Mendelssohn violin concerto. Cadenza by Joshua Bell

[RoyalGuardofRS]

Joshua, I beg you please use some force in this! you will sound wonderful!!

[wefasdf23]

The movement sporatically affects his tone. I'm not condemning it in any way, and I enjoy his free spirited musicianship, but it is a far-cry from the old school style of maintaining a pure tone via keeping a stable positioning of the violin/violin strings at a 90 degree angle from the ground. Love the cadenza; it would be nice to hear other soloists compose their own as well :)

[plk25425]

@wefasdf23 Hello there! You really must hear David Garrett's cadenza... It's dreamy... :)

[dashen]

I saw this concert where I am at, and I have to say if you get a chance to hear him live especially, this specific concert, do so. I spent over $240 on two tickets, but it was well worth the money. Even if you are not a classical music lover, you will be astounded, I guarantee!

[dinkarrao1]

love  hanamoon

[crazycellist973]

The cadenza is very.....interesting. It is very good and obviously well done - because it's Joshua Bell! However, it leaves me wanting the written cadenza.

[SmokeyTaldo]

When Joshua plays my broken heart can pass through an eye of a needle. If somebody lift it to his ears, he could hear the voice of the ocean.

[PinkYachi]

WOW.

[firefoxx298]

I actually just saw Joshua Bell in Ravinia Park a handful of days ago, and I can't say I'm a fan of his cadenza. He left out much of the technical aspect to it that was written into the piece, including the fluttering that one can hear when it is traditionally played.

[musicAL722]

I LOOOOVE watching him perform. He gets so incredibly passionate. It's fabulous.

[Milky111wtf]

Interesting cadenza... I don't know how I feel about it, but it's well done. One of my pet peeves, though, is when soloists direct the orchestra. It makes it about them and not the music in my mind. I prefer if there's a conductor, or if the concertmaster leads. I mean, it's a professional symphony- they don't need the soloist to wave around his or her bow for the few measures between solo sections. Unfortunately, a lot of soloists take it upon themselves to do this...

[musicStoneD]

wow.. Cadenza by 'Joshua Bell'.! he is amazing

[Grobanite122549]

i love how he conducts :) lol

[BBRENTTAGHAPP]

wow i loved it! it fit in very nicely and i loved how he incorporated the main themes and motifs

[srwe14]

yep...prefer original, but it was beautiful!

[skipperdoll13]

Joshua Bell is a friggin' genius. :)

[sundowna]

how an original piece is done is given to interpatation..for his age i think bell is amazing..look at beetoven`s work..i`ve never heard his work better than when Bernstein conducted..the feeling and passion have a presence so vital in the work..

[evil2salad]

Josh ain't that young tho lol

[gnatural]

its nice cadenza, but yeah, i prefer original. Mendelssohn was very specific about his music and especially about this concerto. that is why he wrote his own cadenza.

[shanehodd]

absolutely I agree. Mendelssohn is my favourite of the composers . . .

, I love creativity aswell so im either way on Joshua Bell creating his own cadenza . .hmmm

[violin144000]

i have seen him personally do the tchaikowsky awsome control of the instrument and musicality you have to see him live to see his great technique and musicality

[trogerhunter]

Yeah it sounda well, because it has been videoptaped with a handcam. But its not real. he is a very good violinist, but in my opinion he is never gonna be comparable with Hilary Hahn, Vengerov, Mutter etc.

[danceofthegoblins]

Maybe it's just from having it so ingrained in me but I definitely prefer the original cadenza...seems like this one took too long to introduce the themes and I miss the haunting melancholy build up of the "rolling bow" as the orchestra softly plays the theme over it: it was too abstract in the beginning but could be effective as a solo Caprice or something....

[ToneToneBadone]

i have to agree with you thought this was amazing i definitely prefer the original as well

[fermata25]

He was amazing in Portland tonight ...May 17th. He is brilliant!. As a violinist I can't understand how anyone can criticize him....I'd like to see what they can do!

[Baytuch]

Me too! He's wonderful.

[zyle1972]

this was beautiful. When I saw him live, he wasn't this good. This performance is truly awesome. You guys should check out Ferenc Illenyi playing the Tchaikovsky violin concerto also. He is exceptional, especially the cadenza. 

[RemnantSoj]

WOW, that's so great! Thanks for uploading this!

Any ideas on where I can find a video of Joshua Bell playing the whole movement?

