the standard repertoire and will probably hold their place there forever. Practically every article on him affirms that he was an outstanding, virtuoso violinist. In a brief interview, the Hungarian violinist, Tivadar Nachez, relates how Sarasate twice forgot passages in the third Saint Saens concerto (which had been dedicated to him) while playing a concert performance at which Nachez was present. Nachez also stated that Sarasate did not know how to properly play Bach. There are a few recordings of his available (made toward the end of this career.) Sarasate died in September, 1908, at age 64.