Who cares if he didn't play it himself. What people should be talking about is how Hardison singlehandedly stopped the con, brought tears to Parker's eyes, and made the entire emotional lol. This was definitely in my top ten favorite episodes
I was a member of the orchestra (first violin section, myself) that acted as the orchestra in this scene. I remember the day of the shoot - Hodge was the first actor I'd seen - ever - who knew how to even properly hold a violin. I can confirm that Hodge DOES in fact know how to play the solo. He did NOT play the recording that was used for the shoot - but we jokingly played around with it during some down time in shooting. Cool guy, super talented!
the solo is so absolutely gorgeous <3 Whoever played this recording that hardison's faking.. they're incredible. Hardison does a pretty decent job of looking like he's playing too!
@eagleidahomusic i agree. he holds the instrument well, and changes bow directions with pretty good timing.
No he's not playing it, but compared to some horrible fakes you see on television he does a nice job of faking it. He might have played when he was a kid or something. The fingering would not work, but in general he is in the right area for the notes being played. I've seen worse fakes.
pretty sure the actor cannot play the violin (duh). im also sure the character hardison is supposed to be able to play it perfectly (somehow...) what is the issue???
Is it gonna kill people making a movie to hire a musician who can actually play? I mean even if they use some other recording, at least it would look SOMEWHAT realistic rather than being complete trash. That's a horrible fingering and the shifting looks disgusting! It's not like you have to search that hard to find someone!
yes, he has been learning, but he is not playing the solo. He's faking. Every shot of him playing is him faking. How do i know? When symphony musicians are sight-reading a piece (playing music while seeing it for the first time) and they cant play it, they 'fake' and make it look like theyre playing. That's what he's doing. the vibrato speed and bow pressure seen in the video do not match the sounds of the recording.
Do people actually think that the actor is playing? Lol..... Unbelievable piece though (all 44 minutes of it) I am tempted to read the book that inspired it.
wow. his playing is so obviously fake :( i know there's little that could be done to amend that, but it feels wrong to watch false playing and hear a lovely professional recording...
@YouKungFuNoGood Actually, no it isn't. As someone who plays the violin, I know a fake performance when i see one. While Mr. Hodge, I'm sure, knows exactly how to play this song, I am fairly confident he is not. While it appears he is playing, his bow movement and pressure on the strings does not track with the volume at which the song is played, as well as some notes that are played during a continuous bow stroke, in the video, are caught between strokes.
@Ravioli74020 I'm pretty positive that he can indeed can play it and i believe he recorded it before shooting the scene. Just like musicals, they record before-hand and then perform it white shooting; just singing/playing along with the recording actually being played
@Ravioli74020 Picking up the best sound isn't done in an orchestral performance like this, it's done in a recording studio. To match the best sound to the appropriate visual, it's done on delay.
haha , when they was like being witched by hardison's play , i was like , dude what are you doing ?? RUN ! you will be trapped there ! and then the ending slaps me , epic episode , brilliant plot .
@sambprice I think the problem is that they don't want the actors to make any actual sound with the instrument. So even if you know exactly what you're doing, holding the bow above the strings and faking is going to look horrid.
@sambprice if the idea of music is to move ppl..then it did its job with me..do u need a bulldozer? Those can be rented. If however u just have a fine ear to what is played "beautifully" then maybe mastering a "piece" isn't all what it is chalked up to be..mastering an ego is more like it
I can tell you without a doubt that he is not playing this solo. I have played for 13 years and those fingers are not matching the notes at all, and nor are the bowings.
@jason101other You're both right and wrong. The image shown isn't of him playing (he's only pretending to play for the camera.) When music is played on TV or movies, it's pre-recorded in a studio. He did play it, but in the studio on a recording. He acted like he was playing in this scene, and the recording was put over it. Thats why the fingerings/bowings don't watch exactly in some places.
I remember crying at this scene. I've always appreciated all kinds of music. With classical and opera, there is something so beautiful about it. When you listen so carefully and closely, like Nate, Eliot and Parker did, it opens you up in a whole new way. I was surprised when I found out Alec could really play the violin, but I guess I shouldn't have. Look at Christian, he plays guitar and sings. Everyone has more than one talent.
@GIGILOBANG It's not the first time we see her cry. She did it on the ep where Luke Perry played a fake psychic who made her remember the accidental death of her younger brother when they were children. That's what made it special on this episode: she was moved by beauty instead of a past tragedy. Excellent scene AND episode!
This is one of my favorite moments on Leverage. It proves that music is powerful enough to make you hold your breath til its over, rivet you in place and make you forget everything else, and it can bring tears to even the most hardened. Thank you, whomever posted this.
@TheMichiganian Yes. he did. All you have to do is watch his fingers. The shot was too close to fake it, but not so close they could have substituted someone else's hands. He really did play his own spot. And he played it beautifully. Same for the actor playing Elliot in the following episode where Elliot had to pass as an up and coming country singer. The actor played his own guitar and did his own singing.
