Joshua Bell playing The Girl with the Flaxen Hair by Debussy.

[laalelwo]

bit morbid but we picked this for my brother's funeral and it is a beautiful piece

[Soupwhistle]

This performance allows me to slip out of my office and enjoy a walk across a meadow - without having to leave the office. Can you smell the hyssop?

[ansimionescu]

@Soupwhistle Beautifully said.

[TheVloggingGaijin]

madoka

[Waking2Dreams]

Played with as much passion as this song deserves. Great performance. Absolutely one of my favorites.

[christyfanderson]

beautiful

[johnnycharco]

Nothing I can say but thank you for sharing :)

[1955marioara]

Congratulations!

[Abbeygoodall]

this is just amazing :O

[littlemonster1984]

the chords at the start are so nice

[Kaio83483]

Fascinante!!!



[Netaork]

Messi, you here?

[Bobman4671]

The way his chin lays on the violin reminds me of Gidon Kremer. I wonder if he'll look that way when he gets that age.

[cresentmoon0336]

He is the best violinist ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RichardKleiner]

Joshua Bell + Claude Debussy = Musical Beauty

[ascott51088]

gives me the chills

[coolio23766]

how do you sweat playing the violin?.....I get sweaty hands, but never shinny reflection off my face. He is amazing tho!

[Anzhela2]

This is for Joshua, Your music inspires me to play my viola with as much passion and love as you do! Playing an instrument is anything but boring, it's expressive and helps to portray who you are. Keep on loving the violin!

[GaladedridDamodred]

She must have been a very lovely girl.

[Asasellobulgakov]

@GaladedridDamodred

Thats exactly what went through my mind :D

[Heinrichgermany]

wonderful symply wonderful



[MCBTranslations1]

Joshua Bell plays with deep feelings. Wonderful!

[royanderson31]

incredibly moving

[MIXTICLER]

woo!.. everytime i hear this violin my heart will makes happy

[ZeekWolfe1]

Debussey's music makes me want to run into the forest and sprinkle fairy dust on the girl with the flaxen hair.

[jonadamich]

Reminds me of some of Ralph Vaughan Williams work.

[sajuri77]

This is amazing music!!!!!!

[TheAdriennehale]

just beautiful!!! <3

[billbodge]

this song reminds me of jess hardy when i was humming away and she recalled the title . ping moment

[iBurnedCookies]

i.. just cant. stop. listening to this...

[jeffersonfsoares]

Muito bom Joshua Bell sempre com boas interpretações, mais essa peça sou muito mais Heifetz me comove muito mais

[cheesechub]

Beautiful. I'm performing this on the clarinet for my exam in a week. I have much to learn from him.

[44divar]

This is just beautiful! Joshua puts his heart into this piece. Love it. I also will see him July 2..........can't wait

[goracheski]

Such a beautiful song and an AMAZING performer!!!

[annzbanana37]

Outstanding.

[MrGareth1992]

good but can not compare to the piano

[LCF1996]

going to see this incredible guy in concert July 2nd. yess i'm excited.

[44divar]

@LCF1996  I also will be seeing Josh on July 2...........Ravinia!!! Enjoy yourself

[LCF1996]

@44divar YES! Oh man, I love Ravinia. Saw Josh a couple summers ago there.... it was gorgeous. I'm so excited. Yeah, you too!

[enyagenial]

amo como toca ese hombre

[enyagenial]

amo como toca ese hombreeeeee

[enyagenial]

joshua bell es lo mejor de lo mejor, toca con sentimiento, es genial ese hombre, amo como toca, lo hace muy a su estilo, una tecnica masculina y apasionada

[neurogirl12]

I'm playing this in band and it's really pretty :) ......we killed it XD

[rhinolovingpianist77]

Claude Debussy= Genius

Joshua Bell= Superb

Joshua Bell playing Debussy= Superb Genius!!

There's nothing better then that :)

[cuoylyf]

Excellent!

[Scarlett4Zanzibar]

Joshua Bell. Sigh. I have followed him for years (no, not literally, ha).. Wonderful, wonderful! Thank you for sharing this.

[littlezoe17]

he's so sweaty. :)

[scyldschefing]

This is beautiful, but I still prefer the piano version far more partly because it's so much more intimate compared to an orchestration. There's also another quality to it that I can't quite put my finger on... somehow having it all played on one instrument helps the piece "blend" together more?

[pchazzzz]

@scyldschefing I prefer the version scored for clarinet for the same reason.

