Heifetz imitation

[@pronins]

Most of us violinists agree that Heifetz recorded the best version of Vieuxtemps 4 in history. And here he doesn’t just imitate a bad player - he points out every mistake possible in a very profound way actually, which is very hard to do. Humor aside, to be the best performer of the piece and then doing this is simply next level 😎

[@raoultak]

So....Heifetz had a sense of humour. One of the greatest practical jokes high grade students can encounter from Heifetz. We finally see Heifetz smiling and taking effort to entertain his students. This shows that Heifetz wasnt such a completely controlled person; he also was a human being with human feelings. And....Heifetz enjoyed playing like this as well. Its a revelation. Great!!!

[@srinitaaigaura]

He had a quirky sense of humor and the occasional socially awkward nerd kind of thing. IIRC Once as a kid when Auer asked him to start reading books to broaden his exposure, he innocently went book hunting and picked up the first book he saw, which turned out to be on "lizard reproduction". He was too embarrassed to tell Auer about it the next class. And Auer who was thinking he'd probably pick up some story books had a huge laugh when he finally got the boy to say it. (Jascha Heifetz : Early Years in Russia) In later years these eccentricities in his personality showed up much more. He didn't quite end up the geek, but it did go elsewhere.

[@dorotaa6933]

Don't think so...he only laughed at other's poor playing.

[@daniellu8282]

I hope to be able to induce that much forced laughter one day.

[@TomBarrister]

Heifetz admitted in later years that he never listened to any such auditions. This sort of horrible-playing skit was something that he enjoyed doing from time to time, and there are accounts of his doing such for at least two decades before this master class (and probably for another decade or so after that).

[@srinitaaigaura]

He used it to play pranks quite a few times.

[@kasper6873]

Thankfully so, anyone would have hated to be imitated by Heifetz and this be the result.

[@katarinaenright5404]

I think he also probably did this to break the ice and not have the students be too nervous cause there was no way they could do that bad

[@srinitaaigaura]

Hardest performance of his career by far. He actually has to play badly, which for him is a near impossible achievement. His legato was still good at most places despite his best efforts....

[@bananawilson]

Guys it’s called shredding, and I’ve been doing it my entire life.

[@notnownanao]

my teacher is in there! i love how heifetz still sounds amazing

[@katarinaenright5404]

Really that’s so cool which one is your teacher?

[@SteppenwolfHarryHall]

He even plays badly perfectly.

[@Windmillgackt]

OMG I can't stop loughing!!!! I just LOVE his imitation skill so so much!! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!! I wonder how he keep his serious face while the others couldn't help bursting out laughing! LOL!

[@egon4593]

You can hear how he has to concentrate to get a bad intonation. The parts in which he doesn't, they are hopelessly in tune.🙂

[@uliwidmaier5192]

I know!! He can't help it!

[@abelpalmer552]

If he played this for me id be laughing nervously thinking "does he do this with my playing to other students"

[@uliwidmaier5192]

I bet every one of the students was secretly thinking exactly that.

[@albachteng]

most beautiful playing i've ever heard. what a master!

[@OrlandoAponte]

The best part is Heifetz's ability to maintain a straight face throughout the entire performance

[@TomBarrister]

The five students you can see in the video are, left to right: Varoujon Kodijan, Adam Han-Gorski, Elizabeth Matesky (mostly hidden by Heifetz), Carol Sindell, and Claire Hodgkins. The other two students were Robert Witte (a short light-haired young man) and Erick Friedman (who can be seen in other videos here).

[@EmmaIadanza]

My violin teacher assigned that I listen to this and said "this is what NOT to do" and I watched it and laughed so hard...

[@jasmin2831]

My violin teacher gave me the same assignment today :)

[@Soulill0quy]

you rarely ever see a video with Heifetz smiling and laughing. that was awesome. I can't believe someone auditioned that piece with that kind of "preparation" tho

[@TomBarrister]

For those who care, the pianist is Brooks Smith, who was Heifetz's main (often only) accompanist from 1950 (when Heifetz and Emanuel Bay parted company) until Heifetz retired in 1972.

