Darth Vader's theme from "Star Wars" in the style of Beethoven

[MontagTheMagician]

If John Williams wasn't such a childish unimaginative twit this music would already sound like this. His melodies are good but that's it. His arrangements are for eight year olds.

[sometimesilovelife]

@MontagTheMagician srsly.. red violin ? i agree in some sort, but still everyone got their own style

[kebabroyal]

Genius ! I'd say it is more in the Schubert style, though.

[DrEthanAsia1]

It sort of loses the feel of the imperial march, and it feels like the gentleman learnt the song from the first few bars that he was given. Still, pretty amazing.

[rebeccaf17]

AMAZING!!!!!

[Bosmon1]

Inspiring treatment of the material, and really astonishing forward planning. I love the sequence at 3:00 and particularly the glorious return to the major at 4:39 - I wait for it every time. Somewhat peculiar that one can listen again and again to a work that was just thrown off in an instant :)

[kaviar10]

If you think this is so bad, try to make somthing similiar youre selves before complaining and post it on Youtube.

[5jdy]

I can't wait to learn counterpoints in music, so I can transform any piece into a wonderful excerpt.

[max261261]

this is really nice ^_^

[Verogalo1]

Is a bit boring though...

[mbudd121]

He could write the song, STAR WARS 7: Final Fantasy.

[superkim111]

I love the music and I love this guy's name.

[MeJoho]

It was more like Beethoven in the style of Star Wars. But still, I loved it.

[tacianobacteria]

OMFG! The freaking Beethoven himself wouldn't improvise this good!

[asiayajgurl]

I going dark side with him

[dandoriot]

Darth Vader's wedding music

[TheSaratracks]

Dark chopin :)

[sdsures]

Please, make my day and tell me this arrangement is available in sheet music, SOMEWHERE!

[Mtaalas]

@sdsures I doubt it. he improvises that on the spot. You should learn it by the ear :)

[Yzmatheque]

Sounds like Chopin's.

[ahgblopes]

@Yzmatheque

I agree.

[AniPieface]

Who knew Darth Vader had such a soft side? This would be perfect for his death!

Now that I think about it, even the name Vader kind of sounds German!

[Skameeto]

@AniPieface Vader is father in German, so yeah, he's a kraut

[Halopedian]

@Skameeto No, it's not. Father in German is Vater. Perhaps you mean Norwegian or some other Germanic language, in which it is entirely possible that Vader means father; I don't know. But you were incorrect.

[Skameeto]

@Halopedian You're right, it's dutch, not german.

[prolece011]

"Vader" means "father."

The Dutch word for "father" is "vader," but is pronounced differently; the German "vater" has a closer pronunciation to the name :)

[nicco91]

@prolece011 George Lucas himself has said that there isn't any relation between the german/dutch word and the character Darth Vader....;)

[iLouiss]

woooooow. very cool.

[jedimastersteve]

Impressive. Most impressive.

[doublehirn]

what???? does he just pull all this out of his nose?

...Mother of God O-O

[rellik1eduj]

pretty awesome you are my hero of all piano players

[JRDickens20]

This is amazing ^_^



[Azel79]

Greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaa­ttttttt!

[Bugleur]

Darth VadorMoonlight Sonata ! :)

[SweetZombiJesus]

He's come a long way since fighting crime with the Batman.

[TheVegeta391]

@SweetZombiJesus wasn't it "Dick Grayson"? Or he played a Commissioner role?

[SweetZombiJesus]

@TheVegeta391 Google 'Richard "Dick" Grayson & Batman'

[TheVegeta391]

@SweetZombiJesus kk

[tighro]

It's more likely in Schubert's style...

[Matteic]

@tighro Exactly my thoughts ! It's totally Impromptu 1.

[46tearsforyou]

I definitely here Beethoven.

[46tearsforyou]

@46tearsforyou *gasp* hear!

[SatanPanda]

Schubert & Beethoven sound completely different to me, It doesn't really sound like either of them to me

[KevinVang1000]

Sounds like Harry Potter, lmao!