His fingers ALMOST matched the notes played, but not quite. I'm 100% certain that the sound was dubbed in, but it's hard to notice unless you actually play violin yourself. For example, listen to the vibratos: you can hear vibrato even when he's not doing it. The bowing also doesn't match completely.
It's impressive how closely he manages to match his fingers with the notes...but not close enough to convince anyone that he actually produced this sound.
Perhaps I misread the original question. I'm sure the actor can play violin, but I'm certain that he did not create that sound. This was played by a TOP-notch violinist, and while the actor definitely plays some violin, you can also tell (based on his movements) that he's not very experienced...certainly not enough to create that kind of sound.
So can he actually play this piece? Maybe.
Did he actually create this nice sound that we are hearing? Definitely not.
I've been wanting to play the violin since I was in elementary school, you know when you got to sign up for an instrument and some how ended up with the Clarinet lol
The recording was beautiful...I just wish that they taught the actor how to properly hold the violin or at least hire someone who has played in the past. His position is just terrible and makes this just not believable...
People stop bickering about who played the solo. The thing is, the audio in the scene for the violin was pre recorded. Aldis was simply playing along. Aldis said himself that he can play the violin to a certain extent and he needed to practice the piece a lot. Whether or not he was the one who played the pre recorded piece, he was still playing during this scene.
@sookiattay & pindrix, Aldis Hodge, the Person playing the character in real Life is a very good Violinist, this however is pre-recorded for the Tv program.etc.. but it is in fact a real playing from him, Pre-recorded.
The look he makes in the beginning at is funny! He is doing a very good job at faking it. The bow strokes match for the most part, and he is going in the right direction of the notes at the right time and he even attempts a little vibrato! lol, he does better than most movie starts do at faking it.
Whoever recorded that did a beautiful job of one of the most memorable solos around. There seems to be people who think that the actor played the solo - however, as a violinist I assure you he did no such thing. The fingerings, vibrato, and bowing do not remotely match the audio track. Perhaps he can play the solo to a certain extent but surely not anywhere near the quality of the professional recording that they used.
Why don't you guys stop bickering. It's been proved that what we see in the episode isn't real but it's been proved that he can play the piece prerecorded. He may not be a pro but at least he made it sound decent. Why don't you listen to one of those pro videos on this site and compare.
Beautiful, just a beautiful sound, it grabs you and creates a stillness, a moment that you just don't want too come out of. I love jazz, the piano the most. But something about that "violin solo" really hits me. I....love....Leverage, and Eliot who hates baseball. :0)-
For the purposes of the show, was he faking it? I know the actor isn't playing it...but is the character finding some ridiculous way to con everybody like they usually do or is the character actually playing it?
@Redsdelight Aldis Hodge does play violin. In the episode, they explain that Hardison could play it because Nate hypnotized him, but in reality, Aldis has played violin for many years and did provide the violin solo for this episode.
@EpicJewelsify Sorry but that's not true. Anyone who plays the violin can tell he's not really playing the track that's dubbed over this. If that were the case the vibrato would match up and so would the shifts. It's possible to tell just from looking at his hands that he doesn't sound like that.
@EpicJewelsify Thank you, I was wondering about that. I did know he plays but I wasn't sure if it really was him playing in the episode. That's a really awesome !
@EpicJewelsify I don't think that's Hodge actually playing that solo.....I'm a violinist and whoever provided the solo is definitely a professional violinist. Not to say that an actor couldn't play the violin - but in this case, the way he's holding the instrument and the way he's moving indicate he probably couldn't play that solo, and definitely not as beautifully as that soundtrack.....big fan of the show though : )
@apollo1742 If you go on John Rogers' blog (Rogers created the show), he says that Hodge CAN play the solo (though how well is anyone's guess), BUT they needed to use a synch track for practical reasons. I can't really tell if he recorded the synch track or not, but my impression is that it's a professional playing. Rogers did say, however, that any discrepancies between the track and the visuals come from editing, not Hodge, who fingered along perfectly the day of the shoot.
@BetaArtemis: there is no way that he is making those sounds. I mean, he fakes better than your average actor, so I believe he's maybe played the violin for real, but trust me: he would sound like ass. He's obviously really uncomfortable past 3rd position, his vibrato sucks, and he can hardly draw a straight bow.
Good lord, you two are idiots. Take it from someone who ACTUALLY plays the violin, he is not making the sounds you're hearing. Yes, he is actually standing there, holding a violin, and playing something that resembles the Scheherazade solos. And yes, it, looks like he actually plays the violin (badly) in real life; but it has been overdubbed with a professional to produce what you hear in the video clip.
Obviously he is not playing what you are watching, but he did play the solo for this episode. He probably pre-recorded it in a studio then acted it out for the actual show. Either way, the solo you hear was actually played by the actor. Look it up, its in an interview.
