You and Peanuts have made my day!!!

to all. Right up there with Talk Like A Pirate Day as one of my favorite second-string holidays.

She's known particularly for her mastery of Bach and I often find myself preferring her interpretations to those of legendary violinists like Jascha Heifetz. And her 1864 violin made by master maker Vuillaume has one of the most wonderful tones and responses I've ever heard.

Check this out.

I love that piece. Here's more Hillary Hahn playing one of the most challenging pieces for any violinist, the Paganiniana by legendary violinist Nathan Milstein, being variations on the difficult Paganini caprices. Towards the end, it sounds like Ms. Hahn is playing two violins at the same time. Hillary Hahn is quite an amazing human being: virtuoso world-class musical talent and beautiful, too.

And what is it with all these stunning 30-ish women playing the living bejesus out of the violin these days: Hahn, Jansen, Sarah Chang and Nicola Benedetti (she's a Scot despite the Italian moniker) to name but a few?

I believe she was accepted to study at Julliard at age five, performing the Bruch violin concerto No. 1 as an audition and performed her first concert with the New York Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta at age eight. It helps that both her Korean-born parents were professional musicians.






Here she is only 10 years old in this clip filmed on a series of concerts in England. Legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin is blown away.

the socks off of a titan like Menuhin is rather boggling. Talk about a prodigy! Despite being a spectacular beauty her virtuosic way with the fiddle is the first thing you notice. That is talent! I think I'm in love.

I recall having a CD around with the Paganini on it. I think she was about 14 when she recorded it. I could just about tie my shoes at that age.

I'm going to get cake!

The gift goes on
In silence
In a bell jar
Still a song...
Youve got to shake your fists at lightning now
Youve got to roar like forest fire
Youve got to spread your light like blazes
All across the sky
Theyre going to aim the hoses on you
Show em you wont expire
Not till you burn up every passion
Not even when you die
Come on now
Youve got to try
If youre feeling contempt
Well then you tell it
If youre tired of the silent night
Jesus, well then you yell it
Condemned to wires and hammers
Strike every chord that you feel
That broken trees
And elephant ivories
Conceal