[TheInfamousThey]

He's so sweaty :3

[sianinwonderland]

got chills all the way through, absolutely stunning.

[MonsoonWinds6]

The way he plays his instrument makes the song 10 times better. So beautiful

[fmiglio437]

vedo tutti commenti in inglese e mi sento un pesce fuori dall'acqua ma la musica la

seguo con molta passione - brano e interprete da 10 e lode

[dog1220xyz]

like this if you thought of josh from drake and josh when you originally saw the title. lol.

[gertiebeetle89]

1.13 gives me chills...

[TheSteadydrummer]

@gertiebeetle89 This entire piece gives me chills! :)

[Mr68Baron]

With tears, I dedicate this beautiful composition to my lady with Flaxen Hair, Kathy H. in Norristown, PA from EPL "MC Baron 68"

[asherel]

why does he always wear those gross looking silk shirts??

[stockinettestitch]

@asherel Probably easier to move in. ? Or maybe he just wants the music to stand out. 

[sarahxboxbeara]

this version is very good! but i prefer violin/piano duet. simpler = better in my opinion. but this is very nice too.

[carmenjones411]

breathtaking......

[ACMilanAirsofter22]

I love it but the one i had on CD tht icnt find it was all Flute! sounded amazing but cnt find it anywere

[amazieng]

@ACMilanAirsofter22 why don't you upload it? or do you no longer have the CD?

[ACMilanAirsofter22]

@amazieng dont have the CD ive looked EVERYWERE

[paulanthonydavenport]

This is so Beautiful. Its like listening to nothing at all. It has the rythm of the wind. I love it.

[rebeccanubodys]

Damn, he's a good violinist... Smoothe as silk... Thanks Bell.

[TAfan2]

I kind of imagined this, or rather see this as a birth of the sun... dawn rising... Just try to imagine - it is beautiful.

And in the end, the city's lights are turned off, everything is bright blue and on the tip of the tower a hint of gold peeks eventually flourishing the space with light. Beautiful.

[jonowonoponosono]

I died when the music ended.

[homemadevids1]

Too bad this song is so short.... *SIGH* I don't know, I just guess I was able to appreciate Debussy's first of his Deux Arabesques which was fortunately five pages long. You can just feel the music. And it feels beautiful.

[ktm64]

Not only was the song beautiful--but it made me feel like I was too, if only for a few moments. Simply the power of music--specifically, Debussy.

[baiba4]

This is so much better on violin than on the piano!

[sbringe]

@baiba4 yes it sure was moving but I wouldn't say better than piano. It has a different feel than piano, more lyrical and flowing but with the added musicians I felt some parts didn't come together as well as piano versions I've heard. It was very nice though.

[11magicmel11]

Ahh I love Debussy. This is what love sounds like to me :)

[rguillermo08]

Thanks for this sweet moment.

[mrdarklight]

Very nice sir. Very nice indeed. It makes my heart melt a little, and sing at the same time.

[tjrender]

This is sublime...I love Debussy and Joshua Bell is one of my favourite violinists

[InsanePuppy11010]

I always wanted to learn violin.

I settled for piano and this has now made me want to learn violin again.

[arizonalemon]

Joshua Bell perfects this song!!! If I ever hear this song performed elsewhere, I never be able to say that it was good because it could never come close to this interpretation. Sigh...this is a good piece.

[HyPeRTWiTch]

I love this song it's absolutely beautiful. :) Kudos to Joshua Bell, you are an amazing musician.

[Lappith]

The climactic note at 1:15 gave me goosebumps for the remainder of the video. So unbelievable beautiful.

[stanthemanization]

La Fille Aux Cheveux de Lin... magnifique!..

[stanthemanization]

La Fille Aux Cheveux de Lin... magnifique!..

[1ampixie]

What a sweet thing to say,,she's a lucky lady.

[HerrBeckett]

Fille aux cheveaux

[Mathmusiciandlife]

Joshua makes this presentation, I prefer the piano concerto however, this is majical

[budayick]

this is one of my favorite songs but it's hard to play this as a section -_-

[HarleeNKinsman]

If you don't like him then keep your comments to yourself and let the adults have a conversations about the topic. pitiful little children.

[Opteemon]

Did anyone see that bit where Josh stands on a street corner with a stratdivarius and acts like a street performer? Only a handful of people on their way to work realized something was amiss, if you know what I mean.

[abink08]

too bad theres not a poem to this

[sukneh]

I canunderstand why you would want that, bnut it might be redundant.