@hellothere95 No, he did NOT record this in a studio. Someone else did. Yes, he says in an interview "My biggest challenge was playing the violin. They wanted to write [that into an episode]. They didn’t tell me how difficut the piece was that I had to play. I’m still a novice with my instrument and the piece was pretty difficult. I practiced a lot. I think you might see that on our premiere night or our second episode." What he means is he practiced his ass off to even LOOK halfway competent
@vlnguy Actually... "However, we needed to have the orchestra and Aldis work to a synch track so we could time the crosscuts in the edit. Any discrepancies you may see between his performance and what would be required to play the piece occur solely because we futzed with the timing of the soundtrack. This happens in the little edits, time squeezes, etc. His fingering, on the day, was utterly flawless." According to John Rogers.
@Eolirin Look, you can keep believing your hero played this if you want, but you're being exceptionally naive. Yes, his "fingering" was flawless (he was sort of in the right part of the fingerboard all the time, which is fairly impressive for an actor/amateur violinist), but that doesn't mean he was playing. He can't vibrate, he can't shift, and the Scheherazade solos take a lifetime to play well. I wouldn't argue with you except that as a violinist I find it insulting that people are so dumb
@vlnguy I'm *sure* he didn't play it to the same level as a complete pro, but he's not a bloody professional violinist. He did play it though. And he played it decently according to the people that were actually *there*, unlike yourself. The violin did make noise even if they cut the audio track, and he played with the orchestra. You can assert whatever you want, but Rogers, who, again, was there when they shot, says he played the song well enough. I think we have to take Roger's word on this.
@Eolirin I never said he didn't play something, I only said he didn't play what you're hearing on this track. In fact, I acknowledged that he looks like he's actually an amateur violinist. Obviously he's making noise. So do my 8th grade students. I was only originally responding to the people who are convinced that you're actually hearing him.
@vlnguy Ah, no, that's not him, as should have been made clear by the first post I made. The use of a sync track obviously implies that they weren't using the live music. And couldn't for practical reasons. But again, Rogers has heard him play the piece, and it's well enough to impress his, granted untrained, ear. So he's not just making noise. He's competent, just not pro. He *can* play the piece, even if it's not him you're hearing.
@vlnguy And seriously, why is it so hard to believe that Aldis Hodge might be passable at playing the violin, even if he wouldn't make the grade professionally? The other half of the quote, which i cut for space reasons goes: "Aldis can indeed play the violin, and can play the part. "Poorly," he will demure, but for chrissake he's one of those guys who goes out and learns incredibly difficult things just to prove he can. ... Such people are never satisfied."
@Eolirin i think i would go along with the violinist person, having played concert flute many years, it does not look to me as if he is completely "playing" like a pro. If you also are a violinist, then perhaps i'd stand corrected? However, its not insulting to say he isnt playing it. Mr. Hodge himself has acknowledged, to my understanding, that he does not, indeed, play this piece per se. just practiced it enough to where its passable to use it. why are you getting so defensive?
@looneybun1 Because according to the show runner: "Aldis can indeed play the violin, and can play the part" That in and of itself is sufficient to disprove the claim that he can't, and is from a much more reputable source than a video that has gone through the process of being edited.
@Eolirin sigh, no one is saying he cant play, just that its not him on there, or probably not. i know it can be edited, but i just dont think its him, especially if he has said so himself.
@looneybun1 "Yes, his "fingering" was flawless (he was sort of in the right part of the fingerboard all the time, which is fairly impressive for an actor/amateur violinist), *but that doesn't mean he was playing.* " Emphasis added. Coupled with other things that I was responding to implied very heavily that Aldis cannot play the piece. That's what I was responding to. He can, maybe not to concert level, but he can. It's not his audio track, and I've said as much myself twice,but he can play it.
betaartemis, any string player laughs at this video because it is so obvious that he is not playing. it takes half a lifetime to sound that good. but i must say, the violinist who IS playing is magnificent!
Who cares if he didn't play it himself. What people should be talking about is how Hardison singlehandedly stopped the con, brought tears to Parker's eyes, and made the entire emotional lol. This was definitely in my top ten favorite episodes
manicmcgee1 4 days ago
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manicmcgee1 4 days ago
I was a member of the orchestra (first violin section, myself) that acted as the orchestra in this scene. I remember the day of the shoot - Hodge was the first actor I'd seen - ever - who knew how to even properly hold a violin. I can confirm that Hodge DOES in fact know how to play the solo. He did NOT play the recording that was used for the shoot - but we jokingly played around with it during some down time in shooting. Cool guy, super talented!
smorgantc 6 days ago
Yes, he's faking this performance, but that really isn't the point. Whoever played this is a master.
enigmaduo 2 weeks ago
First time I saw this, I cried. It's so beautiful.
JhureesGirl89 2 weeks ago
Jajajajajajajajajaja fun!
ang7751 3 weeks ago
He is not playing it there but he can actually play he has other videos of it
ToxiczzHD 1 month ago
Marvellous!!!!!
55minina 1 month ago
He is not really playing. The bow strokes are off.
abviolin3 1 month ago
ee gads parker showing some form of emotion.
TheFredster2000 1 month ago
the solo is so absolutely gorgeous <3 Whoever played this recording that hardison's faking.. they're incredible. Hardison does a pretty decent job of looking like he's playing too!
