Shaham - Sibelius Violin Concerto in Dm 1 of 4

[MsModernComposer]

4:35 makes me cry

[TiagoHikaru]

Shaham is terrific! did you heard his saint saens?

[TiagoHikaru]

Shaham is terrific!

[basselyrique]

Not the best performance of the best Finnish piece ever written!

[mariusfelix]

@basselyrique Best Finnish piece ever written? Hm, you might be right...! 5th Symphonie, also a wonder, and the second, where you can find some of the material of the violin concerto...but, yes, you might be right!

[PrinceJakekun]

I have noticed that Shaham plays practically everything faster than everyone else. I wonder why...

What a great performance!

[gimaru1]

@PrinceJakekun cause his a monster

[Alun134679]

That introduction from the solo violin, so sublime, wow!

[azhfruity]

that b at 2:13 was totally wrong....... omg

[allfre2]

@azhfruity isn't it an e? Has someone here listened to the sibelius and tchaikovsky recording by gil shaham? He is a superb violinist. Nobody is flawless ALL THE TIME specially in music. Those mistakes are meaningless. How many times has he amazed people on the stage lol. Im thankful for this performance, it's great.

[violindr]

@allfre2 you're right, he was playing an e. Shaham is a terrific violinist!

[azhfruity]

@allfre2 the note after the e , i meant. yes, i have listened to the tchaikovsky/sibelius, which were much better than this

[violin12395]

4:21

Asian first violinist was not impressed. lol.

[PickledHarrrington]

@violin12395 Great catch haha...

And believe it or not, she's actually Yoko Takebe, the mother of Alan Gilbert (the current NY Phil music director) !

[iGotSpaceLikeNASA]

what happened at 2:13 0_0

[seattlegrrlie]

Wow, his fingering at 2:20 is just ridiculous. This is my favorite piece of music and I am really wishing I'd been in that audience instead of just finding this on youtube.

[violindr]

@Mozart99900 You're impossble. Like I said Youtube is for people to listen to music. No one wants to hear about your politics! Please continue with your life. The case is closed. We only want to listen to music.

[robynsalain]

un violoniste d'exception !! admirable !!

[violindr]

@Mozart99900You're really not getting the whole thing correctly here. Music on Youtube is for people to listen to the music & not for political views. I don't understand your ridiculous theory in politics. I only know that a concert artist deserves recognition. If you have nothing good to say, then don't say it. You love to bash other people, it shows me that you're really a very unhappy person. Learn to respect other people, you'll be treated with respect, you'll live longer & be happier!

[Mozart99900]

@violindr Ok then just please go and read in YouTube here how so many comments written by Israelis and Zionists, then start to blame me

[smileitsmichellee]

@Mozart99900 Have you not seen his Oscar-winning documentary, From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China?

I think Stern did a great duty to all of us by bringing such talent to the United States. We appreciate the beauty in all of their music. You, however, cannot overlook the fact that these musicians are "Zionists" because of your political views. Your theory of Israel bombing Western nations is also highly dubious. I suggest you freshen up on a little history before you make such accusations

[Mozart99900]

@smileitsmichellee For the last time I'm writing that " Stern is a Great Violinist" but Since he refused to play in Germany after the 2nd World War I start to call him the "Big Pig" Violinist, and of course being refused to play there he is the loser!! right? The point is why he didn't refuse to play the German repertoire? Beethoven, Brahms, Bach?? etc., anyway Menuhin was the Most Intelligent Ever Jew!! when he went to Germany to record the Greatest ever Beethoven and Brahms under Furtwangler

[smileitsmichellee]

@Mozart99900

Can you please shut the hell up?

You are a completely ignorant person. First off, I'd like to say that your English is terrible. When you're trying to make a point, can you at least make it clear? All I can make out are several sentence fragments, bad grammar, and diatribes made without a valid argument.

I am not agreeing with Zionism and I am not Jewish, but this is just ridiculous.

Isaac Stern helped out talented musicians from all over the world.

[Mozart99900]

@smileitsmichellee Thank you for being still calling me "Ignorant!!" . Did you read about a Web site publishing the dirty military documents of your War in Afghanistan? did you!! do you agree with me now that you are nothing but military Robots? as for my "terrible english" it's because I"m trying to write philosophy but if you like mew to write in my mother language "Arabic I'll".

[smileitsmichellee]

@Mozart99900 Believe whatever you believe. I'm here to listen to music, not to hear about your political views. Roma Locuta Est, Causa Finita Est.

[violindr]

It's hard to compare apple to orange. Every artist has his or her own style of playing & interpretation. Mr. Shaham actually studied with Dorothy DeLay who was Ivan Galamian's Assistant before. His bow arm is a typical Franco Belgium/Galamian style. As for Mr. Sibelius, he was a Finnish composer, not a French composer. The music will not come out like Saint-Saens or Ravel.

