Fiddle or violin?
A violin by any other name would sound as sweet — in the right hands.
Fiddling has more to do with style and state of mind than strings and wood. They are the same instrument. Fiddling involves more of a folk-based approach.
Mark O'Connor, who is most closely identified with fiddling, lists himself as violinist on his albums and compositions.
"I just want to make sure that names don't make people turn away from the music," he says. "Stereotypes can turn people away, and so what I'm doing is combined."
O'Connor calls one of his compositions a fiddle concerto for violin and orchestra.
"That dual moniker sets up my message that this is going to be inclusive music, not exclusive," he says. "I've embraced this idea of calling good fiddle music 'good violin playing' and calling good classical playing 'good fiddling.'
"And I'm not the only one," O'Connor adds. "I heard Isaac Stern call his playing 'fiddling' many times, so I take my cues from the best."