[@wannabecat369]

I think Bay retired.

[@sankha-ch]

Just imagine how much practice went into creating this. A perfectionist even in comedy!

[@demusicrox]

I will never think of this piece the same way ever again hahahaha too funny!!

[@Tejamajaron13]

Same here lol, everytime I hear this piece now I get the giggles. XD

[@cellokratzer]

..could never imagine he had such humour....

[@WenhaoSun]

I love that how no matter how badly it sounds, the majority of it is pretty in tune (except for where he plays out of tune on purpose), and even the octaves and chords are still pretty good hahaha

[@BBL.Soldier]

And that's what the Dolphin stradivarius sounded like

[@ss032010310103]

This was his cheaper modern violin isn't it?

[@srinitaaigaura]

@@ss032010310103 He brought his Tononi violin to his masterclasses. Though his Guarnerius was his most prized possession, he had a special affection for the Tononi. It was the first violin he bought with his own money as a teenager. He played his Carnegie Hall debut with it and also his last recital in 1972. He even took it to tours in war zones in WW2. That violin's seen a lot.

[@ss032010310103]

@@srinitaaigaura oh I see. My teacher studied with him at USC. And he told me he purposely brought a cheaper violin to class so no one could say he sounded good cause of his Strad/Guarneri. Maybe that's the one he meant

[@srinitaaigaura]

@@ss032010310103 Once when a student complained that he didn't have a Guarnerius but only a cheap violin, Heifetz just took the student's violin and played the piece he was studying and produced his signature sound on it. Heifetz might have been strict, authoritarian and very moody, but he had a good side too. If Heifetz liked a student he would surprise them by helping them get better instruments. Rudolf Koelman still remembers the day when Heifetz called him up and gave him some money to help him out. He had been struggling and hadn't told anyone, but Heifetz found out and insisted that when he gives, there are no strings attached ever. Who's your teacher?

[@bryanlin8333]

thing is that's exactly what I would do and he'd still play it better than me :/ even if I try

[@aimson]

Truly have to be a violinist to completely appreciate the humor of this... I was laughing so hard I almost fell off my chair and hit my head on the corner of the desk!

[@PuerinTheHunter]

The face of the pianist @2:00! XD

[@srinitaaigaura]

Lol, what he played there was downright weird....

[@paulcaswell2813]

Brooks Smith - Heifetz's regular pianist!

[@srinitaaigaura]

@@paulcaswell2813 Once when Brooks was asked what it was like to work with him, he admitted it was very challenging as Heifetz could play the piano parts even better than him.

[@pronins]

This is so funny!!!! Considering the fact that Heifetz is probably the best performer of the Vieuxtemps 4th concerto in history.

[@ania5690]

A lot of people seem to think the laughing is fake but, if you ever hang out with music students, you'll see that this actually is their sense of humor. Once your level is so advanced, you are able to laugh at typical mistakes because you realize that unprepared and/or poorly trained musicians look a little foolish when trying to impress. And this, in turn, drives the students to correct their own minor versions of these mistakes.

[@neilsolaris]

The funny thing is, I bet he spent many hours at home preparing this.

[@sarbarnharble]

I love this method. I had a Bulgarian teacher who did this to me after I played horribly. Worked like a charm. It's humiliating.

[@mpearsonmadrid]

Some of these comments are extraordinary! This is a VERY funny clip from a very great violinist indeed. Heifetz may well have had a particular audition in mind but this is very, very clever. It is very difficult to play so 'badly' particuarly if you are Heifetz! Lighten up folks.

[@IlCannone1743]

I think it's very difficult for such an accomplished violinist to purposely play poorly, but Heifetz sure does pull it off extremely well. =]

[@sternbergzookie]

*twitch* Oh, Mr. Heifetz, you are cruel.

[@duhhh86]

i don't think i've ever met a more self-assured man than him in my entire life.

[@bohun28]

I think it was the end of the masterclass and Heifetz wanted to end it on a lighthearted note, give the students something to smile or laugh about. As i said before, nobody even knows if this was a true story or if it was just a fairytale that Heifetz created so as to make a joke.

