Classical Music Performance FAILS 🍅

[@RayChenViolinist]

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[@MissyTheMisfit665]

Can I make a suggestion for tonic? I am a fiddle player and I understand that the violin is a fiddle BUT when I practice or look for studios I only have violin as an option maybe a sun category for fiddle players because we are on tonic I promise!!

[@HellNoNotKerry]

Ur one of my fav violinists! 2nd favorite :3

[@monimonica9529]

📛 Chen Ray/Ray Chen, would you consider joining your Talent with Dimash (Q/K)udaibergen's to perform on stage and/or Film Songs? It would be Fantastic! 🙌 Peace & Stay Safe (from Argentina)

[@RayChenViolist]

Oh it’s cool 😊

[@PunkDogCreations]

1:36 please refrain from blaspheming in your content.

[@linglingjourney]

Ray I think u should react to our (your subscribers)playing and try to guess how long we've been playing our instruments and then rate our playing out of 10

[@kerimcelik3680]

good idea ! 😊

[@linglingjourney]

If this is the most liked comment, Ray has to do it

[@Aaron-xq6hv]

@@linglingjourney Luckily it doesn't work that way.

[@linglingjourney]

@@Aaron-xq6hv if we all force him he will do it...maybe

[@theoneandonlymagnum]

Although maybe the rating thing is a little savage 😅

[@DareDevil0748]

I heard that he Sibelius fail was because the orchestra started playing in half time, so twice as slow. because they didn't rehearse enough. The conductor is mainly responsible

[@thecatspajamas8918]

That spot in the Sibelius is tricky. The woodwinds are in a different meter. The conductor conducts for the strings and the winds have to do the math to fit their parts in. Last time we played this we had to ask the conductor to conduct for the wind meter which solved the problem.

[@julioverneschannelmusic3135]

Yes, I uploaded this video. I was in the rehearsal that day in Teatro Real Madrid, Spain..

[@julioverneschannelmusic3135]

The conductor rehearsed Sibelius without going too deep, mostly of the time, the conductor conducted Debussy

[@nevim007]

Standard practice I have seen many times is that the conductor focuses on the other pieces in the concert, and they rehearse the concerto only briefly without the soloist. The soloist then joins only at the last moment in the general rehearsal before the concert. That's how things like that happen.

[@tabby7189]

​@@nevim007I have comparable experience as an opera rehearsal pianist, but then the conductor is supposed to be ready for something like this to happen because a moment like that is highly probable to produce errors

[@Luna18782]

"it never gets old, maybe cuz its a viola", damn ray, fr.

[@DanielSmith-ee6gm]

I’m sure the bow was insured

[@DanielSmith-ee6gm]

Man, super annoying

[@heitron81]

Thank you for giving (and explaining) an example of a „musical“ fail. We‘ve seen broken strings, dropped instruments, slipped musicians a lot of time. But to hear the orchestra fall apart is special! ❤

[@TrumpetBogeyMan]

What do you have against orchestras ? 😭

[@oiarasilva5790]

Hello. My name is Oiara, I'm 77 years old and I'm your fan, because of the violin you play and your charisma, excellent and you certainly don't have time to be reading messages from everyone who admires you. Peci. May. God protect you always.

[@ShowdogTiger]

Strangest thing I have ever seen at a small concert was a piano going through the floor trapping the pianist. Luckily I had forced my then boyfriend (now husband) and his football buddies to come and watch the concert. The boys picked up the piano and moved it off of her to the other side of the room. She was not hurt and she finished her performance.

[@antine1279]

That's insane!

[@M_SC]

It’s been said but I have to say it too: that’s INSANE

[@ataribunce5075]

As a violist, I don’t know how The Viola is so hated like it’s a pretty sounding instrument and it’s neat because it has some cello Strings and violin strings put into one so when playing our pieces in concerts we sometimes switch between different instrument parts so sometimes we might play with the cellos in then play with the violins then other parts, our own parts. It’s also kind of like we’re multitasking different parts. It’s sad that the viola is so hated😢.