[Whisperlands]

I like it!!

[miguelrasquinho]

He has the force on him!

[PAOComposer]

I hear a lot of Schubert.



[HamerD]

@PAOComposer I hear a lot of Beethoven in Schubert whenever I listen ;)

[abmc606]

Tragic!

[killakam368]

16 people dont care about AbsoluteZ3R0 or his unoriginal name

[jgq85]

Darth Vader's funeral music

[hellomate639]

@jgq85

Indeed. Sounds like funeral music potentially.

[reeferd]

Hva i helvette er dette her for no?

[bamsebomsen]

@reeferd musikk.

[RequiumFrost]

this guy is out of control

[MrNoak2]

Beautiful!

[shichibukaicrocodile]

Excellent!

[RaymondSequenza]

You misused the world literally. Congratulations, you look foolish.

[porcomusic]

iSTO sERA TOCADO NO MEU VELORIO

[Sasha0K]

well - I would say that that's still not that great as for example Moors Beethoven...

[nessagirl77]

I LOVE THIS! :D



[buffoon12345]

Wonderful! I remember going to his concerts at Occidental.

[manteuffel123]

love it how he doesn't finish the sequence in the beginning.

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

God damn it I'm so sick of people and their pathetic jokes about "x amount of people disliked this video because ___" You're not funny, and you're the least original group of people on the planet. But what's even more despicable is the people who thumb up the comments. You guys are literally idiots for encouraging/promoting such stupidity. That being said, this video still has the highest like/dislike ratio I've ever seen in a youtube video.

[KIDwithNOname1]

sounds like darth vaders song but romantic

[Supatom1975]

14 people doubt the power of the dark side (of Beethoven)!

[mikewarrior77]

I find 14 people's lack of faith most disturbing........

[JMJettski]

imperial march<3

[charaf158]

A badass is coming !!!

[Ukotai]

Needs more Bass.

[Starkiller1701]

Impressive. Most Impressive.

[stereosound321]

hey, does anybody knows a song thats got the darth vader theme kept on being played as the background music, n the singer's voice sounds like mike posner's voice....any idea ??

[intotheskyline]

I can't get past the fact that his name is Richard Grayson, the name of Robin :)

[jimaroo100]

@intotheskyline wow glad you noticed that... i always wondered what happened to young Master Grayson when he grew up.

[intotheskyline]

@jimaroo100 he obviously decided that a life of fighting crime was totally worth giving up for this amazing piano playing ;)

[DarthTheous]

100000000000000000000000000000­00000000000000000000000000000/­5 stars

[Johfra23]

Que bien suena.

[drroxxo1]

Mother.

Of.

God.

[jpizzle12345]

13 Jedis have watched this

[Starkiller1701]

@jpizzle12345 No, they're battlestar galactica fans

[didgeboy287]

Somehow this seems to even go beyond being able to simply speak music, but as if to be able to speak Gaelic with a Chinese accent or speak like an Italian from Fargo, ND.

[ManMartin]

I love the way you go faaar away from the melody and suddenly you come back again. cheers from spain.

[kwakhed23]

13 people have succumbed to their hate and have turned to the dark side of the force...

[EdgarBoffin]

I enjoy the fact that at first there is laughter, then the laughing stops as they realize how serious a piece it is becoming.

[mdmjwarner]

Why did youtube recommend this video with a bunch of abortion videos?

[MrKilgannon2113]

im goin to play the original song when my kids born then play this at his funeral

[bignut4567]

it's amazing. it sounds line moonlight sonata played at the same time as darth vader's theme

[oleche]

I kneel before you my master!!

[brandonscherrer]

Nothing like Beethoven

[phantomcjs]

I think the Imperial march could've been based on Elgar's symphony No. 1 Allegro Molto. the main repeating part seems to have the same rhythm but goes in a different direction when you expect to hear vaders theme suddenly pop up. coincedence or rip off it's pretty kewl.

[piuotre]

Isn't Darth Vader as Beethoven would have compossed. Its more mixture of both

but goooood

[TomMSTie1138]

I request JS Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor in the style...of Chico Marx!