@eagleidahomusic i agree. he holds the instrument well, and changes bow directions with pretty good timing.
ViolistMourlam 1 month ago
No he's not playing it, but compared to some horrible fakes you see on television he does a nice job of faking it. He might have played when he was a kid or something. The fingering would not work, but in general he is in the right area for the notes being played. I've seen worse fakes.
eagleidahomusic 1 month ago 2
this was so beautiful
didiva89 1 month ago
Its a freaking TV show... we know all of the things they do are fake even though the actor took violin lessons as a child......
anacarolinasalerno 1 month ago
people suspend belief; it a tv show. of course he isnt playing.
franknmirth 1 month ago
pretty sure the actor cannot play the violin (duh). im also sure the character hardison is supposed to be able to play it perfectly (somehow...) what is the issue???
smileyhula12 2 months ago
@smileyhula12 actually, the actor did take violin lessons as a child. you can look it up on imdb
anacarolinasalerno 1 month ago
Is it gonna kill people making a movie to hire a musician who can actually play? I mean even if they use some other recording, at least it would look SOMEWHAT realistic rather than being complete trash. That's a horrible fingering and the shifting looks disgusting! It's not like you have to search that hard to find someone!
RickTheViolinist 2 months ago
@RickTheViolinist This video is out of sync...
Sshelly34213 1 month ago
@rockntwists and @ArissaLee
yes, he has been learning, but he is not playing the solo. He's faking. Every shot of him playing is him faking. How do i know? When symphony musicians are sight-reading a piece (playing music while seeing it for the first time) and they cant play it, they 'fake' and make it look like theyre playing. That's what he's doing. the vibrato speed and bow pressure seen in the video do not match the sounds of the recording.
ViolistMourlam 2 months ago 3
Comment removed
ViolistMourlam 2 months ago
lol
33bigmoney 2 months ago
he played the clarinet and violin growing up but at a certain point in his life focused only on the violin. yep, he's got skills. :)
rockntwists 2 months ago
The reason why they didn't get the job done because everyone on the team was listening to this.
sorravit16758 2 months ago 4
The Best 1:50 sec in my life.. ^^
TheCastelo007 2 months ago
wowow ;)
1hamdy 2 months ago
Do people actually think that the actor is playing? Lol..... Unbelievable piece though (all 44 minutes of it) I am tempted to read the book that inspired it.
juliakorolenko 2 months ago
Its a bit annoying I can hear you breathing in the background. But my god I love this video!
Benvolio1323 2 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@chazthedrummer91 He is the one playing. check out Aldis Hodge, for quick fact check IMDB
YouKungFuNoGood 3 months ago
wow. his playing is so obviously fake :( i know there's little that could be done to amend that, but it feels wrong to watch false playing and hear a lovely professional recording...
helloslinkyfish 3 months ago
@helloslinkyfish actually it's all real
YouKungFuNoGood 3 months ago
@YouKungFuNoGood Actually, no it isn't. As someone who plays the violin, I know a fake performance when i see one. While Mr. Hodge, I'm sure, knows exactly how to play this song, I am fairly confident he is not. While it appears he is playing, his bow movement and pressure on the strings does not track with the volume at which the song is played, as well as some notes that are played during a continuous bow stroke, in the video, are caught between strokes.
Ravioli74020 2 months ago 18
@Ravioli74020 i don't play but i stared hard enough... :D
kathrinasong 2 months ago
@Ravioli74020 look it up son.
YouKungFuNoGood 2 months ago
@Ravioli74020 I'm pretty positive that he can indeed can play it and i believe he recorded it before shooting the scene. Just like musicals, they record before-hand and then perform it white shooting; just singing/playing along with the recording actually being played
ArissaLee 2 months ago
@Ravioli74020 Picking up the best sound isn't done in an orchestral performance like this, it's done in a recording studio. To match the best sound to the appropriate visual, it's done on delay.
Stairc 2 months ago
@helloslinkyfish check out Aldis Hodge, for quick fact check IMDB.
YouKungFuNoGood 3 months ago
Love this show!!
nycdweller 3 months ago
i love how everyone stops what they are doing and i don't know if i'm the only one who noticed the tear going down Parker's cheek towards the end/
ammystarfire 3 months ago
@ammystarfire Honey, I watched this a million time because of that one teardrop
LadyaLL96 2 months ago
@LadyaLL96 :D
ammystarfire 2 months ago
omg hardison's solo always makes me sleepy.. it's so peaceful and touching..
girlinsing123 3 months ago
i was brought here because i know fuckin good music
DeeVeeSone 3 months ago
i love this XD
tcelenacuatemocatl 3 months ago
it's artisan isnt it?
BlackKnightSkye 3 months ago
whats with his face at 0:01...