[@Ilovepaneer]

we violinists just joke about it no one hates it tbh

[@taylorbun]

Im a violinist but I love the viola! I think it’s a beautiful instrument. I honestly think most people are just joking (and screw the ones who aren’t lol)

[@CoasterComedy]

It’s just a joke homestly

[@lukaskmit1788]

Why am I again in the "fail" category? 🤔 But it's satisfying to hear Ray saying "Wow! Wow!" to my VIOLA playing! 😎

[@ceticobr]

Are you the guy interrupted by a Nokia cell phone? You handled it like a boss! 😎

[@lukaskmit1788]

@@ceticobr yes, thanks :)

[@Dmichoacan]

​@@lukaskmit1788Sir, you're a legend!

[@christinelyman738]

Not a fail, a save!

[@changfred4905]

I've seen this video several times elsewhere (Tchaikovsky one I mean) and it still amazes me how easily you can pick up the tune after the interruption... Hours of practice must be made to be able to master this. It's just wonderful.

[@kaymill5565]

As a non-musician (is that a word?😂), I love this so much. It's so entertaining to see Ray react to concert mishaps, including his own.

[@Almandeen]

Ray singing the violin parts with such focus is very nerdy and sweet 😆

[@monimonica9529]

I liked it 🙌 . I like listening to skillful Singers.

[@frankbruno8556]

sounds like he might be conducting someday

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

Nerdy? My teacher taught me to hum pieces before I play them. Don’t you?

[@alexv3357]

6:55 "Which is standard protocol" here, you can hear Ray's Aussie peeking through

[@kishascape]

Standard prodigal

[@SpencerMusicSchool]

As a concert pianist ... I'm sort of shocked the pianist actually stopped. That is actually pretty rare that some one just is not prepared. If some one forgets most pianist can fake until they are back on track or just do a chordal cadence. But stopping and starting is painful to watch. A big fail I had was I was performing the Khatchaturian piano concerto and the technician didn't secure the rollers on the piano. I hit the first chord and piano rolled away LOL. I burst out laughing it was like a Victor Borge routine. Luckily we are only about 15 bars in. So we stopped. The conductor and I left the stage. The Conductor was pissed I was like... yes needless careless error but people will remember. So the technician idiot who didn't do his job came out fixed it. About 15 minutes later we came out of the concerto. I was actually more relaxed after the incident because I was only 16, and scared with the demands of that concerto. I also when I was with the Young Artist Series played Rhapsody in Blue in a 2 piano version with my sister Anne. The second piano needed voicing and was if I remember 1/4 tone flat from my piano. It was like listening to the worst banal saloon pianos play it. Sounded more like Schoenberg. I think my mom still has that concert on cassette and we take it out for a good laugh. Another favorite was my High School alma mater after I graduated. The choir director was not very precise in teaching the choir German diction for a Bach cantata . and instead of singing the German word for hell. it sounded like the German word for "whore. So they were singing something like The devil in the whore .. instead of the Devil from hell. LOL> My German friend's mother nearly passed out LOL. Oh and I remember when I accompanied my Mom a soubrette coloratura for a Senior Center opera soiree. and the announcer painfully said every title wrong and couldn't even pronounce Vissi d'arte .. he said something like Visis Dart by Pu kee nee LOL. Oh and get this. He said Milhaud as Mill-howd and Henry Purcell as pur-SELL . The stupidity burns LOL

[@M_SC]

Well the last one is normal, it’s the normal pronunciation for that name in North America anyway. We also pronounce Bernard with the accent on the second syllable. I’ve never heard anyone pronounce Purcell any other way than the way you think is ridiculous

[@SpencerMusicSchool]

@@M_SC It is about correct musicology . Henry Purcell pronounced his name with the accent on the first syllable. It would be like someone pronouncing Henry Mancini -- Man-chi-ni or Richard Wagner with an Americanized pronunciation instead of correct German. It exposes the uneducated. Especially since names like Richard Wagner, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart etc are basic music appreciation knowledge.