[@TomBarrister]

The work that Heifetz is deliberately mangling is Henri Vieuxtemps' Violin Concerto number 4 Op. 31, which Heifetz recorded in 1935 with the London Symphony and conductor John Barbirolli .

[@henryvieuxtemps2381]

Hihihi! Trop drôle! Je regarde en boucle! Pauvre Vieuxtemps!

[@vladiinsky]

the original shred! love it

[@wannabecat369]

Bro still can't hide his excellent technique!

[@osito16]

i love 2:04, lol you can tell he's trying so hard to sound bad but he still sounds good

[@organicjuice]

That put me in tears. I can't even play that much.

[@nelsonabramento1042]

Jamais imaginei que o mestre Heifetz fosse portador de tanto humor. É simplesmente fantástico.

[@katarinaenright5404]

As a beginner violinist if I could play this I’d be so proud lol

[@NunaLuna]

I understand you well, I have the same situation))

[@winifredtrout1]

Frankly ...he's naughty...wunderbar

[@chriss6356]

Imagine being that student auditioning and seeing this youtube video all these years later and knowing that Heifetz secretely roasted you to everyone.

[@breckon2684]

I know that I'm the biggest nerd when I laughed at this

[@a.krishna3924]

2:00 - 2:04 sounds like middle eastern music then cabaret

[@AnitaMay]

usted q le pase? Es uno de los mejores violinistas en el mundo! y q buen humor tiene el? Es una de las mas grandes personas de la istoria de la musica!

[@pyotrskotnicki7098]

How he can hold his emotionless face is beyond me

[@user-dg7jv6lt4y]

Funny how impossible it is for Heifetz to play octaves out of tune😂

[@sneddypie]

its good to know he had a sense of humor

[@Brace67]

His students are enjoying this deliberately awful performance and it actually takes great playing to sound this way. Notice that while the class is cracking up, Heifetz continues to keep a very serious demeanor.

[@jonathancaramin]

it's the fourth concerto by Henry Vieuxtemps, and there is a good rendition by Heifetz on youtube.

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Oistrakh also used to imitate bad playing,only that was not filmed.There is nothing vicious about this famous uncanny imitation of bad playing we all heard countless times.Actually,Heifetz did not imitate anyone in particular, he just gave this 'label' as a 'title' for his little joke.Whats truly amazing is how well he could play so badly.As for his mean nature-it is a well-known fact; only it has nothing to do with the joke.You guys might consider some anger management counseling out there:)

[@bergkalis]

Just the Greatest of all! What is the work he is playing?

[@kolya_n]

Vieuxtemps Violin concerto no.4

[@raoultak]

WOW, never heard mr. H play so well.

[@Wishrachi]

Laughter is contagious! haha

[@sharlesin]

Heifetz original 1935 recording of this movement is now on KZbin.Laugh and compare!

[@winrx]

He just imitated 75% of the "violinists" on youtube! lol

[@user-gz2rs4lw3b]

Por favor nunca levanten este video ...perdón pero me enseña muchísimo más q cualquier maestro desde Las tse o Confucio hasta la actualidad ...primavera 2022 en Argentina y su muerte fue en la primavera argentina de 1989

[@kalr737]

Vieuxtemps, Violin Concerto No. 4 in D ma, Op.31 - Andante - Moderato

[@banjuja58]

ChrisWatch, it's Vieuxtemps Concerto #4. I think there is a video of Heifetz playing it for real on KZbin

[@bohun28]

I love it-I already thought that Heifetz was the best, now that I know he had a good sense of humour as well-I love him all the more. For all you sensitive little children, I hope you don't play anything because God forbid anyone tells you you're not very good and you'll likely burst into tears!

[@TomBarrister]

This is the opening movement to Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto number 4.

[@ТатьянаПерминова-ф2ч]

Как будто посмотрела немое кино с. Чарли. Чаплиным! Музыканты улыбаются.😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇

[@francescaemc2]

Great. Just great!!! How many times have I heard people play like that and had to try to keep a straight face. Heifetz rulz.