TheKazdog 3 months ago
I dare u guys ... you all clapped at the ending ..
salemyou 3 months ago
haha , when they was like being witched by hardison's play , i was like , dude what are you doing ?? RUN ! you will be trapped there ! and then the ending slaps me , epic episode , brilliant plot .
toprookie93 3 months ago
his finger actually moves right...
thnguyen24 3 months ago
If anyone says that there is nothing beautiful in this world, let them listen to this.
Jestyr51 4 months ago 30
@Jestyr51 so true
93priori 1 month ago
да здравствует династии Романовых
hdfh100 4 months ago
Love how parker cried a little @1:20
MrsDevil4Ever 4 months ago 3
great
ercn22 5 months ago
nice and thx!
robinvti 5 months ago
its like something pure can touch my heart without ever a worry of offense nor fear..pulls and tugs and touches and...all the things words cannot do
andraebunch 5 months ago
Epic.
EpicLegacyMusic 5 months ago
I am amazed that it is him who actually knows how to play it so well.... :D
CadaBruja 6 months ago
If he plays in real life, he plays badly because that "performance" wasn't convincing at all.
sambprice 6 months ago
@sambprice I think the problem is that they don't want the actors to make any actual sound with the instrument. So even if you know exactly what you're doing, holding the bow above the strings and faking is going to look horrid.
jenntegt 6 months ago
@sambprice if the idea of music is to move ppl..then it did its job with me..do u need a bulldozer? Those can be rented. If however u just have a fine ear to what is played "beautifully" then maybe mastering a "piece" isn't all what it is chalked up to be..mastering an ego is more like it
andraebunch 5 months ago
@andraebunch Don't get me wrong. The playing is beautiful to be sure. It's just not the actor that is doing it.
sambprice 4 months ago 4
This episode introduced me to a beautiful piece of music
lookatdoor 6 months ago 4
omg aldis hodge is so fine
2015mesha 6 months ago
INTERESTING!!
GrifterloveBrain 6 months ago
i love this.. everything builds up to the solo, like how the king pressured scheherazade every evening to tell him another story.. beautiful
LilGxTunechi 6 months ago
Every person who has played an instrument and loved cried because of the beauty of this solo. This is my favorite episode of Leverage of ALL TIME!!!!
mrmikeman123 6 months ago 5
He really can play?
TheWindream 7 months ago
@TheWindream Yes,he plays the violin in real life.
eclipsegirl31 7 months ago
One of my favorite moments from Leverage. Love the faces...
djrepasky 7 months ago
Beth Risegraf is so beautiful...
CWShock 7 months ago
rather stupid -it is part of a whole work usually played by concertmaster without
audience going into hysterics.
dziady1 7 months ago
This is a most beautiful and emotionally shaking song I have ever listened. I just simply love it.
geaf1000 7 months ago
He looks exactly like my baby brother...
ijnwhair 8 months ago
I can tell you without a doubt that he is not playing this solo. I have played for 13 years and those fingers are not matching the notes at all, and nor are the bowings.
jason101other 9 months ago
@jason101other You're both right and wrong. The image shown isn't of him playing (he's only pretending to play for the camera.) When music is played on TV or movies, it's pre-recorded in a studio. He did play it, but in the studio on a recording. He acted like he was playing in this scene, and the recording was put over it. Thats why the fingerings/bowings don't watch exactly in some places.
ninjabunnyz7 8 months ago
I remember crying at this scene. I've always appreciated all kinds of music. With classical and opera, there is something so beautiful about it. When you listen so carefully and closely, like Nate, Eliot and Parker did, it opens you up in a whole new way. I was surprised when I found out Alec could really play the violin, but I guess I shouldn't have. Look at Christian, he plays guitar and sings. Everyone has more than one talent.
ChicagoTyme 9 months ago
Damn this drama, the hacker plays violin and the hitter sings? Awesome :D
putozen 9 months ago 79
@putozen That's a very odd combination.
NCISGeek123 5 months ago
loved it!
MaverickShue 9 months ago
3 people doesn't like black people playing the violin
roxas1403 9 months ago 2
it didnt go long enough =(
MissJackylou 9 months ago
ARH!!!!!!! HOTTEST GUY OF ALL TIME!
MissJackylou 9 months ago
@MissJackylou Talking about Eliot? Thought so... :D He IS hot <3 <3
LastWish11 8 months ago
@LastWish11 you mean Hardison?
MissJackylou 8 months ago
@MissJackylou :p nah brah, ELIOT all the way!!!!
LastWish11 8 months ago
That moment of stillness.. of clean sounds if i may, it gives quite a level of clarity. Incredible!
knifezwoho 9 months ago
at count of 3, clap...
1.. 2.. 3.. CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!
leadershit 10 months ago
what? parker cries?
GIGILOBANG 10 months ago
@GIGILOBANG It's not the first time we see her cry. She did it on the ep where Luke Perry played a fake psychic who made her remember the accidental death of her younger brother when they were children. That's what made it special on this episode: she was moved by beauty instead of a past tragedy. Excellent scene AND episode!