[paulina1414]

inspirational

[Jgiraffosaur]

i wonder if Josh Bell upset those teachers that are all about posture when playing. I mean I guess they don't because he is so good. But i just remember most teachers always harped on sitting straight and still. But he kinda sways. i like it :)

[fdapproved16]

Well you are supposed to show emotion....and he's not sitting.

[copernicus633]

I imagine an old man,

in a reverie,

recalling from deep in his youth,

the days he wandered meadows,

hand in hand with his lost love,

--the girl with the flaxen hair.

[SilencingSin]

what does flaxen mean? Im so confused....

[WWRHorn1]

Flaxen is like the color of flax or wheat. Sort of blonde, but not. It is a story of unrequited love.

[agentmabus333]

I very much thought so. I wonder what inspiration Debussy took from to make this.

[konoremm789]

@agentmabus333 he was inspired by a famous impressionist painting by the same name

[littlefalls2008]

Divine!

[SubtextRules]

*sigh* So beautiful...

[ricky5424]

featured in the great old movie "Dodsworth", with Walter Huston and Mary Astor and I'd like to have met Debussy, Eric Satie, any of those guys

[slippymuddy]

This is easily the most beautiful song in the universe.

[stockinettestitch]

@slippymuddy Along with O Mio Babbino Caro...imo

[saxismyaxe]

@slippymuddy Certainly one of them. You should also hear Ralph Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending".

[Snowbuddha]

the girl is love/god, the hair is the universe.

[Iambejis]

Absolutely beautiful! I wish I could dowload this to my MP3 player! Any suggestions on how I could to that? I am in love with this rendition!

[scaryfruits]

Depends what kind of computer you have.

A mac or a PC?

[ambrosius]

It fits so well with the violin. I love the orchestration

[Fuliginosus]

I never imagined it could sound so good on a violin.

[linusia112]

I'm in heaven when I listen to this amazing music...

[2Roister]

My lass has flaxen hair she is the music of my life and as beautiful as this music.

[hateallofyou1]

cryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[funkandgroovin]

Joshua Bell leaves you floating in air. Truly heaven on earth, smooth, fluid, and soothing. Is there a word for that somewhere in the world?

[kikapulido]

Debussy!!!

[BarbaraPloyer333]

Heaven......

[featherlightful]

This one just transports me!

[GIRLWITHFLAXENHAIR2]

Joshua Bell you play the violin so beautifully, and yes with the most passion, how I love this song!

[BarbaraPloyer333]

Yeah.... I can tell you love this just by your username!

[ambrosius]

Yeah no kidding haha

[TheSecretPhantom]

This is an extremely beautiful version of the original song. I adore it.

[Shifulk]

hes the most passionate violinist, one of the most passionate musicians that i have ever seen play. this is true beauty. oh and that stuff about sweat is just a physical form of his mad skills.

[KiddyRideOnTheLoose]

beautiful

[pinkpurse4546]

this is a beutiful piece I always want to cry when I hear it and its played by a very graceful player which makes it even better

[224clb22]

Brings tears to my eyes!

He is a master to be sure.

[Orbster25]

man...his violin is a piece of heaven.

[fluffynamedkimba]

superb.

[woodmaster413]

is he sweating? cus his face is glistening in the close-up.

[Orbster25]

i think mostly from concentration. :)

[FleshWoundGoth]

nope, thats just all the concentrated awesome leaving his body :D

[Orbster25]

lol...that too!!

[12froggy]

I would love to do justice to this piece like he does....*sigh*

[tappytoto]

JOshua Bell has performed a most moving rendition of this beautiful prelude by Debussy !!. I attended one of his concerts recently in Dublin and it was a most enjoyable experience ! !. He performed the great Mendelssohn Concerto and of c ourse did not disappoint us !. He plays with great passion and that is his natural style - most animated performer !!. Heifetrz on the other hand was the opposite type of violinist but he was one the true geniuses of tjhe 20th century !

[tomatose9]

This piece feels like being in love.

And when I hear this performance, it seems as if my heart sort of...lifts.

[belle12071937]

Romance of the Violin album is stunning. I'm having trouble sleeping at night--not wanting to stop listening. One would think it would be soothing enough to put one to sleep, but not this soul. Just too lovely.

[advnchrchik]

I completely agree! It's like falling in love; you just can't help it. :)

[BlackPearlGurl]

I've played this. ^_^

Lovely rendition.

