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Mark O'Connor records Eck Robertson's 1922 recording of "Sallie Gooden" for Violin Book V of the "O'Connor Method" (being released Fall 2015)

Mark O'Connor, violin (recorded 2015) Video produced by Fiona Zwieb

Mark O’Connor recorded a transcription of Eck Robertson’s iconic 1922 Victor recording of “Sallie Gooden” known as the first professional recording of a country musician. Robertson’s legendary “13 variations” of Sallie Gooden gave birth to Texas Style Fiddling, and was developed further by his student Benny Thomasson beginning in the 1940s, as well as Thomasson’s student O’Connor in the 1970s, “Sallie Gooden” is a landmark piece of American music. Transcribed by Mark O’Connor and Eli Bishop, O’Connor re-arranged Robertson’s 13 parts into a form that reflects the structure that Thomasson perfected and what has become a standard sequence of the variations. The note choices and bowings O’Connor has selected remain close to Robertson's original 1922 recording as does the playing style, tempo and feeling of the music.

Technical virtuosity is enlisted throughout the Eck Robertson rendition including the extended use of double-stops, as well as playing in 2nd position with forward extensions on the 4th finger and backwards extensions on the 1st finger, something probably unheard of in fiddling during Robertson’s time. The original cross-tuning that Robertson used (low to high – A/E/A/E) is also used by O’Connor for the new recording. The instrument that Mark O’Connor uses for this performance is the same “white fiddle” he played on as a kid becoming the most winning competition fiddler nationwide in history. Incidentally the white fiddle was made about the time Eck Robertson was born. The recording was mixed without any additional reverb or “sweetening” and was recorded through 1950s era tube mics to best emulate the traditional sound of recording from years past.

Photos of Texas Fiddle Greats

Photo #1: Eck Robertson (1922)
Photo #2: Eck Robertson (3rd from left)
Photo #3: Eck Robertson (1960s)
Photo #4: Late 1800s Texas Fiddle Contest
Photo #5: Benny Thomason (1950s)
Photo #6: Benny Thomason (1976)
Photo #7: Benny Thomason (1973)
Photo #8: James “Texas Shorty” Chancellor (1960s)
Photo #9: Bob Wills (1930s)
Photo #10: Major Franklin and Mark O’Connor (1978)
Photo #11: Norman Solomon (1978)
Photo #12: Louis Franklin, Mark O’Connor and Benny Thomasson (1978)
Photo #13: Orville Burns (1980s)
Photo #14: Dick Barrett, Herman Johnson, Mark O’Connor (1978)
Photo #15: Texas Shorty, Benny Thomasson, Terry Morris, Mark O’Connor (1976)
Photo #16: Benny Thomason and Mark O’Connor (1974)
Photo #17: Johnny Gimble (1975)
Photo #18: Terry Morris (1975)
Photo #19: Mark O’Connor (Recording session for Sallie Gooden 2015)
Photo #20: Mark O’Connor (Recording session for Sallie Gooden 2015)

The O'Connor Method for violin, viola, cello and orchestra. Music from United States, Mexico, Latin American and Canada. American Classical Music, Hoedowns, Blues, Spirituals, Ragtime, Jazz, Bach, Baroque, Hymns, Bluegrass, Folk Songs, Rock, Ranchero, Jigs, Choros, modern compositions and much more. Technique, Solo, Ensemble, String Orchestra, Classics, Creativity, Improvisation, Cultural Diversity, Music of different eras, Individual expression. 500 hundred years of music for the violin and strings that creates relevance to the 21st century.

For more information on the O'Connor Method for violin, viola, cello and orchestra, please visit www.markoconnor.com

Playlist created by The O'Connor Method on YouTube. Watch here:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL30538F811506AE84&feature=mh_lolz

For more information on Mark O'Connor, String Camps, The O'Connor Method, ensembles, repertoire, sheet music and more, please visit http://www.markoconnor.com

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