[@jay-p2r3u]

Let’s go Ray Chen! I love all of your videos and this one I’m sure will be great. Have tonic and love it too!

[@branditaylor3865]

I will say that your videos inspire me to practice better! Thank you! I've been playing violin for almost 3 yrs.

[@carolineg.5461]

Je trouve ce vidéo professionnel et amusant de voir que tout ne coule pas de source même pour les meilleurs de ce monde. Votre réaction est adorable et m'a beaucoup fait rire. Si j'avais été à votre olace j'aurais été désamparé et stoique.Vous êtes naturel et j'adore votre humanité, et lorsque vous jouez divinement. ❤❤❤❤

[@matthiasheymann]

In the Chopin etude 25.6, his right hand started skipping ahead already before the upwards run, making the two hands go out of sync. He did the same thing in his second attempt. Nerves…

[@davidfleming8436]

A GREAT VIOLINIST WITH A GREAT PERSONALITY. :)

[@ChiefHerzensCoach]

I was so sorry for the pianist. I might be completely wrong but he seemed so low energy in this piece so i would be afraid he was sick or just before getting sick. Poor guy....

[@btjhlp]

2:23 I used to have this weird twine-ish (?) loop connecting my tailpiece, and it snapped once while it was in my case. Super fun as a beginner to just open your case and see strings and my bridge and my tail piece just everywhere 💀

[@conniemckenney]

😦😦😦

[@JasonMoir]

"It never gets old...probably because it's a viola."

[@evanelliott8231]

I’ve froze up during an audition this semester. It happens, practice in front of people and practice recovering in front of people are great tips.

[@agatafurczyk9149]

If all the 'fails' are like yours, bRay...., it's going to be a really fun video 😁

[@M_SC]

Fight/flight/freeze happens at a concert *because you recognize the situation as danger* Obvious but also kind of mind blowing. I can use this to soothe my nerves

[@miokti]

We were at Ray’s concert in La Jolla, CA about 3 weeks ago. His string broke. I wouldn’t call it a fail because he dealt with it perfectly, just calmly changing the string since he was playing solo.

[@christinelyman738]

Ray's string breaking is a standard part of his repertoire at this point. 😂

[@panduh0]

The problem is is when you’re a violist you can’t just switch with the concertmaster.

[@TheSparshofMusic-wn7de]

I love how he’s just playing the Mendelssohn violin concerto in the background 👍🙂

[@ssatjapot]

LOVE THIS. Requesting for interpretations: What would a Bach or Vivaldi interpretation of modern music sound like? Or...how would a Ray-Chen-ified / Paginini-fied version of Mozart or Bach sound like?

[@g.970]

Thanks for the great concert in Seattle a couple of weeks ago. Wished you had played longer. But no broken string this time. 😂 When you came onto the stage a young woman, probably in her 20’s, gasped and screamed . She was so excited to see you. I was too, but I didn’t scream. ❤

[@CarolQuinal]

You’re always humble when you do your reviews performance fails and always smile laughter. So cute🤪🤪😜😜🎻👏🏼👏🏼😘😘

[@ricoboulette3174]

10:00 I need a full version of this

[@thomasdinan9667]

My favourite was the improvisation on the cellphone. I once heard the great Gere Hancock improvising on the organ when a taxi honked its horn outside in an interesting rhythm. Without skipping a beat, Dr Hancock pulled on a reed stop and made the taxi's horn the main theme of the end of the improvisation. Genius!

[@andacomfeeuvou]

I know it's hard to believe, but I've seen a viola bow fly into the lap of a woman in the audience. The woman stood up and gently handed the bow back to the musician. It was a professional orchestra and the musician was an excellent musician. I can't give any more details because everyone who was present looked as if nothing had happened.

[@M_SC]

Hahaha!

[@myrona.gilmorejr.]