[wickednestle]

I'd Love to see him Live

[jujukay25]

This song makes me miss my little sister. I would always ask her to play it for me on the piano.

[MusicistaThe]

oh the passion!

[karatekid12456]

hes just feeling the music with his movemnts he doesnt do it on purpose some ppl tap involuntary like i do when i play the violin or sumtimes i walk around the room lol

[steviferg]

Yeah, don't make fun of him moving so much. Part of that is letting the other musicians know what he's doing. He's leading the group, and with a song like this, they have to watch him in order to know how long he's going to hold a fermata, or when he might change the pace a little. It's just part of playing with a chamber group with no conductor.

[Enza654]

Joshua Bell é simplesmente incrível!

Nada que eu disser vai descrever esse talento impressionate que ele tem!

[slippymuddy]

ive been in love with this song since i was little. this is such a beautiful performance.

[MusicalEutopia]

If I weren't a pompous musician his movement would seem silly.

One of my favourite songs.

[unclePTM]

haha, really a funny statement!

[njva17420]

Joshua Bell is a young man playing with a young man's passion. His movement is part of that. Someone suggested that he is conducting the ensemble as he plays.

This is his (and Debussy's) love song to someone heart-breakingly special to him.

Heifetz played in a strictly classical manner, and as if remembering someone from long ago. He also played with only the piano accompanist behind him -- no need to conduct.

I'll take Bell's fresh interpretation any day.

[amaze1191]

heyyy, i've played this on the piano! love this man.

[UnclJuniorSuprano]

Uncle Junior knows sublime violin music when he hears it--this is divine. Bell has danced his way past my ears and like an arrow straight into my heart. Now I dance too when hear this glorious beauty. Surely the most wondrous violinist that has ever tread the face of Gods green earth...God bless you Josh Bell!

[maxhansendk]

@UnclJuniorSuprano I beg to differ about "best ever..." Because such a violin player does not exist!

Look up Leonid Kogan, David Oistrakh, Menuhin. Szeryng, Heifetz and you will have more wonderful music to choose from! :-)

[weyzou]

J'adore Debussy - spécialement la "Fille au cheveux de lin" et cette interprétation par Joshua Bell est tout simplement sublime.

[IMTheMagicRat]

thanks funkanfgroovin for the killer share! *****!

[elegie84]

Great playing, grat musicality! I fell in love with this piece of music, it's so nice and calming.

[equineface]

This was soo beautiful... I have the dvd of this performance.. I love it!

[darlingnose]

this song is SO beautiful. i could listen to it over and over and over.

[PlatypusofCalifornia]

If you heard this, liked it, and have never listened to Ralph Vaghan Williams, look him up, he often writes with modes also, two of his best pieces, and some of my favorite are the lark ascending (which is a work for orchestra and solo violin) and the fantasia on a theme by thomas tallis, which is for an orchestra and string quartet simeltaneously. Very cool work because it trys to imitate organ acoustics in its setup, if you liked this you'll love both of those works.

[singinginachurch]

His bow arm`s fantastic.

[maniactrn51]

thank you Joshua, you have made my day.

[mrausar]

Is he doing ballet or playing music

[chaz567123456789567]

I love his interpretation of this beauty, but I also sympathise with people who find his movement off putting (I never look at him when he plays makes me feel dizzy lol)

' he's moving around and swaying to the song. obviously you are not one of those people who can immerse themself in the music as Joshua Bell can.'

However his musicality and interpretation comes across, hence the name, in the MUSIC!, which is after all what we are here for. If you like it his movement is a bonus extra I guess

[yogaman1919]

personally i enjoy seeing someone immerse themselves that fully into their music. i love all styles of music. classical being one of them. i also like classic rock. too which one of my favorite flute players is accustomed to playing, and doesnt stand still like what most would think a flutist would, when many thinks of flute players.

[X52SY]

Really beautiful piece. I like it played by Nuccio Trotta. An unknown pianist worth listening in to.

[hairybeast101]

super

[derekfofi]

is a beautiful bright, beautiful melody that, like kadauno and of sinking into the words of the violin is similar to a voice, if that really feels the music, very touching.

es hermoso¡¡¡ brillante,que bella melodia, y como joshua de hunde dentro, la expresion del violin es similar a una voz, realmente el si que siente la musica,muy conmovedor.

[Ackbarfangirl]

I liked the Heifetz one better, but maybe that's just different preferences. He was moving much to much and there was none of the delicateness of Heifetz in a very delicate piece.