Mark O'Connor Fiddle Solo at Merlefest: Midnight on the Water - Bonaparte's Retreat 

This has to be one of the finest violin solo pieces ever

I played this last night in Sonoma County festival, about 3,000 people there and I finally put together a new version of "Bonaparte's Retreat" in the standard tuning after playing it in the cross-tuning my whole adult life. It was a premiere I suppose and the audience loved it just like the original I did at Merlefest all of those years ago. I just posted a picture of Zac Brown below (with Garth Brooks and I) After the show, Zac came up to me and said that he saw me at that Merlefest play this and the set with Tony Rice on stage when he was just 12 years old. He said it inspired him to get into music. Amazing stuff to hear...

when a song gets you choked up and it doesnt even have words

Yup and the most telling thing...not one single peep from the crowd.Thats the respect all performers deserve,this was just beautiful.

Imagine seeing a 13 year old kid playing jaw dropping, fantastic fiddle and flat top guitar. Busking in Seattle at the Folklife Festival with his hat on the ground. I can still see Mark today. As soulful and brilliant a musician who ever filled the air with such wonderous sounds. I was lucky then. We are all lucky now. Thanks Mark for all the music and memories.

I've been playing for 17 years and this is a new, unique sound I have not yet come across. The control, the sentimentality, the fire and speed; I am breathless.

Was I the only one who had Mark O'Connor's picture taped to my locker door in high school? Everyone else had heavy metal or pop stars & this Irish Girl had Mark O'Connor & Randy Travis 💜

my goosebumps gets goosebumps

...the strings sing the heart... and known be the glory of silence in this dance of light... those moments between each note... that living pause between each breath... Thank You for such sounding beauty dear Mark O'Connor.

March 26, 2024. WOW. I've known of Mark & his music for a long time but just now found this. He is an amazing musician.

This is amazing - such sounds coming out of that old fiddle as if its letting loose of all its past voices long forgotten.

I was there!! And those thousands and I loved this performance. And being of Irish descent myself, I especially like the reels, jigs, ballads, and folk songs.

I played just enough fiddle as a kid to know how hard it is to play this well. Brilliant, & thanks!! :)

I first hear Midnight on the Water when I picked with Mark many years ago. He was perhsps 14 at the time maybe younger. I had been playinf for maybe 12 years. He picked up my mandilin and played a flawless Bucks Run. I was amazed as I am today. I have followed his career with pride. I was not surprised to see him on stage as a back up musician, then a headliner. But his move into wrighting symphonies just blew me away. What an honor to have picked with you Mark. I'd give my left nut to pivk one song with you on stage again. Great job son. Tony.

A youtube post of some college kid funneling a beer gets millions of views - and this guy's masterpiece work here gets only 2k. We are a select group.

When you have tears in your eyes and joy and peace in your heart, you simply know it is "the one" song...

mark o' connor is probably the best fiddler out there

This song brings me away.... Thank you!!!

As always I love to hear Mark O’Connor plays his violin 👍❤️

Listening to this gives me goosebumps and takes me away to a special place.

Thanks Mr. O'Connor. I wasn't going to practice today but now I'm more motivated! You're an incredible musician.

Mark- you’ll probably never read this; but I found you after listening to you play the fiddle solo in “Most Unoriginal Sin” for Willie Nelson. To this day-my favorite fiddle solo of all time. You are absolutely amazing.

Pure inspiration. I’d almost forgotten that music could be this good!

Gotta love that drone! Lovely, just lovely tune and lovely playing. Oh, and the magnificent bowing.

Thank you Mark.

I’m still here in 2021 and as Christmas 🎄 is fast Approaching this tune still brings a tear too mine eyes , ☘️🎄🎁God Bless Y’all And God Bless America the Land of the Free because of the Brave

Most here have stolen my thunder and have said what is already on my mind. I've been following you and your incredible artistry and master class performances for longer than I care to admit. And I can imagine a smile on Steve Morse's face when he sees something like this on You Tube where you shine ever so brightly. Of course I saw you many times with the Dregs and most recently with your family band play at Jazz as Lincoln Center in that beautiful room overlooking Columbus Circle. Keep up the great work and hope all is well in your world.

Mere words would be incapable in describing the beauty of this wailing fiddle. Thanks.

This brings me tears. He played it beautifully

Absolutely beautiful!

I’m a 50 year old aspiring fiddle player and am literally only on my 3rd lesson. This video really moved me.

Times are precarious indeed. That hit the spot. I play Midnight on the Water on mandolin and it's one of my favorite tunes. And here to hear that tune by none other, one of my favorite fiddlers ever! I've been following Mark playing with David Grisman. I play your Oopic waltz on mandolin. Thank you.

This is an excellent, truly excellent performance. Thank you for sharing.