[markstar777]

I KINDA LIKE WHAT U DONE,BUT THUNDER IS ESSENTIAL

[kamikazeboy123]

May the Force be with you People!!

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

This video has the highest like to dislike ratio I've ever seen on a youtube video

[KuraixOji]

still called the imperial march

the force is strong with this on-DAMNIT SOMEONE BEAT ME TO IT

[Wally773MTG]

OH A REAL MUSICIAN FINALY! Everyone plays by ear and doesnt read or vice versa...and here I find a literate pianist who improvises (and does it well)...someone who isn't just a typist! surely you must compose...I am so HAPPY to subscribe, I wish I could just hang out with you everyday for about 8 years and pick your brain hahaha

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

Man, I've always wanted to play piano for ONE reason only: to be able to improvise like this. I wish I could do this

[nolimjoe]

imo: Vader's theme was probably based on the Funeral March from Chopin's second sonata.

[Dinglebarriez]

This is a master at work..

[brainwasher9876]

Beautiful beginning, but the rest of the piece has absolutely nothing to do with the vader theme.

[FoxxFire55]

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. Such work created at the drop of a hat. This is true talent.

[jejek1994]

@FoxxFire55 or years of prayer and practice.

[1moonlord2]

I can feel it, master. AWESOME

[joeluzsdrea]

Ha! Richard Grayson a.k.a. "Dick" Grayson a.k.a. Robin "The Boy Wonder" playing Darth Vader's march!

[jimmyPain2121]

i would suck this old dude off if it ment i could play piano as well as him

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

@jimmyPain2121 Man, I hope the owner of this channel doesn't read this comment, because that would be disturbing

[EnjoyCocaColaLight]

12 people had no faith in the force..

[RainbowZoombie]

This... is too beautiful for words.

[silentfilm2]

Sounds somewhat like the Chopin f minor Fantasy too..

[xeractus]

Excellent. I wanna see a Mozart version!

"There's too many notes!"

"I find your lack of arpeggioes disturbing.."

[dhargest]

@psilopher & @tartfuel Elgar is not even close enough to Williams' Imperial March to say there was an influence. If it had a different name no one would even have mentioned it.

[jsv023]

i cant stop listening....

[EonianPal]

This would be the most over-used classical song if it where to be true, it goes well with anything.

[lonabear]

may the force be with you

[lightboothfun]

i don't know. i feel this is more in the style of liszt or schumann.

[ledfloyd1987]

very beautiful. The cadences into major keys are wonderfully placed for being an improvisation. A+!!

[oneeyedgeek]

Beethoven never could do "menacing" very well. :)

That was amazing!

[Nalliac1]

Has anyone else noticed his name is Dick Grayson?

[kyleblackmann]

@Nalliac1 LOL finally!!! I thought I was the only one!!!

[aznprideyerro]

@Nalliac1 many people with the name richard tend to have the name dick.

[carrerfontiboet]

I can't find the Imperial March anywhere but the start...

[alphabethsoup]

This is like the best thing I've ever heard in my life.

[Jpkingu2]

Thank you IMDB

[javvie55]

This is absolutely fantastic! You are an amazing musician! To be able to not only mix the styles so fantastically, but to do it on the spot? Absolutely amazing, I have no other words! Bravo!!

[FantasiaGoddess7]

Bravo! Aboslutly wonderful performance!

[jjnelson222]

That was amazing.

[MrSeattlebound]

Is it wrong to find this amazingly beautiful?

[Happypast]

Moonlight Imperial marsh sonata xD

[NocturnalAngel77]

Simply brilliant!

[Luigifan66]

The force is strong in this one

awesome work man ;3

[mitts61]

ROFL 3:18 !!

[okumabear]

I definitely hear influence of Moonlight Sonata at the beginning, very reminiscent of the dark brooding style that moves into lightheartedness. Yes, Moonlight Sonata is one of my favorite pieces.

