Nicola Benedetti: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

[@soldeglo]

Oh, goodness. She makes it look effortless. It's like she's standing there, observing the violin be the best violin it can be.

[@GravyBoatable]

Listening to this while working from home and caught myself clapping at the end of the performance. Now my wife thinks I'm crazy.

[@JustFiddler]

you are not the only one

[@sillystrings]

Incredible tone and vibrato, really elegant

[@Feedurehed]

Something wonderful.......and that fine Scottish voice......X

[@mch12311969]

Nicola is ridiculously talented!!!!!!

[@suegha]

The Bach knocked me out! Wonderful!

[@violinpraxis]

I respect everyone who successfully survived from playing in this acustic. Her Korngold Tanzlied des Pierrot is remarkable. I strongly recommend everyone to listen. Because itst So good

[@chrisebbesen5798]

Brilliant! She has rocketed us back into Bizzantium! You are stardust nicila! You are stardust! Impeccable! You and the instrument are one. Oh how can I ever play half as well as you Nicola. What keeps you motivated on that thing? Is it the high state of tune or is it the luthers maintaining the instrument for you or what? What? About the violin so holds your interest? Is it Stradivari himself? You have Beguiled me Nicola Benedetti!

[@janosmorel]

Maravillosa violinista, Artista de corazón, hermosa, bella mujer, y su tono de voz que te cautiva, al igual que su simpatía y sonrisa que te envuelve, la adoro y admiro.

[@Cimento1906]

Absolutely fantastic!

[@dr.shilpagowda4700]

As so many others state - her music is gorgeous, and so is she. Watch her other videos on KZbin.

[@ndodamakayi5220]

I stayed with her throughout that Shrindler's list.

[@mcarthneylaron8582]

So beautiful and so is she❤️

[@Asfrandi]

è incredibile come un violino possa creare quel silenzio intorno e lasciare spazio solo alle note. Il resto è superfluo...bravissima!

[@iwillnevergetone5]

woah what a coincidence, i had violins on my mind today. thanks NPR!

[@Mikri90]

No matter how much I usually give praise to the quality of the sound and the work of sound technicians at these Tiny desk concerts, as they do an amazing job, the space itself doesn't lend itself nicely for violin players. The sound is too edgy and coarse, and this is not the fault of the sound personnel, violin is simply an instrument that requires some help from the acoustics of the actual room, and there's no way around it. It's not just that it sounds inadequate, but also as a violinist, I know how unpleasant and challenging is to play in such conditions (same applies to outdoor playing).

[@davidswinford2399]

I was wondering about this topic. Specifically, is this what one of the finest instruments in the world sounds like if the listener were to hear it in person? My sense is not so much and for the reasons you state. This violin needs a large space, like a concert hall. Perhaps a "quieter" violin would have been more appropriate for this space and recording set up.

[@Mikri90]

It wouldn't sound like this but it wouldn't sound a lot better either, all else being the same of course, i.e. the room is the same, humidity and stuff like that. Joshua Bell was also at Tiny Desk, it's sounds exactly the same - and it's a f... 15 million dollar instrument :(..... It's not so much about the instrument being quieter, and you don't even want that, it's about the limits and the nature of the instrument. Violin, for all intents and purposes is a higher register instrument, a soprano among string instruments, which means that by nature it's a bit more harsh sounding than larger string instruments (which still also sound better in good acoustics), so when you put it into a room with no natural reverb that simply dampens the sound, it exaggerates the nature of the instrument. My own violin is quite a low quality one, very harsh sounding, but when put into a nice acoustic space it sounds nice actually. You can make a violin that sounds warmer and softer, and even simply make adjustments because believe me, EVERY single piece of the violin has an effect: the strings you use, the bow hair you have on your bow, the material and quality of the bow itself (carbon bows are noticeably more harsh), the tail-piece, the chin-rest, the shoulder-rest, the bridge, the position of the sound post....and then all possible combinations of mentioned items, and you can't simply figure it out just like that, it's far too complicated, that's why violinists and violists experiment all the time with different setups. All that goes in to the sound signature. BUT, there's one problem with making it sound softer and warmer - you can only go so much until it starts getting muddy and nasal. They you've killed clarity, the violin doesn't project very far, which is very important for concert halls, some violins sound great in smaller rooms but lack the projection needed for large concert halls. And to top it off, you kill the articulation of the instrument. In simple terms, it's a battle you can't really win :)

[@shmalfie8674]

I play in my my tiled kitchen and it sounds absolutely great, but I usually practise in my carpeted room so I can hear all the very minor mistakes that I can fine out, because when a piece i play is good it will sound good in both rooms.