I was playing my violin at a open mic and my fingers started cramping up and so did my right hand

[@tomasdhana2180]

Well we all thought that Ray was a violinist but he surprises us by showing us his opera skills

[@Joceyrachi]

A lightbulb actually also exploded in my first solo recital! It was even in a more sentimental section as well haha. It's for some reason comforting to know that it has happened to other people even way above my skill level. I'm honestly proud that it basically didnt affect my playing, but it probably helped that it was on beat. 😅

[@purpletiger9313]

I was at an Itzhak Perlmann (sp, sorry!) concert at Stanford in 1996 (?) and ... this is a hazy memory so bear with me ... he was just starting I can't even remember the concerto, in his chair, with a local chamber orchestra (name?) -- you see this is tough to remember -- and his A string snapped -- back then we used aluminum-wound gut. He did a big arm-wave and stopped the orchestra, then said "One moment please" to the audience. As a recall, this is a dim recollection, he attempted some humor with the audience while he waited for the new string to be brought on-stage from backstage, because we (in the audience) had a few good laughs (but his jokes? Can't remember). The whole operation took about 2 minutes, and then they started the movement from the start because he hadn't got very far in. Recounting this is what I imagine hypnotism to be like.... I'm guessing that the A-string was pre-stretched?? Someone else who was at that concert can chime in? Unfortunately there's no video of that particular event....

[@RModillo]

A similar thing happened in a Live From Lincoln Center broadcast. They were doing the Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence, which is wickedly hard. So the second violinist went backstage with the Strad to replace the string, while Perlman filled time with a bit of schtick for the audience. Unfortunately, this really was live from Lincoln Center, and the top of the hour was slated to flip to the next show across the PBS network. They just made it in-- with the credits rolling over the last few bars and the beginning of applause.

[@altoclef6688]

I have been to a concert where the world class violin soloist lost synch with the orchestra but they saved it in a second. Don't think most people even noticed. It was very close to disaster. The concert aired on radio and was possible to hear up to a month later, so I saved the recording...

[@nikanj]

Honestly, the adjudicator cutting off that pianist was a mercy. Most likely he would have kept fumbling.

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

I’ve had a tailpiece gut string snap. The tailpiece whacked me on the chin, I saw stars. It was a miracle that the sound post didn’t fall.

[@bihdi27]

The part with Sibelius, it was lovely to hear You singing!

[@jshum02]

I was lucky enough to manage to hear the full Tchaikovsky performance of yours that you mention. in the video. Take what you will coming from someone who is loosing their hearing that hasn't played in 30 years but oh man I know you may not be as proud of how smooth the recovery was but it was not a distraction and the performance is one of my favourite performances ever. I tried to listen really hard cause of my hearing problems. It's almost like you were testing the violin out, maybe figuring out how far you could push it without over blowing the instrument and then it's almost like you got a little mad and then you just unleashed the tone out of the beast, It was such an unfortunate moment to break. You had created this fairy land but it was right back to business. You must be setting some record for how many times this happen to you. I think another two times in seaatle once in rehearsal from your posts?

[@AndreiShevtsov]

"Sentimental value of losing so much money" 😂 WAT?!

[@jh.y00N]

Wow, that's nerve-wracking to watch, and I'm glad Maestro Ray explained it in such a pleasant way. If I were a musician, I'd get chills down my spine just thinking about myself making a mistake.😮💦💦

[@goodchessactor]

Thanks, I didn't know it was protocol to switch violins with the concertmaster when a mishap occurs. Smart rule, the concert must go on!

[@mellissadalby1402]

Hi Ray, My personal fails pale in comparison. One time I started a solo in a wrong key (turned into atonal), another time I was playing for a room full of Hells Angels and heard them all clapping in time, then I looked up and totally crashed and burned. Oh well, I lived.

[@robertwalker2052]

I think the larger question here is why you were performing for. . .oh, nevermind.

[@jooei2810]

That Sibelius fail I bet not many noticed it.