MESMERISING THANK YOU !!!

Outstanding, truly amazing!! Thanks 👍✌️

Really really really amazing performance I've ever seen🔥🔥

Beautiful!

Wow, what a great song played by a great player, thanks for sharing.

Phenomenal fiddling here! Bravo!

2024. Here we are listening to this phenomenal masterpiece

Riesig, der absolute Hammer. Danke!

Beautiful and inspirational playing - great job! 👍

Words cannot describe the beauty in this

mark...you the MAN for sure...this is very difficult stuff...esp the bowing!!!...love it!!

This is very beautiful, so soulful!😢

Maestro!❤️❤️

Bravo! absolutely engagingly beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

Just absolutely wow !!! 🔥

Makes me remember Asheville, NC from my younger days... I miss that fresh air... When the military is done with me I can't wait to get back...

Incredible performance from a true maestro.

This is truly an incredible performance…

Magical. The man has it. LOVE THE IRISH.

I've just burst into tears at the end

This music reminds me of my grand dad. He played the fiddle too any instrument for that matter. It also reminds me of my favorite western movie-The Long Riders.

OMG --- what else to say...speechless....I have a new favorite!!!! forever

Legend has it that my 3rd great uncle, Daniel McCann, taught the eaglet that became "Old Abe" the Screaming Eagle of the 8th Wisconsin Civil War Regiment, to bob and weave to "Bonaparte's Retreat." Quite sure that Old Abe never heard it done like this. Mark O'Connor is one fine fiddle player, and also the violin. There is a difference to me, because fiddle makes my toes tap, and violin makes me cry. Mark can do both in 8 minutes, as witnessed in his "Heroes" album. Lifelong fan of one of Nashville's finest solo and back-up players of all time. Thank you, Mark, for the joy you have brought....

After this, there ain't no fiddle left!

Rick Wakeman's early piano teacher (Dorothy Symes - 11 years - from age 7 to 18) entered him into his first "public appearance" recital when he was about 11 yrs old - and told him, "You must always share the Music. It must always be shared." She might have been talking to our Mark, as well. To even have such a prodigious gift as these two players have - is both a blessing and a curse. But it becomes a TOTAL blessing to those of us with whom it's being shared. We are the fortunate ones, I think. I was driven by Music (to a somewhat lesser degree) for about 50 years of my Life - but NOTHING to the degree of such people as our Mark, Rick Wakeman, Lee Pomeroy, Trevor Rabin, Alison Krauss, Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, Bela Fleck, Molly Tuttle, Tommy Emmanuel, Sarah Jarosz, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Carole King . . . and on and on the list goes. Almost all these people - especially Mark - have given tutorials/classes on what they do. They've mentored others, for sure. But our Mark has not only shared the Music in his performances - but he has developed a whole new way to approach learning the fiddle/violin - and started band camps to share his hard-earned knowledge and techniques in an even more personal way. He is a national living treasure - who shares his prodigious gift at every level - and he should be protected at all costs.

Still the best, forever.

Great , LOVE IT

Fabulous!

I love this

True artistry!

so good

Such a beautiful song. He can make that fiddle sing

"lord, but i love a good fiddle player"♫

Amazing. It's pure.

Beautiful Awesome..The old way of playing Bonaparte's Retreat.

BEAUTIFUL Perfection...😊💜💜💜💜

EXCELLENT!

Perfect syncopation. SO glad this is here for posterity.

so intricate!

Im not bad for a bad fiddle player... But Im just sayn, Ive been listening to this man since I was 15.... There is none like Mark. He is insanely great.... But even more so in musicality. Only God could put this in a man.

Sick!!

Wow thats some impressive fiddling there thank you

This is just PERFECT😌😃

Is Mark O'Connor the coolest? Yes, he is the coolest! Don't you agree? Oh, whole heartedly, I agree he is the coolest!

Mark O'Connor vous me ravissez avec votre violon, merci!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you,

Wow!

Hope to play like this one day

Met him. So humble, he was.

Wow, very beautiful ☺️

i love

What a musician

Relaxing. .. VERY NICE. ★☆★☆

Chills.

Rusty cooley said check this guy out in an interview he was in so here i am and dang that guy is fast.

Unreal guy

Pros like this show me how much I really don't know. ( : Excellent!!!!!!

Super!!!!!

Wildest version of Fraulein I ever heard !!!!

im gen x and this is the most beautiful fiddle i ever heard

Wicked shit.. this guy is a bluegrass celestial .. hats up

Great .

Excuse me while I pick up my jaw up off the floor. My God, he can play!

Beautiful, haunting and abit sad

'these are not tears of sorrow i shed; rather tears of joy" -wp

Beautifully played, Sir! Thank you for sharing.

#glorious!