hmm... nuff said. Yes, they stole, no you cant do much about it, and yes, they added something new to it... No reason to disable the comments. Let the people talk and make their own judgement.

Disabled comments and ratings on your video, I see that you have. If you are going to accuse anyone of stealing with the video, at least enable the comments so people can talk about it.

Well, it's hard to copyright a joke, now isn't it? Comedians steal each other's jokes all the time. There's really nothing that can be done about it. Even remarking on it can be a no-win situation. If you say nothing, you get no credit. If you say something, you are accused of being a poor sport.

If only Sigismond Thalberg had a Youtube account. He would make a video of his old arpeggio technique which Liszt incorporated, most beautifully, into his Sospiro Concert Etude. If music were actually Art and not so overbearingly commercialized the gesture of embracing another's technique would not be such a hostile act.

I thought your vids were hilarious! Wick!

I enjoyed both versions. Yours and theirs. I wouldn't get so uptight about them stealing the stick idea. Frankly, it's not that astonishing an idea, its the context that's funny. The bottom line is, very few people have heard of either of you, I would edit your video so you came across a touch less puerile and a bit more gracious.

They did not steal anything in terms of the joke, their joke was original with the "Rachmaninoff had big hands."

Sure they used the concept of the wooden press, but their joke itself and how it was done was original.

we were the 'studes' on the left at the bridgewater hall on friday =D I enjoyed the concert and we all found it funny :)

I like how you disabled the comments and ratings for the video, because you know perfectly well that people are going to support Igudesman and Joo, who are actually funny unlike OTHERS.

What are you going to do next? Take out your channel comments too? Cry.

Rainer, I saw you in Nelson, BC, Canada back in 1998 and you were brilliant. I have talked about your show for years and think it was the most refreshing take on classical music I've ever seen. Please do not take to heart any of the rubbish being posted in these comments. They are not only rude and insulting, but they are from people who know nothing of your talents.