[keybslasher88]

your stage name should be robin

[jjnelson222]

@keybslasher88 Haha, that's what I thought of when I read his name.

[Yellomiata]

This made me smile. Thanks for sharing this on YouTube.

[VaKOkaPi]

kókler geczi az öreg.

ez a birodalmi induló!(imperial march)

[ellendouglas101]

THIS IS EPIC!

[astharot]

respect!

[rapidrabidrabbit]

Darth Grayson: Beethoven Strikes Back

[grim98765222]

The Force is so strong in this world he is made of miniclorians.

[PH2168]

Feel the power of the dark side!

[psilopher]

How about Darth Vader's Theme in the manner of Edward Elgar? Considering that Williams lifted it note for note from an Elgar march, that would be ironic.

[improvelectronic]

@psilopher I didn't know this. Do you know which March?

[DatalovesTasha]

If you're talking about the Imperial March by Elgar tis completely different. Sides I thought it was Holst he ripped off?

[MagicAccent]

@improvelectronic

I think he's referring to Elgar's Symphony No. 1, second movement(it's usually pointed out to be that one). Although I don't really see the resemblance myself.

I rather think that Vader's theme resembles both Chopin's Funeral March, and Mahler's Symphony no.6, first movement. Those two combined pretty make up Vader's theme if you ask me.

Also, wonderful playing :)

[StichtingCorosa]

@improvelectronic People often like to claim that John Williams lifted this or that piece from - in this case - Elgar "note for note". When asked the specific musical piece they're refering to they remain silent. The Imperial March is an original musical theme and is not lifted "note for note" from any other composition, certainly not by Elgar. That's just crap coming from some people.

[sqnki]

@improvelectronic obviously he doesnt know. He is just a common hater, we have them in great numbers.

[Capcanuk99]

@psilopher are you referring to the Elgar Imperial March?

[tartfuel]

@psilopher I've heard Elgar's Imperial March and while Williams was clearly influenced by it, it is nowhere near note for note at any point. There is no plagiarism here. Not even close.

[lesvampyre]

@psilopher Actually, that would be fitting. (That is not what the word "ironic" means.)

[BigIrishCrooner]

@psilopher I believe before you make a statement so rash as that, you should do hard research and have a well founded argument before stating that Williams lifted ANY portion of the Elgar march. You show that you know very little about the subject. Copying a style would be simplistic for Williams, but I highly doubt that you have any proof of such theft. Do your research. Also, lying to make a point is specious at best.

[boing3887]

@psilopher

didn't know that either - i must listen to more elgar. but nothing wrong with adapting a great classical song for some fun with movie music

[NicleT]

@psilopher Yes, what march, I also curious?

[OperationBritish]

@psilopher

Wrong, it's actually taken from Prokofiev's Opera, "The Love for Three Oranges", Op. 33

Get your facts right before you bash one of the greatest contemporary composers of all time

[freaky108]

DICK GRAYSON? PLAYING VADER'S THEME? TOO MANY REFERENCES....

[SurvivalReview]

i want to buy this version! put it on itunes!

[thejam10555]

I WANT THIS PLAYED AT MY FUNERAL!

[zaraki888]

@thejam10555 This one or Metal Gear solid theme? :p

[droidekabakugan1986]

@thejam10555 MINE TOO! I WORSHIP DARTH VADER!

[MatheusMK3]

@thejam10555 Double-thumbs-up for you..

[danintendstodesign]

nooooooooooooooYES

[LughOnG]

THAT WAS AWESOME!! DX Wow... such and incredible performance and it was improvised!!

[kehwa]

@LughOnG You'd be surprised how much rehearsal goes into improvisation...

[allenrw3]

there is a new epic beard man. his name is Richard Grayson.

[darthvadersaprentise]

sounds like a great funeral song

[Tmathh]

this guy is a boss

[PabloGogMagog]

After years of fighting crime, Dick Grayson retired to rock the fuck out of the chamber music scene.

[Stevo0110]

Darth Vader clicked dislike

[m3rcurial]

@Stevo0110 hawhawhaw