Elric33239 5 months ago
This is one of my favorite moments on Leverage. It proves that music is powerful enough to make you hold your breath til its over, rivet you in place and make you forget everything else, and it can bring tears to even the most hardened. Thank you, whomever posted this.
persaunna 10 months ago 3
1:44 is that hardison voice ? it sounds like thank you .
tigersabers 10 months ago
Who was brought here by Leverage? Because I was!
eclipsegirl31 10 months ago 54
the pure class and charm of the violin. I wish I could play it. I love this music!
Jestyr51 10 months ago
does anyone know where i can get this sheet music?
MegaCheese9 10 months ago
@MegaCheese9 You can find this sheet music in all good stores by rimsky-korsakov artist !!!
sabryvonne1 10 months ago
The 2 that disliked this either hit the wrong button or have no taste in awesome shows combined with amazing skills and acting.
DolledUpDivaAngela 10 months ago 3
I love "Leverage", and this is my favorite episode. Like the characters in it, I was transfixed, waiting for something to go wrong.
Still, I wonder if the actor actually played this piece. I sincerely hope so....
TheMichiganian 11 months ago 3
@TheMichiganian Yes. he did. All you have to do is watch his fingers. The shot was too close to fake it, but not so close they could have substituted someone else's hands. He really did play his own spot. And he played it beautifully. Same for the actor playing Elliot in the following episode where Elliot had to pass as an up and coming country singer. The actor played his own guitar and did his own singing.
FrancesFife 10 months ago
Comment removed
SkrPchr3 8 months ago
@FrancesFife
His fingers ALMOST matched the notes played, but not quite. I'm 100% certain that the sound was dubbed in, but it's hard to notice unless you actually play violin yourself. For example, listen to the vibratos: you can hear vibrato even when he's not doing it. The bowing also doesn't match completely.
It's impressive how closely he manages to match his fingers with the notes...but not close enough to convince anyone that he actually produced this sound.
SkrPchr3 8 months ago
@SkrPchr3 They never play the music for the camera, it's always studio recorded.
AillilDaineCobre 8 months ago 3
@AillilDaineCobre
Perhaps I misread the original question. I'm sure the actor can play violin, but I'm certain that he did not create that sound. This was played by a TOP-notch violinist, and while the actor definitely plays some violin, you can also tell (based on his movements) that he's not very experienced...certainly not enough to create that kind of sound.
So can he actually play this piece? Maybe.
Did he actually create this nice sound that we are hearing? Definitely not.
SkrPchr3 8 months ago
why the hell would anyone dislike this?
RileyJumps 11 months ago 5
Boy, that violin charade is just plain cheesy..smh...
winrx 11 months ago
I've been wanting to play the violin since I was in elementary school, you know when you got to sign up for an instrument and some how ended up with the Clarinet lol
PhillyGirl1 11 months ago
He really plays the violin in real life, so what's with all the fake playing comments?
elliotpunk 11 months ago
Just watche this episode a few hours back.
REally great solo.
cha0tic 11 months ago
this is a really pretty song.....i love to play it!
musictheory5683 11 months ago
The recording was beautiful...I just wish that they taught the actor how to properly hold the violin or at least hire someone who has played in the past. His position is just terrible and makes this just not believable...
gbritaney 11 months ago
I like this part...
It is perfect....
MiluseJezd 11 months ago
I'm with Parker...I had tears listening to this. You can tell that even Eliot was touched by the solo.
Tippster35 1 year ago
Damn...now I wanna play violin again!
sangotaisho 1 year ago
yall can't tell hes faking? haha but i give him props cause he does a pretty convincing job faking haha
BaneTurkey 1 year ago
Wish I can play like that! Im sooo jealous T_T
AnimeDudeXD 1 year ago
me encanta como toca aguante leveranger
celesnata91 1 year ago
Really gooooooddd!
Rette78 1 year ago
fake...
MrPhucyu123 1 year ago
jajajajajajajajajajajajajajaja
ang7751 1 year ago
People stop bickering about who played the solo. The thing is, the audio in the scene for the violin was pre recorded. Aldis was simply playing along. Aldis said himself that he can play the violin to a certain extent and he needed to practice the piece a lot. Whether or not he was the one who played the pre recorded piece, he was still playing during this scene.
krzr44 1 year ago
@sookiattay & pindrix, Aldis Hodge, the Person playing the character in real Life is a very good Violinist, this however is pre-recorded for the Tv program.etc.. but it is in fact a real playing from him, Pre-recorded.
source: I am a Leverage fan :-)
cultralfreak 1 year ago
Fake playing I don't understand what is the intention to upload such a rubbish video.
sookiattay 1 year ago
@sookiattay yes of course it's fake... we all know it , but I dont care about the video . I like to listen the music in it.
pindrix 1 year ago
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pindrix 1 year ago
Those who claim that this black man can play the fiddle are abviously not educated in music . Very fake indeed just look at the funny virbrato
sookiattay 1 year ago
@sookiattay and you have to clarify he is a black man because we haven't noticed by watching the video.
