Ilijas by N. Jivkovic played by Miroslav Dimov on the new marimba

[@yungnatediggity]

i come back to this at some point every year it seems hahaha, but wow. i just cannot get over how expressive this performance is. One of the most captivating solos i’ve ever seen.

[@lorenzocapasso]

this is the BEST version of Ilijas EVER! congrats from Italy.

[@hannahlael3445]

Wow. That was crazy. I love your assertive, aggressive way of playing this. It's exciting. A few other videos I was watching were lethargic. I really like this. Good job!

[@kelischmidt6007]

I really disagree with all the critics here, this is *the* performance of Ilijas - it is absolutely captivating.

[@A320flyerB6]

Extraordinarily well prepared and performed. Outstanding job Mr. Dimov!

[@jackneely9404]

Needs more thumbs up!!!!!! I got chills right away

[@FollowJesus777-KING]

I love seeing skilled players playing difficult peices using Burton grip.

[@knox4641]

oh ok He’s actually playing traditional cross grip- look really closely at how the mallets are positioned in his hands during the little flair at 0:26!

[@nolan02499]

Can’t really play with stevens all that well when it’s all octaves

[@tylergash3175]

This piece definitely lends itself more to burton/traditional rather than stevens

[@zcobryant]

Holy cow....I'm blown away. This song is amazing for sure, but his performance was out of the park! Does anyone know what kind of mallets those are? I love the bite at the core. They sound and look a lot like Malletech LS15's...

[@ivanstaykov1063]

Bravooo !!!! High class !!!

[@maritmica]

Chapeau 😍

[@Megarturo]

Greatest version ever!!!... a little fast for me... but it sounds really better this way!!!... :) gratz dude!

[@blakestavros6597]

I just saw you do transformations of "canon" and now this....... my mind is literally blown :D

[@YuzhiHu9055]

bravo！perfct performance！

[@DavidPaulandBillT]

He does excellent rolls

[@monkeymalletsvideos]

Sounds like there's some frame noise on that marimba, or maybe clipping from a mic, but man, can this dude play!

[@racuchis]

That the hell happened on 4:47 ??? what was that????

[@adventure_hannah3841]

Cross grips (traditional, cross, Burton) are kinda wonky. I think he tried to loosen his fingers for a quick break and the mallets slipped. Sweat, sliding mallets, loosening fingers- who knows.

[@racuchis]

Actually it was awesome

[@roberthammond6479]

I’m a traditional cross grip player, and I can say especially after his series of powerful, extravagant strikes, it’s likely that his thumb and/or forefinger “fell” between the mallets. I gotta say his way of flinging them to get his fingers back on top looked pretty cool though.

[@erkin8657]

me whenever i try to show my skills

[@TheManoDestra]

While he does play VERY aggressively, it’s definitely the recording/microphone set up that is causing many of the sound issues here. You can hear crackling in the back half of this piece, as the gain is WAY too high for the mic setup. Also, the placement of the mics/ environment could have been better set up for marimba IMO. Honestly, I love the expression and aggressiveness. For me personally, I would just take the high end (dynamic wise) down by about 10%, and it would be perfect based on my interpretation. Well done

[@justicedutch]

it wasn’t even too aggressively either, half the music is in fortissimo lol

[@Japan1117-x5s]

Fantastic

[@hermikaleta2912]

fantastisch

[@ТатьянаКирикова-л9ц]

❤❤❤

[@marquisjackson1063]

I know this is a two year old comment but as a musician never let your self be "trapped" be the score. If you always played exactly what's on the page you wouldn't be a musician expressing and interpreting music. you would be a robot copying and mimicking. the score is just a guide. let your own emotion and personality take over. 😁

[@thatcherbuck]

The where the joy in playing music comes from. Every performance is a new one with each performer's own unique interpretation/expression of what is on the page.

[@927drummerboy]

Mr. locomike1219, this is a very aggressive player. Quite possibly this piece might not have been suitable for his powerful prowess. Also we must consider the accoustics of the performance area coupled with the mallet selection. If he had not the chance to rehearse prior to his performance in this enviornment, then obviously problems in which we are speaking most certainly could have manifested.

[@minahitashiko4850]

That's a great point. In addition, I saw that this was for an international marimba competition. I wonder if the nerves added a few clicks to his usual tempo? His aggression is stylish in most of the song but there were moments where I kept saying to myself, hm I like this part slower. In my opinion a slightly more attentive push and pull to the dynamics and tempo would have given this piece a touch more fragility and also made us appreciate the softer moments even more. That said, no one can deny his accuracy and charisma in this piece.

[@locomike1219]

I think seeing this power in person would blow my own and everyone else's mind in the audience. My comments 5 years ago more ore less addressed the recording quality (also heard via the quite loud noise floor in the recording), as well as his intensity, though I absolutely think there is a lot be said for his intensity and general effect.