[@milchpuder]

Completely agree! The acoustics are so dry and unforgiving, yet allow for such an authentic, raw and intimate experience, not dissimilar to the sound one would hear playing the violin. There's no room for mistakes, which makes this and other violinists who have graced the Tiny Desk Concert even more impressive!

[@thevector384]

Nice explanation

[@tonianzlovar7590]

Like a true boss. She sounds like a goddes. Phenomenal tone.

[@chrisebbesen5798]

Bravo!

[@spencercooley8036]

too good

[@071949]

How does Nicola coax that multi-layered sound out of an instrument w/ four strings? I admire the discipline it takes to play at her level. (And, hey, I wish she would have done an encore.) 11/02/2014

[@chrisebbesen5798]

Very planely, Nicola Benedetti is the Godess Athena!❤❤!❤ very subtllly,subtlety, back in time 250, 300 years ago, Antonio Stadivari had a notion to build a violin for a little Cremona girl named Nicola Benedetti, it is heaven sent, a. Gift from God. I can not fathom any other explanation other than these. Something draws her to the instrument, and she plays.

[@AccordionandViolinlife]

First time I see Chaconne played up close (on video). She does an amazing Job

[@alice40758]

@@tamvionsr3999 That's so true.

[@floresta557]

Lovely Nocola🎻

[@WGBHMusic]

Hope she drops by our studio some time! We've had many perform the Bach Chaconne and would love to add her to the list. Nice job, NPR Music.

[@Altec892]

Insane

[@sambatharc235]

i like you nicola because you could play the violin when you were young

[@Jacob32905]

Wowzers

[@lp1926.guitars]

Thank you for this concert. I'm almost crying.

[@jorgeald77]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 majestuosa.

[@MrCanigou]

The flow she animates is taking her at the same time. Sort of a trance - a soft one, could be... music at its best definition ?

[@goldsystemshared3629]

toca muito

[@adonisnina5055]

outstanding!!

[@yanndyfung]

Beautiful and touching

[@pvandck]

See the Hilary Hahn Tiny Desk concert for effortless, impeccable technique and exquisite taste. If you like this you'll like that.

[@kmask2002]

A+

[@Katarzynamfranczak]

❤️❤️❤️

[@shmalfie8674]

She plays the Schindler's list theme like she's struggling - absolute genius.

[@pluutoop]

Yes it was not good at all.

[@shmalfie8674]

@@pluutoop really?

[@pluutoop]

@@shmalfie8674 I'm sorry I'm just not into Nicola's style. She plays the notes well but not music or in between music.

[@shmalfie8674]

@@pluutoop I'm not sure I follow, could you go into a bit more detail?

[@pluutoop]

@@shmalfie8674 I'm not sure how much more clear can I get. She plays the notes well but when you listen to the piece as whole it doesn't sound that good. Lack of musicality. I'm not really sure if she knows what this piece represents.

[@gaineshill7323]

Beautiful

[@DavidMGarens]

incredible. lovely, etc.

[@theclassicfan7002]

i love u Nic

[@Rettihsllub]

"Chaconne" (1st part) at 5:04

[@SylvainBrunerie]

If anyone else is confused like I was: she plays the first third of the Chaconne then at 11:54 she skips to the last few bars of the piece.

[@EdsChannelThingie]

She said she'd be doing of some melody and variations to compensate for time restrictions. Melody is classical speak for remix for all those unbeknownst.

[@kaylazoltak1637]

I think 3 people were bitter about not being as good as she is.

[@KaiTakApproach]

I know I am.....

[@penadearanda]

Nicolá. Fuera de bella tu interpretación es lindisima ,siempre te escuchare

[@fastguitars4380]

Well, it was refreshing to see such an artist tear into one of the pillars of the Solo Violin encore repertoire (for free).....Nicola's Wonderful tone and technique were performed in a horrible sounding room thats as dry as an ancient sponge.....Maybe Hilary Hahn will see this video and come back to the show and give us something similar, vs the simplistic stuff she played to perfection with her ravishing tone.

[@chris3153]

If only Hillary didn't play everything to to perfection and took risks. She won't, that's why I don't listen to her regardless of her technical prowess.