Akkatlah 11 months ago
The look he makes in the beginning at is funny! He is doing a very good job at faking it. The bow strokes match for the most part, and he is going in the right direction of the notes at the right time and he even attempts a little vibrato! lol, he does better than most movie starts do at faking it.
zauntel 1 year ago
meiso llorar gua como toca es lomas hermoso que escuche en mi vida
celesnata91 1 year ago
Hardison is so talented go boy on that violin
bigmuffin1951 1 year ago
It's obvious when a person is really playing...
n8ames 1 year ago
Whoever recorded that did a beautiful job of one of the most memorable solos around. There seems to be people who think that the actor played the solo - however, as a violinist I assure you he did no such thing. The fingerings, vibrato, and bowing do not remotely match the audio track. Perhaps he can play the solo to a certain extent but surely not anywhere near the quality of the professional recording that they used.
aPMism 1 year ago
I knew he played the violin in real life but he killed that...this is so beautiful.
JKnow314 1 year ago
I heard this solo somewhwere in youtube and it's a solo played exactly the same on a stradivarious, with the harp etc
silverladyz 1 year ago
Why don't you guys stop bickering. It's been proved that what we see in the episode isn't real but it's been proved that he can play the piece prerecorded. He may not be a pro but at least he made it sound decent. Why don't you listen to one of those pro videos on this site and compare.
Spartan668 1 year ago 3
Beautiful, just a beautiful sound, it grabs you and creates a stillness, a moment that you just don't want too come out of. I love jazz, the piano the most. But something about that "violin solo" really hits me. I....love....Leverage, and Eliot who hates baseball. :0)-
diradin 1 year ago
aw.. parker crying..
Daphneej 1 year ago 88
For the purposes of the show, was he faking it? I know the actor isn't playing it...but is the character finding some ridiculous way to con everybody like they usually do or is the character actually playing it?
Redsdelight 1 year ago
@Redsdelight Aldis Hodge does play violin. In the episode, they explain that Hardison could play it because Nate hypnotized him, but in reality, Aldis has played violin for many years and did provide the violin solo for this episode.
EpicJewelsify 1 year ago 89
@EpicJewelsify Sorry but that's not true. Anyone who plays the violin can tell he's not really playing the track that's dubbed over this. If that were the case the vibrato would match up and so would the shifts. It's possible to tell just from looking at his hands that he doesn't sound like that.
mruslan 1 year ago
@EpicJewelsify his character played the violin as well he simply hadnt played in a long time
actionmanrandell 1 year ago
@EpicJewelsify "never thought it'd help me in a con"
Never thought it'd helped him in the show. lol
Victim4400 10 months ago 2
@EpicJewelsify Thank you, I was wondering about that. I did know he plays but I wasn't sure if it really was him playing in the episode. That's a really awesome !
AillilDaineCobre 8 months ago
@EpicJewelsify I don't think that's Hodge actually playing that solo.....I'm a violinist and whoever provided the solo is definitely a professional violinist. Not to say that an actor couldn't play the violin - but in this case, the way he's holding the instrument and the way he's moving indicate he probably couldn't play that solo, and definitely not as beautifully as that soundtrack.....big fan of the show though : )
apollo1742 6 months ago
@apollo1742 If you go on John Rogers' blog (Rogers created the show), he says that Hodge CAN play the solo (though how well is anyone's guess), BUT they needed to use a synch track for practical reasons. I can't really tell if he recorded the synch track or not, but my impression is that it's a professional playing. Rogers did say, however, that any discrepancies between the track and the visuals come from editing, not Hodge, who fingered along perfectly the day of the shoot.
thevampirefrog06 6 months ago
@EpicJewelsify one thing though, hardison did play the violin until he became a teenager.
TheBurdenCarrier 6 months ago
He's pretty good at faking the solo. It's obvious he's not really playing but he does a good job at acting the part...
watchme2day 1 year ago
@BetaArtemis: there is no way that he is making those sounds. I mean, he fakes better than your average actor, so I believe he's maybe played the violin for real, but trust me: he would sound like ass. He's obviously really uncomfortable past 3rd position, his vibrato sucks, and he can hardly draw a straight bow.
vlnguy 1 year ago
@vlnguy
the actor is actually playing it, he plays the violin in real life
its in an interview, its also on wikipedia
Blade12323 1 year ago
@vlnguy Funny, seeing as he provided the solo for this episode. @ n@;;;
reinyagami 1 year ago
@reinyagami
@ Blade12323
Good lord, you two are idiots. Take it from someone who ACTUALLY plays the violin, he is not making the sounds you're hearing. Yes, he is actually standing there, holding a violin, and playing something that resembles the Scheherazade solos. And yes, it, looks like he actually plays the violin (badly) in real life; but it has been overdubbed with a professional to produce what you hear in the video clip.
vlnguy 1 year ago
@vlnguy
Obviously he is not playing what you are watching, but he did play the solo for this episode. He probably pre-recorded it in a studio then acted it out for the actual show. Either way, the solo you hear was actually played by the actor. Look it up, its in an interview.
hellothere95 1 year ago
@hellothere95 No, he did NOT record this in a studio. Someone else did. Yes, he says in an interview "My biggest challenge was playing the violin. They wanted to write [that into an episode]. They didn’t tell me how difficut the piece was that I had to play. I’m still a novice with my instrument and the piece was pretty difficult. I practiced a lot. I think you might see that on our premiere night or our second episode." What he means is he practiced his ass off to even LOOK halfway competent
vlnguy 1 year ago
@vlnguy Actually... "However, we needed to have the orchestra and Aldis work to a synch track so we could time the crosscuts in the edit. Any discrepancies you may see between his performance and what would be required to play the piece occur solely because we futzed with the timing of the soundtrack. This happens in the little edits, time squeezes, etc. His fingering, on the day, was utterly flawless." According to John Rogers.