[takhirviolinest]

About his playing noone can tell one word, it's very good of course but I like little bet different way of palying like French, more lighter, easy, delicate. He play to fast and strong,

THX for uploading

[drccddmm]

a lot of people commented that he was not feeling well, that he was sick. I watched this live broadcast on TV. During the intermission, he commented he injured his finger while trying to peel open a pistachio. I am not kidding. Also, the conductor's name is David Robertson. He is Shaham's brother-in-law. He wasn't the original conductor. The original conductor (not sure who) has fallen ill. According to David Robertson, he got a phone call from NYPHIL when he was bowling somewhere in the city.

[violindr]

@Mozart99900 Please learn to respect others. Keep the dirty opinion to yourself !!! Mr. Shaham is a great violinist. Most fantastic musicians are Jewish. You seem to have problems with it. Please leave youtube. We don't need unopen minded musician here.

[Mozart99900]

@violindr it's not you to say "Dirty Opinion"!! shaham is one of those brought by the great Pig but violinist too Stern from Israel they have nothing about to add to the great Violinists but just a mater of policy

[Mozart99900]

@violindr I agree about them as Musicians!! but when they try to exceed that, they Must be stopped . I'm clearly saying that I believe in Judism as religion but not in Zionism as a Racial movement. you tube is not yours, and be sure that I'm open minded except to Facts, and principles!! The Big mistake done by Stern is to bring some Violinists from Israel in particular to attack Germany!! I congratulate you that you know the Story of Galamian and hes Assistant!! who thought the Israelis

[McSplat]

This guy gets better every time I hear him.

[blaklite47]

Like his interpretation in the beginning, leads into the mystery

[rjksoccer06]

I really like this conductor..especially at 5:30

[FirebirdSinging26]

I saw him live and got his autograph :) It was really fantastic; he played a Bach partita for the audience as an encore, too.

[kcskcw]

at 4:05 it needs some serious emotional input from the soloist.

[kcskcw]

his bow is too tight... there's like a two inch space between the hair and the bow.

[masael255]

@kcskcw This is how Shaham usually plays, I think. I think it's how he prefers to say. There is no mathematical standard for a bow's tightness and it is up to the player.

[crazy77town]

this is the russian school my friend!! If you know how to use it, it is good enough!!

[fazetti]

Lol the narrator sounds like he's about to die, his voice wavers so much hahaha...

[titicouk]

estoy con andviol e escuchado muchos solistas de gran talla y versiones de sibelius lo mismo, y esta claro que ahi evidencias de fallos tecnicos pero es una persona y no se puede estar al 100 por 100 toda tu vida la diferencia es que el con sus fallos tecnicas dice en 4 notas mas de lo que muchos no consiguen en un concierto entero

[andviol]

jajaja me encanta como todos critican como si lo pudieran hacr mejor no por nada el es reconocido mundialmente y nosotros no jaja.

[alexbericheath]

2:30 just blows my mind.

[kosmamkosmam]

i think all is too fast. first cadenza sounds, like he would like to play as fast as he can to the end.

[xXLeafXNinjaXx]

cadenzas are supposed to be very showy though

[johntwebbjr]

the marking in the music is "veloce" meaning rapidly. he plays it as marked. also, the tempo for the movement is marked 54 to 60 bpm. most recordings are at about 50 bpm. he's just playing what's actually written.

[J1mmyJamPot]

What a guy... He plays so well considering it's clear that he's not feeling well. You only have to look at his eyes and listen to his sniffles to know that. He even keeps smiling :)

[Winden900]

@J1mmyJamPot A true performer performs whether they are sick or not, it is what makes them shine and sets them apart from the rest, pushing through the odds and not giving up

[jkmylol]

whats with all the criticizm?

hes a human being, not a music making robot

ofcourse there is going to be one of 'those' times

[Rinhos]

I can't understand what's so terrible in this playing. I've never played this concerto so maybe some mistakes are less evident to me, but it seems to me as wonderful as usual. What do you complain exactly about this playing?

[Strad615]

I agree! It all has to do with interpretation. If anything it maybe is a bit fast but again its interpretation. Amazing to say the least.

[johntwebbjr]

i'm not sure what they're complaining about. i have played this piece and he doesn't really make many obvious mistakes or anything.

[wilhelminas]

I wish someone had another copy of him playing this that we could upload - so that this one could come down. I dont feel it reflects his usual standard of performance. He is normally flawless.

[prijicrw]

by "normally flawless" do you mean live or recordings?

[theascendingarc]

you make a point. as beautiful as a player Shaham is, he has a tendancy to make mistakes live. check out the video of him playing Sarasate's Zapateado. one of his best live performances.