[@ArnyT12329]

@@JohnJohn-ir5hw you can say you did not enjoy this performance but you can’t deny that he played with amazing dynamic contrast, rhythmic and note accuracy with his intense playing style I think it’s safe to say that is more dramatic than other recordings and if anything just impressive. I can say he is playing very aggressive almost too much for a marimba’s more desired phrasing style of softness and delicacy but to say this wasn’t good and lacking is wrong. Yes he may have pushed dynamic and tempo but the way he plays beyond what is on the page with such power and ferocity is quite inspiring. You can critique all you want but you can’t say he was lacking in stage presence and resonance. Personally I think this performance stands out the most BECAUSE of his rather extreme phrasing

[@JohnJohn-ir5hw]

@@ArnyT12329 I didn't say anything, Elysian - not regarding this video. I did type an aggressively-worded comment and post it - I will delete it now, because I feel a bit ashamed for having failed to rise above that which I allowed into my face and ear space. Perhaps, my comment was a reaction to the abrasive sounds coming through my headphones last year; the sounds are almost as abrasive coming through my speakers today. Probably, I was skimming some of the comments and nearly choked on my juice. I do apologize for reflecting, in word, that which has been posted here. I should know better. Apologies to the performer, you, and anyone else who may have been offended or emotionally distressed by reading what I typed. Is that better? I mean, I can't apologize for what you typed, Elysian. I made not any assertions regarding the matters you touch upon; those matters are simply your assumption-based projections and attempts to elicit things from me that you believe you're capable of 'handling.' I genuinely hope that I encounter other performances from this performer that enjoy.

[@Photon02]

Bro don’t be dissing on this guy, it is probably the best performance of Illijas ever

[@黃冠勻]

無法超越的經典

[@Sicong-sk4zw]

太赞同了

[@austinkunch710]

The pipes under the keys look super cool

[@joshito8194]

Austin Kunch 😂😂😂😂😂dumbass

[@Fangis]

And how exactly does saying something looks cool make him a dumbass?

[@yuko-su8mc]

wonderful! I want to listen to your bamboo forest performance.

[@yuko-su8mc]

『wind in the Bomboo Grove』 by Keiko Abe.

[@Percussionist1998]

How many bars did he break practicing this piece? He might be the reason there is a redwood shortage in the world.

[@mpercussion]

Not a single one in my life :)

[@locomike1219]

I'm honestly not sure what to think about this. Your energy and precision is incredible, but at times I feel it lacks the subtle touches needed for it to be a comprehensive performances. Nobody could ever deny the strength of your technique and your grasp of the marimba. But...I feel as if your sheer intensity hurt the delivery of the tonal message Nebojsa was trying to deliver. His dynamics, in terms of volume and tempo seemed more....dynamic than yours. I absolutely loved your intensity, dont get me wrong, but I'm just not sure if it is appropriate for the entirety of Ilijas, especially in the middle parts when the dynamics "should" shift more abruptly within passages and phrases. I base my judgement off of his two performances of his own piece on KZbin. It also may very well be a matter of the recording medium as well, in which case much of my judgement of your performance is essentially rendered moot... Regardless, this is still an incredibly stellar performance, of which I could only hope to ever come within a stones throw of.

[@timothydavis5575]

Why should he limit himself to the interpretation of the composer? Shouldn't the goal of playing music be to develop your own artistic interpretation and really make the piece your own? What would separate him from any other musician playing this piece?

[@locomike1219]

He shouldn't limit himself, I suppose. My comments were more reflecting how I viewed the piece in my own mind and reflected on what the composer offered. I think in this case the recording itself distorted what the actual experience was like, and had I had been in the audience, I probably would have had a different overall opinion.

[@akmedman8078]

I had a bit more of a qualm with the push and pull, especially at the end. It was very expressive and surely thought out, but I think some of it kind of didn't make sense. But yeah, his technique is incredible and jesus, he should save some chops for the rest of us.

[@Photon02]

Yo don’t dis him just because u played it differently and couldn’t play it this well

[@SaroMazzotta]

Is he using the traditional cross grip?

[@brandondumas1405]

what mallets were used for this performance? They look like the Casey Cangelosi CGL4s

[@beefybeatz6137]

Wow I think he won

[@alxjones]

Yes it's a 5 octave and yes he's using traditional cross.

[@austinkunch710]

Dude no way

[@mattman20132]

did he win? he better have.

[@TheBue123]

You can play Marimba the best.^^ Barvo

[@butterzzGaming]

Is that a 5 octon

[@guillemborras9644]

gouwenstylor yes

[@SaroMazzotta]

How long have you been playing?

[@PeterPete]

It's not amazing what practice can achieve.

[@Haritonov46]

The whole idea of using the C2-B2 octave is very stupid. In reality nothing but overtones you can hear. Those who claims something else just cheating themselves.

[@zachsnow1061]

I think part of it could be the mallet selection, as hard mallets make it a lot harder to hear the fundamental super well. However, as somebody who has made bass marimba bars, I can say that the lowest octave of a marimba sounds really lovely and warm in the right context.

[@andfaerie]

Too hard sounds...marimba needs energy and intensity but always a smooth sound!

[@ZachEverett]

+andfaerie Always? I think not. Like granted, I would never play this hard, but to say that marimba always need to have a smooth sound just isn't true. You play what is appropriate to the piece, I know several pieces that aren't smooth. haha

[@EpicMind500]

Velocities

[@andfaerie]

I agree: appropriate sound to every piece, or every part of a piece, is the best way to obtain a good interpretation. But with the word "smooth" I intended this: when playing marimba (not other keyboard instruments like xylophone) you have to try to obtain a good sound...always! Too hard sounds on marimba are always wrong. This was the meaning of my comment. Bye

[@EpicMind500]

Velocities is meant to be pretty hard and harsh

[@andfaerie]

My comment was intended in a general way. Too hard sounds on marimba are simply awful. Even in pieces where the touch have to be heavier