[@mariaclaudialarocca2625]

Qué buena idea que tuviste de comentar sobre técnicas, cosas que pasan en los conciertos, estilos, interpretaciones, comparaciones entre músicos, etc. Me encanta. Muy, pero muy intetesante.

[@HellNoNotKerry]

Ray Chen's (Kinda late) Reaction Count! I- Speechless x2 II- OMG! x1 III- Whaat?! x1 Small count brrrr Day 1, second time of asking Ray to bring this back.

[@privacyvalued4134]

1:43 Ray cries on the inside through laughter. Asians have this odd habit of laughing nervously when they are expressing difficult and painful emotional damage. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the ambassador to the U.S. laughed nervously before FDR, who became irate because, well, the U.S. had just been attacked. Cultural differences can make an already tense moment worse. I think the nervous laughter comes from the wrong policy of "always saving face" because of the faulty belief that personal actions reflect on family and nation.

[@jazz2818-ib1ql]

10:27 He could be an opera singer

[@iwatchtoomuchtwoset]

The viola guy's face when the phone went off tho-

[@WutipongWongsakuldej]

I was in the concert locally where the conductor and the vocalist is from abroad but all of the musician is local. At one particular song the band plays the tune very slow while the conductor desperately try to speed the tempo up. It was a sight to be be seen It's a ballad tune from a well known video game series, so I think the band was practicing at the slow tempo before the show. They probably didn't have much to reherse with the said conductor. Also I think this conductor prefer faster tempo, even comparing to the original recording.

[@randallvargas4457]

Always wanted to play the violin, but I have 'stupid fingers'. Nice work!

[@SVG4ever]

uff... the last Clip, just in such a meditative quiet Piece😅

[@lordneeko]

That light bulb bursting is definitely what we call a "Brown out" type moment 😜

[@ThatRandomWeirdoWriter]

When I was about 12, I put down my violin at an orchestra practice, left it there for two seconds and walked off. Then, behind me, I heard this sickening crunch. I looked back to see that my scroll had completely snapped off. No idea how it happened, to this day (maybe I didn’t set it down directly on the floor? I have so many theories) but it was super broken. I went though a ton of bad violins after that ( because the rental place that we bought it from didn’t believe me, despite the fact that I had 3 adults who saw it unfold). Long story short, I’m still afraid to put down my nice violin anywhere.

[@AlexisChoquette]

Thank you 🙏 ray for your advice to musicians ❤😊

[@paulflute]

I saw one recently where the orchestra started the wrong piano concerto.. the pianist jumps in on the first note .. looks panicked then continues.. luckily it was in his repertoire..

[@RModillo]

Bashmet's viola was a Paolo Testore. A database of prices puts a typical retail price of those at $280-320k.

[@kristinamusik7414]

Ray do a video where you explain and show the beautiful of all those inbetween notes you can have when you play violin but is impossible with a piano.

[@jaegertiger384]

THANKS A MILLION for TONIC !!!

[@p7j5]

For the first clip, the auction record for the maker ($93,548) is for a viola bow. TwoSet folks may need life support if they see that 😅

[@RModillo]

It could have been a special one made with rare materials, or owned by a famous collector. Or, sometimes auctions just get weird.

[@simathepotato]

During the last fail even I got scared in 1 headphone 😅 I saw that fear in Kristina’s eyes as well)

[@sabrinai]

"It never gets old though, probably because it's a viola!" Dat buuurn 🙈🔥

[@keizenberg]

That was interesting :) (btw congrats for 500k)

[@danastefan8986]

It's a pleasure to listen to you!....whatever the topic of discussion, I'm always impressed!❤️🙂

[@StanWatt.]

How about the Stravinsky Firebird scream? LMFAO!

[@rec2you]

Thank you! Nervously! 😄I'm watching this video at the wrong time for me, it seems to me. I have an exam tomorrow. 😬

[@Jonathanhsax]

Not me wiggling my mouse to remove the thumbnail when Ray is conducting and singing the Sibelius

[@quaver1239]

A joy to watch and to hear. Thank you, Ray Chen!