[hmmanna]

some important notes were pretty out of tune...so i guess its because it's live?

i'm going to get yelled at --sorry, i hate my comment too!

i

[wilhelminas]

I agree this is not his 100% best. There are a few bum notes here and there in this mvt - which is surprising cause everything else i've ever heard of his is perfection! He's still top of the pile for me. I adore his playing.

[ItzhakRoxMySox]

I was auditioning for Peabody a few weeks ago and the guy that went right before me played this. It was better than Shaham's here. Now mind you, this guy was really good. But it just goes to show. Gil had a bad day here.

[OriginalMoonbeam]

I think he was not feeling well..he has swelling under his eyes and you can see his is sniffing every so often..he must have had a sinus problem. Still a good performance..not as wonderful as usual but still very good.

[fiddlinmatt]

Really, lot's of people would argue that it's actually safer in terms of intonation to play those passages as more solid octaves, you still articulate both notes, but as more of a whole instead of both seperately.

[fiddlinmatt]

While I have a huge amount of respect for Shaham as a player, I feel like this rendition is a bit rushed in terms of the phrasing.

[Centrotoma]

Shaham and Sibelius - it doesn´t work. What a pity. But I love them both.

[oatboy]

Really? His cd recording if it is amazing. This isn't his greatest performance but everybody has off days, especially when you're touring constantly.

[johntomfoolery]

I'm not saying you're wrong at all, but I don't hear them as straight octaves at all. Perhaps we're hearing different things based on the sound system we're listening on. Perhaps it's also just the speed at which he plays them, because he plays them a bit faster than most recordings. Anyway, I very clearly hear the slurred string crossings and they sound lovely.

[gnatural]

4:10 - 4:21 ....... :(

[sillywabbit92]

ouch.  i cringed

[gnatural]

from the moment he begins, i feel like the first page and a half are a workout. there is more that can be done from a musical standpoint.

[fiddlinmatt]

yeah I agree. The phrasing needs to be stretched more

[vestuha]

Its great.I love Sibelius and Shaham very much.He plays it wonderful.

[lunox]

gil shaham is so talented. he's usually so spot-on with intonation... it hurts. :) this might be one of his "bad days" (which is still pretty good imo) but who cares? he could miss every other octave and still make beautiful music.

[sakurapeatey]

my violinist friend played much better than him, honestly,,,,,someone told me Gil Shaham has a miracle sound, which i agree, but not in this Sibelius,,,,I', little bit disappointed.

my friend killed me with his sound.Gil didn't.

[tecvln]

Just keep in mind that everyone has their bad days, and listening to Gil on youtube rather than live is not comparable, not saying that your friend isn't very good, if they can play this well then they most definitely are but Gil really does [usually] have a "miracle sound" and it's hard to compare. I'd really like to hear your friend play though! Are there any videos of them?

[sakurapeatey]

if he allows me to record him playing, then i will post, but i'm not sure,,,,,,yes, these greatest musicians are not posting their videos by them selfs, which means sometimes there are good days recording and bad days recording. thankyou, i didn't think about it.

[yishane]

if your friend is better than him, we should be watchin your friend instead of shaham, and are you 100% sure that your friend dont make any mistakes in from of many people? perfectly intune?

[tlcooper93]

@sakurapeatey I don't see your friend performing with orchestras.

[battleblades]

Unlike many people I don't think this is a total disaster. Sure, maybe it is a bit gruffer than usual, I'll give it that. However, I still enjoyed every minute of this performance. It is still Shaham, and he is still a fantastic violinist. Sure, there were a couple of pitch problems, but that is no matter-everyone makes mistakes.  I love how he just goes on without caring about them-he knows he is getting the music across.

He seems to have great conviction in this performance.

[adael1305]

I love him. And his playing, as well ;D

[sufian8795]

2.15, arghhhh

[ciapasuciapagiu]

listen to 4:11 and 4:20... what a pity!!

[gimaru1]

do you play any better?

so far I have never sen anybody playng perfect except Heifitz.

I really like the fire and musicality of Shaham much more then any perfect and co0ld playingh.

[tecvln]

Somewhat unnecessary. For Gil Shaham it is a pitty, because he is so amazing. I don't know if this is just me and I'm not attacking your comment of Heifitz but he was human too and did make mistakes, not many but they were there. But you are definitely right in that any performance of his is still entertaining, after many back and forths, I've decided that he is probably my favorite violinist alive along with Akiko meyers. (and Gil's wife is pretty amazing also)

[dxhaloxc]

i heard crunches during the octave part after the 5ths.

[ThaSchwab]

Who is the broadcaster? It sounds like he's about to start bawling ...

[issavestheworld]

This is not Shaham at this best. Actually, I think this was a total disaster. Sloppy intonation, stiff sound, ignoring the rhythm and the dynamics.

I'ver heard him live 4 times and he's a million times better than this.