[@fast1bike]

Haven't you been paying attention to anything she's played and recorded in the last several years?

[@susanmaslak]

beauty..... wish my articulation was that amazing.

[@anthonymaerin4052]

Sorry miki I’m not with you on that one . I love the close mike presentation giving the raw wooden sound . It gives real presence as if the music is in the room

[@RidleyE]

excellent bow control

[@tamvionsr3999]

There's no doubt that those people are rare 💜💜,, but? Hilary Hahn is something else... More than rare...

[@erminejose4188]

I heard many experts like heifetz,perlman,kogan play chaccone in KZbin ...but hahn easily stands above all ;) in my opinion...

[@tamvionsr3999]

@ermine jose,, I used to prefer other violinists, too but now, I know I was stupid, and music isn't relative, it's a truth

[@erminejose4188]

@@tamvionsr3999 i fell in love with her sound when i heard her paginiana ;) .. If u havent heard it please do ... Best version out there

[@tamvionsr3999]

@@erminejose4188 I know all the pieces she performed and tried them ;-)

[@erminejose4188]

@@tamvionsr3999 i hope she performs devils trill some day!

[@kilani091]

Awesome!!

[@ooooneeee]

That bach piece made me Rock out while lying in bed :-D

[@snafujag100]

Inspiring.

[@algallucci5236]

Something tells me she could play a $99 student violin and make it sound just as good

[@thegreenman4898]

hilarious that this genius has gathered 56 thousand views in two years, yet some shoegazing bunch of hipsters emoting to 3 chords , has views above 200 thousand ;-)

[@andramoie]

+the green man NPR concerts have a target group that is into three chord hipsters. It's not super surprising that classical music doesn't get the same attention on this channel. Doesn't mean it is not appreciated by people in general

[@JohnWilliams-hy4cz]

Why do so many classical music fans have to resort to this bullshit of shitting on other kinds of music because you feel cheated by the viewcount? Nice way to play directly into the stereotype that classical music fans are irredeemable snobs.

[@RA-oh9mc]

John Williams Yeah, sure...to each their own and we're all okay...but still...Genius vs. ??? It just isn't right.

[@JohnWilliams-hy4cz]

It's not a competition. Stop making this a "Versus" thing and just let people like whatever the hell they want.

[@tamvionsr3999]

Actually it's such a shame to download these videos on youtube,, beside taylor swift videos,,, it's money and politics cause there are people who have power around the world and they support those pieces of shit (taylor,...)

[@doctoryuni]

@0:01

[@reddragonready]

Anne-Sophie Mutter next! Come On NPR!!! You've worked yourself up to the best ;-)

[@kobinatan]

great

[@ecurbdnyl]

I may have cried a little around 9 minutes in.

[@antblea96]

And she’s super hot! ❤

[@TannerHoytFooty]

I've played schindlers list! That's awesome XDDDD

[@johngialanellajr8650]

It is a shame some one like Adele can get 1.5 billion views for the song Hello and Nicola Benedetti who is way more talented only has 82 thousand views.

[@miajc6606]

Unfortunately that's the world we live in

[@ChrisM541]

Most folk's brains like to keep things simple, unfortunately. However, when she plays for young kids, every one of them is mesmerised. We BADLY need more classical musicians playing at kindergarten schools.

[@sumopdude]

Seriously? She's a ridiculously amazing musician and all you can see and comment on is the way she looks? You're basically reducing her down to only her physical attractiveness.

[@UlfKloo]

It's really difficult to play the violin solo in dry acoustics like this, especially with a violin which has a loud, clear and unforgiving voice. She pulls it off nicely of course, but I bet she's less nervous in a big concert hall.

[@rasputinsghost]

unfortunately, this is the internet

[@hamiltonspple]

one could also comment that Nicola is a guy's name

[@deltafour1212]

I can do that

[@andramoie]

+deltafour1212 Then do it.

[@deltafour1212]

I did

[@andramoie]

+deltafour1212 Keep doing it.

[@deltafour1212]

I do

[@andramoie]

deltafour1212 excellent

[@madblunted]

them slurs.. :) :) :)

[@gepeng1983]

A spectator's Schindler's List

[@Tsargogo1]

Sorry.

[@seabearpig]

Jesus christ, if you think a 3 line comment is too long to read go back to middle school.

[@jojoyear]

tl;dr

[@muslit]

the hahn is a big bore

[@stewartmcdowall2285]

You sad