[@fernandoarbe]

Could you the name of the song and how does it sound with right notes and dynamics? I would like to listen both versions.

[@duhhh86]

hilarious! he's a cool guy man...

[@robotnik77]

I never knew Jack Benny auditioned for Heifetz!

[@Benjamin-bq7tc]

The whole thing was funny, but when he did those pizz. chords, he got me :-)

[@xoxCarlyx7]

@LlamaLlord21 1st movement of Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto no.4

[@OrlandoAponte]

@olympian1980 Haha you're so right, like in his video of the Bruch violin concerto

[@xoxCarlyx7]

@gospelkeys07 1st movement of Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto no.4

[@Jctankk]

@olympian1980 Menuhin is still one of the greats.

[@davidgarcia7159]

mi ídolo

[@eckarteckart]

Great! Great! Great!

[@aimson]

Still my favorite violin clip of all time! Notice how the chick on the far right isn't laughing much...

[@Robert...Schrey]

they who laugh, don‘t understand that he’s mimicking them. 😂

[@julgarner1]

Great stuff - somehow i feel like i've been laughed at! Bet I sounded like that when i played to Starker...

[@sarahxboxbeara]

still better than me!

[@polyonyx]

@annefrankisaho Hhhmmm... I can't find them. I can only see unnecessary gestures and bows. Thanks for informing me however. :)

[@Jaesango]

hell i wish i can play like that

[@OldsoftCZ]

Henri Vieuxtemps, Violin Concerto No. 4

[@MythicalThing]

My 16th runs be like:

[@violinia]

Another comment - the audience's laughter is probably mostly down to their relief at not being the butt of Heifetz's 'joke' themselves.

[@ChrisWatch]

Very Chopinesque... but still my ears want to vomit due to headache-trauma. This piece-this piece sounds very climatique./romatique I would like to hear the ... I guess perfected version of this? would anyone know whre to find this or its full name/composer name? It would be very appreciated.

[@wannabecat369]

Violin Concerto IV. by Henri Vieuxtemps

[@fidicen73]

@Adorado31 They weren't actors. They were advanced students at a Heifetz violin workshop (which is on YT). Their laughter must have been a natural reaction to the very tough workshop and criticism they'd all just been through. Heifetz's spoof audition wasn't just for fun, there was a serious teaching purpose behind it. Remember that those students would soon be auditioning for top orchestral jobs, and perhaps one day would be teaching and even judging auditions themselves.

[@the4toedjoe]

Haha, he plays better than I do in this video!

[@Anna1990g]

genial!!!

[@SpookyWatcher]

He's playing Vieuxtemps concerto nr. 4 1st part... Very beautiful concert though, listen to original too...:)

[@abelpalmer552]

Imagine this POOR GUY who had to audition for Heifetz

[@ZaLajf]

How's this piece caled? :)

[@zinam5795]

He's absolutely serious---very good humor!.... To need study by "everybody 's" mistakes "....

[@ts9641]

this is awesome/! anyone know what he's playing?

[@NicholasWarnertheFirst]

Vieuxtemps?

[@suren1409]

no puede tocar mal,es el interpretacion mas bella entre los malos!!hasta aqui es el mejor

[@hangooksaram123]

laughed my ass off. thanks for the upload. ^^

[@NicoloEugelmi001]

My impression is that Heifetz is presenting an amalgam of bad violin playing under the guise of a bad audition, and not imitating anyone in particular. In other words, he's telling a joke deadpan. I think it's hilarious.

[@freddiejohnson8538]

It's part of the 1962 Masterclass TV series (kzbin.info/www/bejne/iH3PhqKJbalqeNE). He's having a little fun with the world-class violinists who are studying with him.

[@DualThunder]

L M F A O . Both violin virtuoso and comedy genius.

[@SHINeecow]

still better than most people.

[@Bevanclan]

must be hard for someone this good to get it wrong on purpose..

[@cheryledelman4457]

THAT'S HOW I PLAY TODAY! LOL!