[Mozart99900]

@issavestheworld I agree 100% with you. Shaham is a Dirty Zionist Israeli Violinist , who brought to the State with so many Violinist from israel by the Great, but dirty Zionist Violinist " Itzac Stern" I like to call him the Big Pig. So don't be astonished

[arnoldpalmer6]

@Mozart99900 you're a fag. that's the most insensitive thing I've ever heard. This man is a fantastic violin player regardless of where he came from. Grow up.

[Mozart99900]

@arnoldpalmer6 Hey...., go and find yourself, Those israeli violinists lack Concentrations, Passion, as well as Technique. it's a matter of policy nothing else. Of course " Yankee Orchestras " get orders from Companies and Zionist Artists to play with them. What a shame!!!. It's Perelman!! who also brought to the States by Stern. When this Filthy Polyo Violinist established himself he ' Refused to play Under Karajan!! or in Germany! ! Shit a Typical manner of dirty Jews Now the Polyo is ignored

[classicalalways]

@Mozart99900 Amazing how you have enjoyed all the fruits of the west but deep down, you long to be alongside your anti-semitic colleagues - if you go to Lebanon, you can go chant "zionist." But I think you prefer to live the good life. I bet you didn't know Shaham was born in Illinois and that English is his first language. Too bad you do not allow yourself to enjoy such Jewish violinists as Heifetz, Milstein, Stern, Perlman, Zukerman, Shaham and countless others. Find the Arabic violinsts.

[Mozart99900]

@classicalalways Now I must use my superiority as a Doctor and An SO highly educated Arab to say,

1- I do believe in Jud ism as a religion , But Never in Zionism as a so Highly Racial movement against All Types of people and Humanity in General just by the end to let all Europe and America Pray to them. The Future i s so nearly coming when The atomic bombs of Israel will attack Vienna, Poland, Spain, Berlin etc...,!! Zionists still remember how the Europeans treated them as Dirty Animals.

[Mozart99900]

@classicalalways it's not. As a Scientist and a Doctor I have been refusing to enjoy the Fruits of USA!! your Country!! do you know why? it is not only because you are the False Country of Freedom, Civilization, Human rights etc...., but also because the people there are the Most Ignorant of being understand that without their Military Power they will be the Bottom of the World. It's better to Visit my Page to know that all Great Jewish Violinists are mentioned and Menuhin particularly. 

[Mozart99900]

@arnoldpalmer6 I will agree with you . and I have also more or less all of his records. But it;s not he who has the Right to say "I'll never play under Karajan!!) or in Germany!! this is the same sentence of Stern the Pig who brought him from Israel.

[tlcooper93]

@issavestheworld This may not be his best work ever, but it was hardly sloppy. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a stellar performance, but calling it a total disaster is completely wrong.

[byang2009]

gil shaham is such a great violinist, just as mr. robertson is a great conductor. our youth symphony performed this piece with gil shaham last year, and i got to play a concert under robertson this year.

[jabsomdoc]

im as impressed with robertson's conducting and interpretation as i am with shaham. bravo.

[nbaballer8227]

I love his playing...beautiful...I also have the recording of him playing this concerto, it's just amazing.

[xmrbigglesworthx]

everyone always thinks gil shaham is sick.

i wonder why

[Yavorin]

He's playing totally awesome as usual. I just can't help but think he has a cold or a mild flu. That would explain some of the extra gruffness in his playing I think.

[jabsomdoc]

i think the additional gruffness in his playing is related to the hall he's in. avery fisher is a very dry hall and one must be more forceful (one of the reasons why nyphil always plays so loud). i heard him play in a more decent hall earlier this year and he always adapts nicely to the acoustics - a mark of a good musician

[Yavorin]

Yep, that makes more sense. Thank you. They're redesigning the hall, it looks like, so they won't have to work so hard to get a big sound.  That'd be cool.

[gimaru1]

good stuff.. I love Shaham and I apreciate everything with him you guys upload on youtube. keep up the good work

[adidas01003]

Though I respect and revere Shaham to a high degree, I feel this performance is too "in your face" and not romantic enough. He has evolved, much like other performers, into something I feel is too extreme.

[ooziemac10]

i agree.  this performance was rather rough.

[altonoir]

it is a bit "rough" as you put and I think the orchestra sounds a lot more sensual than Shaham's "in you face performance". I never get the sense that he is ever settling into the piece. It sounds a bit impetuous. I needs a little more elasticity and warmth.

[bertgh]

I totally agree with your comment, it also seems to me that he is never fully concentrated into the piece.

[altonoir]

You should hear his recording with the late great Sinopoli and the Philharmonia Orch. of London of the Sibelius D minor...wow...Shaham's playing has changed over the years...I loved the sensual playing of his early years...

[allfre2]

that's so truth

[tttoscanini]

What is meant by rough?