It's been said that in previous centuries violinists were the rock stars. Paganini was melting faces with four strings long before Hendrix or Van Halen did it with six. In fact, I even wonder if the bar to be considered a virtuoso guitarist is a little lower than for a violininst? Maybe it's because when I listen to legendary lead guitar solos I think 'I could get there one day', whereas when I hear pieces like Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor I have no such delusions.
I didn't recognise this piece until the third movement but I was most impressed with the first. Anne-Sophie Mutter is the rock star in question, and she's phenomenal. She actually is very famous apparently. If you don't have time to watch the whole thing just check from 8 minutes in until about 9 minutes.
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