[@jamesdownham6417]

I was accompanying a violinist at an eistedfod some years back .( Full audience .) The music was inserted into a flip file beforehand , and in a rush enabling me to turn pages easily (15 pages in all .A rather tricky sonata .) UNFORTUNATELY ,page 1 went off with a bang BUT ; The rest was the WRONG music . I improvised (atonaly ) !! If only the earth had opened and swallowed me up .😮😮😮

[@davidfleming8436]

fantastic recovery! WOW.

[@animaldancer]

"Because it's a viola" had me dying

[@voanh99]

Just want to say I love Ray's over shirt.

[@leonscottkennedyre4]

So when a bow breaks and they switch with the concert master does he now sit there not playing, or does he then take someone else's bow? How does that work?

[@Chris_performs]

Usually concert master would swap with the next person in the section after

[@leonscottkennedyre4]

@@Chris_performs So someone still ends up sitting there holding broken stuff and not playing?

[@Chris_performs]

@@leonscottkennedyre4 not 100% sure actually

[@leonscottkennedyre4]

@@quenoselecruzenadie Interesting! Hopefully ray can respond and let us know what happens in these situations!

[@M_SC]

I saw it get passed back once… I wonder if bows or violins all get mixed up.

[@staywoke2350]

Every concertmaster must have a really good violin and bow😂

[@juliegill6278]

Ray, could you please tell me why violinists constantly give violists a hard time? Julie Gill, Glasgow, Scotland.

[@M_SC]

It’s just a stupid tradition for people who aren’t funny who want to be funny at this point

[@ShadowSinner-z7s]

Soloist's pov: I'm the most important person rn, I get to determine the tempo not the conductor. Totally didn't think this was chamber music or something

[@owenmcneill7746]

Why was the Mendelssohn concerto playing in the background when you mentioned the Tchaikovsky violin concerto? 🧐 Ray Chen secretly giving us a quiz to see if we know our stuff 😂

[@simondanielssonmusic]

Okay nice I am expecting emotional trauma today from this video

[@Vaeinoe]

I was ready for the piano strings to snap

[@johnlam7036]

Another great work Ray!

[@jooei2810]

You are too funny! 🤣

[@ezraellukman]

Please make Tonic for PC, laptop, and/or Desktop users too!!

[@CaRadJa]

4:31 stage fright mechanism every violinist should understand

[@mkf-violin]

30k bow wow... When my bow just only bow that I get from the violin purchased 😅

[@ShadowSinner-z7s]

Also I've seen funny videos of I think it was a cellist throwing their bow into the audience and one where a person sneezes into their trombone. Not classical music but still funny.

[@hermin]

Ray, how often do you change your violin's string?

[@chelseathompson4486]

Tail “loop” = tail “gut” Ray 😄

[@William3DP]

I find it interesting that the violist had four fine tuners on his tailpiece. I thought only violin beginners like me used four fine tuners.

[@ricardosalavessa1931]

Hi Ray! Great video. Why do you say that Kevlar doesn't sound as good on the tail piece gut?

[@jacoboblanco1555]

Nice coffee setup! Love the Niche 😊

[@philipmcniel4908]

One could call the piece that begins at 7:47 "Fantasia on a Theme by Tarrega" :)

[@peterwu8471]

I love this intro video - so cool

[@PlayAlongViolin]

the point where your bow is too expensive to insure

[@TheCatGoesRawrMusik]

I... had a full on blackout on Bach C minor Preludium and Fugue... and it just... my reaction was just to go go go. And I got faster and faster and faster making more and more mistakes. It was SO bad

[@lucienazario2786]

Anything can happen even during a concert. Like you .... your E string always breaks!!! I guess your E string feels your emotions when you play.😂 😂

[@rozaed11]

Can someone remind me the piece played in the back of the intro, it slipped from my mind 😂😂😂