The Devil, You Say

With all the depressing things going on in the world, and an extremely morose post planned for tomorrow, I felt the need for a little escapism.

This is about a young, 29 yr old, violinist named Vanessa-Mae. Born, Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn, she is a Thai-Chinese, born in Singapore. As a child, her family immigrated to the UK. She started playing piano at 4, and took up the violin at 5. The Guinness Book of Records lists her as the only violinist to record Beethoven's and Tchaikovsky's violin concertos at once; and she did that at age 13.

Although she is immensely popular in Europe and the Far East, she is virtually unknown in the US. What a shame that her family chose the UK over the US.

This is a video clip of her performing The Devil's Trill*. For those not familiar with Classical Music, it is the 3rd movement of the sonata in G for violin, by Tartini. This clip is from the Harald Schmidt Show, on Germany's Sat.1 Television. Harald Schmidt is Germany's answer to Late Night with David Letterman, or Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

WARNING !!!!!! ------- This is NOT your Grandma's Classical Music. It is the best rendition of this sonata that I have ever heard. Soooo, without further ado.........

Meine Damen und Herron, Vanessa-Mae und der Devil's Trill*.....





Charlie Daniels, eat your heart out. If the Devil Went Down To The UK, instead of Georgia, Vanessa-Mae would have that gold fiddle right now.

*Trill --
1. A fluttering or tremulous sound, as that made by certain birds; a warble.
2. Music a. The rapid alternation of two tones either a whole or a half tone apart.
b. A vibrato.

Music Soothes the Soul,
Brother Tim