Eolirin 1 year ago
@Eolirin Look, you can keep believing your hero played this if you want, but you're being exceptionally naive. Yes, his "fingering" was flawless (he was sort of in the right part of the fingerboard all the time, which is fairly impressive for an actor/amateur violinist), but that doesn't mean he was playing. He can't vibrate, he can't shift, and the Scheherazade solos take a lifetime to play well. I wouldn't argue with you except that as a violinist I find it insulting that people are so dumb
vlnguy 1 year ago
@vlnguy I'm *sure* he didn't play it to the same level as a complete pro, but he's not a bloody professional violinist. He did play it though. And he played it decently according to the people that were actually *there*, unlike yourself. The violin did make noise even if they cut the audio track, and he played with the orchestra. You can assert whatever you want, but Rogers, who, again, was there when they shot, says he played the song well enough. I think we have to take Roger's word on this.
Eolirin 1 year ago
@Eolirin I never said he didn't play something, I only said he didn't play what you're hearing on this track. In fact, I acknowledged that he looks like he's actually an amateur violinist. Obviously he's making noise. So do my 8th grade students. I was only originally responding to the people who are convinced that you're actually hearing him.
vlnguy 1 year ago
@vlnguy Ah, no, that's not him, as should have been made clear by the first post I made. The use of a sync track obviously implies that they weren't using the live music. And couldn't for practical reasons. But again, Rogers has heard him play the piece, and it's well enough to impress his, granted untrained, ear. So he's not just making noise. He's competent, just not pro. He *can* play the piece, even if it's not him you're hearing.
Eolirin 1 year ago
@vlnguy And seriously, why is it so hard to believe that Aldis Hodge might be passable at playing the violin, even if he wouldn't make the grade professionally? The other half of the quote, which i cut for space reasons goes: "Aldis can indeed play the violin, and can play the part. "Poorly," he will demure, but for chrissake he's one of those guys who goes out and learns incredibly difficult things just to prove he can. ... Such people are never satisfied."
Eolirin 1 year ago
@Eolirin i think i would go along with the violinist person, having played concert flute many years, it does not look to me as if he is completely "playing" like a pro. If you also are a violinist, then perhaps i'd stand corrected? However, its not insulting to say he isnt playing it. Mr. Hodge himself has acknowledged, to my understanding, that he does not, indeed, play this piece per se. just practiced it enough to where its passable to use it. why are you getting so defensive?
looneybun1 1 year ago
@looneybun1 Because according to the show runner: "Aldis can indeed play the violin, and can play the part" That in and of itself is sufficient to disprove the claim that he can't, and is from a much more reputable source than a video that has gone through the process of being edited.
Eolirin 1 year ago
@Eolirin sigh, no one is saying he cant play, just that its not him on there, or probably not. i know it can be edited, but i just dont think its him, especially if he has said so himself.
looneybun1 1 year ago
@looneybun1 "Yes, his "fingering" was flawless (he was sort of in the right part of the fingerboard all the time, which is fairly impressive for an actor/amateur violinist), *but that doesn't mean he was playing.* " Emphasis added. Coupled with other things that I was responding to implied very heavily that Aldis cannot play the piece. That's what I was responding to. He can, maybe not to concert level, but he can. It's not his audio track, and I've said as much myself twice,but he can play it.
Eolirin 1 year ago
@vlnguy So what you're seeing are errors introduced due to the editing process, not due to his playing.
Eolirin 1 year ago
@vlnguy Uh I never said he was playing it in the episode. Obviously it's pre-recorded you fool.
reinyagami 1 year ago
WOW GOD!!
MisterGGloveLadyGaGa 1 year ago 5
that was so beautiful
i was crying
Hardison is the best
cena5435 1 year ago
This is so beautiful i just can't stop watching it.
davisonbarbera 1 year ago
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DaleDoggy247 1 year ago
fave part almost cry ..cant stop watching it so addicting !!!!!!
Pinkydinkydoo13 1 year ago
betaartemis, any string player laughs at this video because it is so obvious that he is not playing. it takes half a lifetime to sound that good. but i must say, the violinist who IS playing is magnificent!
brlviolin 1 year ago
@brlviolin I know from the look it's obvious he's not playing it live, I am a violinist myself so I can tell. But what I was asking is if the acto