[violin233]

i like him , hes an extraordinary talent , his movements are one with the music and his heart is into the music

[bassboy70]

you people who try to critique Josh are pathetic. You are just jealous. Get a life and just appreciate what his gift has brought to the music world. Wat does moving have to do with anything?? Moving is natural. Get a life

[onemoreterm]

Simply superb. However, I must say, if someone had been stuffing around with recording equipment throughout the performance, I would have tried to throttle them. It is great to see this footage, however, I doubt the people in front were as happy (see woman looking mighty annoyed 8:49 at the rummaging and grating sounds behind her)

[karateko]

wow...

hasta ke escucho una candenza diferente en este concierto xD

[po6000]

he really should temper his movement. I think his tone would be better and stronger without it.

[issavestheworld]

he has a good enough sound.

[mujerado]

If he put consciousness on not moving, it would detract from his involvement with the music. Let him be. He's one of the best without your meddling.

[Feignabsolution]

I just always thought it just wasn't right to move around that much, but by all means if he's feeling it. Even when I Feel it, I don't move like that, maybe a Vengerov facial expression or two, but nothing too serious. The cadenza is interesting, in a good way! I wish more artists would write their own cadenzas again.

[joosangbai]

body motion is for conducting orchestra.

[fermata25]

I guess you're not a musician or you would understand.

[mrHutch9]

Sorry; I did not see that you were the one who wrote the below comment; I have had different discussions lately on Bells musicality, and quite frankly, I love his interpretations and methods of these works. People often forget that musicianship isnt just performing a piece, but having your own way of seeing the way that the piece shoudl sound. I appologize for doing the "thumbs down" rating for this; I misunderstood.

[joegrace22]

not a fan of his cadenza myself, but he is still a phenomenal violinist...

[vlhere]

Joshua Bell has never caught my attentions that much...ad his body movements looks so horrible..even his fcial expressions

[mujerado]

Fine. Stay away and leave another seat for someone who does like him.

[wefasdf23]

What the hell is he doing during the last tutti? I hope he's just conducting, and not spasing out with the music.

[wefasdf23]

Props to Joshua Bell for actually writing his own original cadenza for the Mendelssohn Concerto!!!! A really exciting one too!

[HilldogTroy29]

If you buy the album he plays this on, it has Mozart's 3rd and 5th violin concerto's and he writes his own cadenza's for those and sometimes adds a little cadenza to fermatas.

[maggiemoos101]

hey! you're supposed to post comments about the video, not bicker like an old married couple.

as for joshua, I think he's wonderful and i love that cadenza.

sorry, had to speak my mind. i just think fighting over the internet is a waste of time.

[ddviolinist]

incredible, just simply devine.

[jepdez]

I always forget what a talented musician and violinist he is despite his awful choice of chinrest!

[ddviolinist]

what a stupid thing to say..jeez How old are you, 2?

[jepdez]

Yuk, what's that smell on my fingers...is your mum alright??

[ddviolinist]

Of course, I should have known. The United Kingdom. It never ceases to amaze me how often young people from the UK are asses.

[jepdez]

serves you right for atacking me for no reason, I was just defending myself. What exactly was wrong with my comment you pompous arse?!

[ddviolinist]

well, I think it was you being a "pompous arse" yourself in your first post. That you can't understand what I was referring to shows first, that you are immature, and second, unaware of how arrogant you are. Now, because I don't want to talk to people such as yourself, you are now officially blocked!

[jepdez]

sad old man

[ddviolinist]

lol...wrong on all three counts. I am neither old, sad, nor a man.  Go to school kiddo and get educated. You are on a bad road.

[violinben]

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to side with ddviolinist. However, I will say that you both should grow up. Who cares what chin rest he uses - it's whatever works best for his body. It won't be the same for mine, or for yours, because we're all different. It's the same with choice of shoulder rest (or none), bow, or strings. You admit that he's a talented musician and violinist - so obviously what he's doing works for him.

[jepdez]

Of course I agree, maybe my words were a little harsh about the chinrest but all i meant was i didnt like it personally...its just uncomfortable but yeah it certainly works for him. As for the long line of insults its just internet banter I just write it for the hell of it because it really doesnt mean anything at the end of the day plus ddviolinist was getting pissed which was kind of funny to provoke. No offence intended to anyone else, sorry to fill up the comments with crap - my last post!!

[jodycheung90]

Is he directing the orchestra as well?

Lovely cadenza. This live Mendelssohn is even more beautiful, to me, than his recording....

[arturtle15]

awsome cadenza

[violintviolinist]

he wrote it? huh. i thought i'd heard it somewhere else before. but come to think of it maybe it was joshua bell playing it..lol.

[arzdiamondbacks]

oh haha i guess he did. i didn't read the description

[arzdiamondbacks]

wow i've never heard this cadenza before. did joshua bell write this himself?

[ddviolinist]

yes, he did!!

[saucyasian]

sweet cadenza

GO JOSHUA BELL!!!!!

hope he plays it like that when he comes to portland