Paganini: Caprice No. 2 (Shlomo Mintz)

[MikeIvensky]

Of course, the best execution of this piece is by a Jew.

[louisgrantnesbit]

am i the only one laughing at his name?

[awsomeviolinist]

where could i meet this guy and does he give private lessons?

[angelishify]

I've just watched the videos accessable from this site with so renowned artists as Julia Fischer and Maxim Vengerov playing the same piece, and it's obvious that any comparison with Mintz is out of question.

[supernanchita]

Chuck Norris can play this without a violin..!!!

[daflowerbomb]

@supernanchita chuck norris can play this on 3 violins.

[TonicMike]

He's so amazing. I don't know how he can be so relaxed and calm while he does this.

[daniluzzu]

I simply don't think it's possible to play this caprice better. And without even mentioning the musical beauty and the sound quality, I actually don't think it's even possible to play it this in tune. Very impressive!

[93thrasher]

nice

he looks like chevy chase ;)

[adamgtwn]

Mr. Mintz the best Paganini player, ever.

[soemad5]

It sounds kind of like the handel/halvorson duet, does anyone agree?

[JeremyImp]

@soemad5 Ikr! But I love that part. :)

[Sylvain894]

Well, you've got to belong to Jew society, with richissim owners and great music schools to get such treasure violins or Strad Cellos or you're nothing at all in music star system (Richard Wagner 2010) ; anyway Jew; happy new year !!

[thekidwhocameback]

incredible!!!!!

[Johnny777violin]

En estética de la música, se demuestra que, para que la música adquiera, verdadero valor de arte y no de oficio como muchos la catalogan, al compositor le hace falta la figura del intérprete, el cual le añade carácter y valor científico, humano y emocional a la obra, asunto este que no tienen la poesía, la escultura, la arquitectura, etc saludos. 1

[zivkitis]

*gulp* wow

[NeoNesscom]

PAGANINI forever!!!!

[antechambre]

those tenths are so very satisfying to bounce on

[fireballkiller]

all these amazing virtuosos of our time aside, i would go so far as to say that paganini was the greatest violinist this world has ever known. not just because of speed, but the notes he puts together, i think if anyone comes close its vivaldi, i get a frog in my throat when i listen to either one.

[TheMoonlightsea]

@fireballkiller true and beautiful words.

[personwithskills]

i wonder if it's any easier to play on guitar

[MattyOBrian1]

I would say it is, especially for this caprice. The chief difficulty in this piece is the string crossings and large stretches. Both of these difficulties could be made easier if not eliminated in the guitar idiom.

[fireballkiller]

@MattyOBrian1 yeah , i play guitar, and i play paganini on guitar, but seriously, and im learning violin now, guitar has NOTHING on this instrument, the delicacy, the accuracy, the control, the discipline, so great.

[kikkomon600cc]

I've been attacking the 24 caprices since I was 15, don't think i'll ever get this good. Saddens me. :(

[charvinaldo]

im a musician but not a violininst. but hey, its incredible that you have that much dedication and i want to give you some sort of credit for it. this guy is pretty tough to measure up to. i think its awesome that you a dedicated violinist and wor so hard. i want just to somehow telly outaht you are awesome and you music is appreciated

[nicolapalo]

@kikkomon600cc don't worry, Mintz is a monster: he had his debut with Israel Philharmonic Orchestra when he was only 11 :)

[anonymous0981]

@nicolapalo hehe

[lilia1997]

He plays with so much simplicity...Amaizing!!!!

[Jedum]

I heard he's playing Paganini´s instrument here...is it true? or maybe I missunderstood, but if I did, what video has him playing it?

[CornDoctor]

idk that doesnt look like a guarnerius from here

[Randomness65535]

I got the sheets. It's not just hard to play. It's hard to read too. At first, that is. Paganini was truly a sadist =)

[HelveteKeiser]

yeah around the 30rd bar or something you cannot make anything out!!!hhaha

[spidaman25x]

lol

[Randomness65535]

Yeah I'm playing it from time to time, i already got the hang of the first page lol.

[spidaman25x]

thats pretty cool though, i wish i had seen some shit like this when i was younger i probably would have kept playing violin.

[lakifre]

@Randomness65535 lol i'm reading the concerto n 1 at this moment, it's tough ^^

[lakifre]

4 peole are antisemithe ^^ (it's a joke) 

[carolynglitters]

i just fell in love

[ZeroX810]

mintz has HUGE hand.

[TaNdYbOyZ]

in my opinion no one plays the paganini caprices with such artistic taste. his balance of musicality and technique makes him one of the best.

[lintunen]

Have you heard Sergei Stadler?

[vonlubcke]

Try listening to Leonid Kogan

[Fusion2222]

@TaNdYbOyZ i liked how it was played by alexander markov! its maybe better

[anonymous0981]

@TaNdYbOyZ actually i think maxim vengerov can do better

[slychihuahua]

shlomo mintz is the most elegant looking male violinist i have ever seen. he makes it look so easy with absolutely no effort at all. whatch his sibelius concerto videos. its so amazing how he plays the 3rd movement so nonchalantly. he's one of my favorites.

[NOalRAZZISMO]

At 0.28 he is changing a note from the original score... plays a C sharp instead of A sharp... if you can spot it!

[lena273]

do you have the original score, then? if you do, can you copy it for me? i can't find it anywhere.... i'm looking for this and also caprice no. 6.

[ItzhakRoxMySox]

Google IMSLP

[476892]

NOalRAZZISMO,are you ears that good???

[NOalRAZZISMO]

Yes! Plus I know the piece!! Cheers!

[daniluzzu]

yes you're right, he does play C#! and at 0:24 he keeps sitting on C# (4th finger on E) instead of hitting the high E (5th eigth of measure 9).....uhm.... i wonder why these changes.....i mean, a violinist with that kind of technique shouldn't need to simplify the score in such a way....but I also think those are not interpretative choices....well, if they are mistakes it really doesn't matter, he's playing is truly stunning!!!

[lonestargirl500]

Okay... it's SICK to watch his pinky finger just effortlessly hold perfect pitch while all the other fingers are perfectly in tune.

Disgusting...ly awesome lol

My fingers are like half as long as his... lol

[neji277]

yeah the pinky is always hard to get in tune. and if you put it even SLIGHTLY off, it sounds horrible.

[Violincrazy]

He plays it as if its a scale warming up... How the heck can you play this so effortlessly!! Bravo!

[jajteles]

Super!

[happyfunnyfoo]

Just because someone's tempo is faster and technique remains intact does NOT mean they are UNMUSICAL.

Paganini is technical by nature, which Mintz accomplishes easily. His musicality remains intact, and I would have to disagree with horozcorc.

[horozcorc]

he plays as if it was exercise without music. listen to pikaizen...Of course very high technic. but in my opinion, technic must always serve for music.

[oriyan2]

You can't be serious. He has more ear for the music than the average of player attempting to do Paganini.

[horozcorc]

he plays as if it was exercise without music. listen to pikaizen...

[DylanKelder]

his sound is incredibly

[Kelsiisme]

incredibly........what?

[electro4city]

lmao.  he skips the repeat. wierd...

[xXLeafXNinjaXx]

different edition maybe?

also cause he might have limited time to fit all 24 caprices onto one VHS

[vnchoi]

very v\good~ tepunick good ㅋㅋㅋ

[bittorring]

qué maquinón!!!!!

[ricardojufe]

thanks for posting!!!!!!

[tubeleonardo]

I've heard the 24 caprice by shlomo at la scala of Milan in 1997. unforgettable!!