Brahms: Piano Trio no. 2 - 2nd movement (Benjamin Zander - Interpretation Class)

For more classes like this one, please visit the Benjamin Zander Center - www.benjaminza...
EPL Piano Trio- Oukalin Yin, violin Aihao Zheng, cello, Chewon Park, piano
Interpretations of Music: Lessons for Life
with Benjamin Zander
Dave Jamrog Audio/Video

[@cathytai]

How very lucky privileged we are to be able feel part of Zander's brilliant Masterclasses. Watching and hearing/feeling these transformations is life-changing. Thank you for posting.

[@apolloapostolos5127]

As someone who tried to spend as little time around the family/home as possible, these interpretations brought out a nomadic sadness I didn’t know was in me. *deep breaths* *Clear the eyes, keep driving*

[@andreweverton162]

I love this series and will continue to listen to Mr. Zander's insights into music very happily. I offer the following criticism in full knowledge of his deep humanity and generosity of spirit, and because I have enjoyed his videos so much and have deep respect for him. Mr. Zander, it is not okay to essentialize east Asian people even in what you intend as a positive way (so many wonderful players, so technically proficient, so elegant.)These qualities are stereotypes and do not describe all Asian musicians. You get into further trouble when you say "Brahms wasn't Chinese" as though this is a roadblock to their understanding this music. If their playing was missing something, and I have no doubt you can teach this trio to play better, it isn't really necessary to mention being Chinese at all. You can and should do better.

[@christinak6024]

I completely agree. It’s so frustrating to see this type of attitude directed towards Asians in general, which is usually held by white people...for some reason they tend to have a fascination with wanting to know or bringing up someone’s ethnic background in random situations...nonetheless I still revere Zander as an incredible musician and overall human being; I just find it disappointing when you find behavior like this occurring...

[@johnspradling7906]

Once we start down this road, we get into a trap from which we cannot escape. You yourself are generalizing about "white people" in making your statements. Zander has generalized centering on Viennese, gypsies, and Hungarians. My advice to Mr. Everton and Ms. Kim is to lay off the "sensitivities". Simply take Zander's advice and sharing in the good spirit he intends, and consider yourself better off for having heard it. At no point does a single person in the audience appear offended by anything Zander has said. However, I will criticize something that is an absolute and needs addressing: the piano is horribly out of tune.

[@ernstboermans1499]

I believe the bigger offense here is that out-of-tune piano. Someone call a piano tuner, please!

[@msudlp]

As soon as the Maestro said those remarks, I knew someone would be offended. Most of the young musicians who came to see Mr. Zander are learning to express the passion in the music they are playing. And most if not all fit the compliment he gives. So technically you are right. But that doesn't mean that the cultural biases don't exist and that they are part of the music that is performed. I have lots of Asian friends and lived with Asians while in college. They were all warm, giving and smart. And they all exhibited the traits that Mr. Zander expressed. So I don't disagree with what the Maestro said. One should not be so politically correct that you whitewash one's culture. And did you listen to what Mr. Zander said at the end? I'm an African American who grew up in the South. I graduated from college with two degrees. And I hear all the time what Southern Blacks should be and what they lack and that I'm outside the norm. I don't get all upset by being stereotyped. There are times when the cultural assumptions are worth a response and times when its not. This is one of those times when the criticism isn't needed. That is the problem with this country. Being TOO politically correct creates division not unity. I here much negativity about African Americans. If someone was to give us the compliment that the Maestro did, I would accept it and move on. There are bigger fish to fry in the world o f political correctness (i.e. white supremacist).

[@nunocarmona]

You forgot the part where mr Zander said “... a wave of fantastic musicians coming from Asia who have brought an incredible quality of playing, technical mastery and elegance to music making. And it’s a beatuiful thing! You see three musicians like that: beautifully trained, playing in tune, playing with a beautiful sound, elegant musicianship". Mr Zander said in other videos that (technical) perfection is good but not enough - musicians must "forget" about the technicalities and give some emotion and character to what they are playing. I spoke to some music teachers and they are of the same opinion of Mr Zander: most asians have amazing technical and memory skills but lack the comprehension of the emotions necessary to make (western) music moving and lovable. And that's a message that Mr Zander gives to all the students in these interpretation classes. Not just Asians! Although most of them (not all) have this limitation. I don't think it is a question of race or ethnicity (or a question of inferiority). It's related to their culture and teaching system, I believe. But Mr Zanders concludes (at 23:35) that “in the end we’re all the same. Chinese, korean, Italian, german, hungarian,… We’re all the same. So long as we’re open”. We must be fair to him.

[@wiz7716]

I just want to damn know what is the story behind the woman that constantly get the camera attention and doesn’t miss one of the sessions! @34:40

[@Nai61a]

Somebody should have done something about this piano!

[@raymondgood2359]

it needs a lot of work, restringing is very expensive!!

[@alicefang]

They’re not even all Chinese…

[@DivaDeb1234]

That piano it's in bad shape.

[@frankstein9982]

He could have dispensed with the bit about her being Asian and gone straight to his story about it going in twos and the "Ongarian / Gypsy" bullshit. The man is an insufferable showboat.