Seth Rudetsky deconstructs his classical faves

[@Janne]

The fake vibrato on the piano keys is my favourite thing ever. It's so on-brand!

[@aliafb]

Bless you for playing with violin for us. Love you Seth! My mum used to put head phones on her pregnant belly and play me those violin concertos. When I was 13 I found the album independently and listened to it non-stop for weeks. I couldn't figure out why I was soo obsessed with those pieces (other than the fact they're both gorgeous) until my dad told me the story.

[@daviddpeacock]

that's my FAV part of the Mendelssohn Em violin concerto!!! beautiful stuff!

[@superjoezzz6312]

Oberlin Conservatory ,2nd oldest Music Conservatory in the US 1865

[@aelievense]

We need more installments of the CLASSICAL OBSSESSION VIDEOS!!! You have a 6 year (ugh) conservatory buff here who is loving this vid. I love the 5-6-7-8 count in you did...it was so very Broadway of you. Peace out!

[@velocivixen]

im completely enamored of your videos - be it bway or classical you never cease to amaze me with your ability to point out things that are just.... "am-ahh-zing". Ive got a bfa in musical theater and a bfa in dance - and watching you on youtube (and ahrm, when i watched that thing on mtv that time....haha) brings back the passion and interest i held for theater and musical theater. You make me remember why I loved it with my whole heart for so long. Thank you.

[@crazykj617]

You have to do more classical music. This was fantastic!

[@KaraMichelKirby]

I love when the Mendelssohn's playing you switch from doing the piano fingerings in the air to the bowing.

[@mtbwaylover]

awesome picks in classics. the violin and flute are my top 2 fave instruments.

[@klmnumbers]

I remember when we had to listen to the Rite of Spring for my Higher Level music class in high school, and I was like 'what is this insanity.' Years later, I've fallen completely in love with his insane bitonal Russian primitive ballet. =)

[@Everybodyloveslouis]

Yay I love this! I'm a voice major right now and i've gotten so many obsessions from listening quizzes in Music History too! You should definitely deconstruct classical stuff more often (but next time do singers!)

[@elvenlove]

I've been in that chorus so many times. So many damn Ahs. and you hold that last one for like 20 measures. It's only in 2, but still. High G's. Dang you Tchaikovsky!

[@ss74656]

loving Seth losing it over double stops...I wonder if he's heard the triple stop glissando passages in the 4th mvt of Vieuxtemps' 4 violin concerto

[@janetgu5696]

I love how his fingers twitch in the piano fingerings - I do that all the time too

[@jamilabrownie]

I clicked because I am also a terrible violinist and I didn’t know you played and imo you play very well! I envy that. It’s not fair Seth, you’re already a fantastic pianist. Leave a little talent for the rest of us!🙃

[@CorianderCivar]

Please do more awesome interactive deconstructions like this! The vibrato on the piano thing killed me haha.

[@inplainsight131]

I think I had a stroke during the last 30 seconds. So amazing

[@Blendre]

you're amazing...

[@0colorofspring0]

It's all right Seth, I'm obsessed with you.

[@AndyGermuga]

Oh man, now I gotta listen to all of Rhapsody in Blue instead of doing homework, so there's like 15 minutes of my life spend unproductive. Thanks, Seth. Great picks by the way, my senior year in high school we played the Mendelssohn, and it's such a beautiful dynamic piece, and Tchaikovsky is always awesome!

[@newillumination921]

this was fantastic. i need to take a music class this summer.

[@carly3592]

I wish I could play violin... so beautiful...

[@noplain]

My current classical music obsession is Stravinsky, I've been listening to his work for months no stop. I still spend a very healthy dose of time listening to Tchaikovsky - my favourite is The Waltz of the Snowflakes from The Nutcracker, I am obsessed with the SA chorus.

[@AvalonMorley]

So funny watching and listening to Seth play classical violin. Seth, you look like an old-time-y ballet master, from the 1800s, when teachers would play violins to accompany the classes, as they taught them. (Of course, that's partly because of your hunky, buff gym-body.) Also very cool to see that section of RHAPSODY IN BLUE, kind of revealed and laid out, because it really is fairly mind-blowing on first hearing. Weirdly, I first got to know the RHAPSODY from one of my first album purchases, Gershon Kingsley's GERSHWIN-ALIVE & WELL & UNDERGROUND, with George G. sporting an afro on the cover. Anyway, not at all surprised to learn of your classical roots, given your versatility and artistry. Has anyone ever told you you're a national treasure? I look forward to seeing you get your Kennedy Center Honor one day.

[@swalsh323]

I am OBSESSED WITH YOU.

[@Arqueete]

As soon as I saw you with a violin in the thumbnail I JUMPED on this video.

[@kb2885]

Ooh- I’ve never tried playing Rhapsody in Blue (I have no idea why?!) but am really inspired to learn it now!. The Mendelssohn is amazing.

[@jonnyeeds]

rhapsody in blue! OBSESSED

[@lilhello106]

Wow, that's amazing.

[@saxamaphoneguy1]

Yay Itzhak Perlman! Haha, I'm like, the complement to Seth. I'm mostly obsessed with Classical/Opera, and have my other obsessions with random Broadway stuff. I love the Mendelssohn, it's so crazy over the top emotional, I have a recording of Nadia Sollerno-Sonnenberg, who is crazy showy anyways, and it's just ridiculously crazy. love it.

[@ColtraneAndRain]

omg, you sound like I did in 6th grade! lol! but i can't remember anything except "Mary Had a Little Lamb" now, so imo you are totally awesome!

[@jonster00]

im definitly one of those people who said that he says obsessed to much ahahha love you seth!!!!

[@cuicuimusic]

loved the fake vibrato !

[@tbraun84]

I've seen on some home organs from the '50s a touch vibrato function that actually responds to the "fake piano vibrato" I haven't seen it in any more modern synthesizers though. Anyone who has played a string instrument in addition to piano probable finds himself or herself wanting to vibrato through the keyboard.

[@elvenlove]

it's where the company puts all of the instruments on a C.D track except for one, presumably the students, so that they can feel how it is to play with an entire ensemble. AND now that I see it, meow2mix2 got it right without sounding all snobby obnoxious like me. More power to the meow. Classical Karaoke indeed.

[@MamaBacher]

Itzahk is amazing! I started violin when I was 9. TOO LATE TOO. :[ But I love the Tchaikovsky and the Mendelssohn!! :D The third movement of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto is INCREDIBLE.

[@heyhit]

i looooooooove your classical roots hahaha

[@HighKingTurgon]

OCTAVES! CRAZY CHORD

[@meow2mix2]

I think they're recordings that are missing an instrument so you can play along with it to practice. If you play the violin, you'd buy the one that is missing the violin part etc. Like classical karaoke... anyone? I'm not 100 percent sure.

[@newillumination921]

lol you seem so pleased :)

[@ccballet9]

What version of Rhapsody in Blue is that? I love it!

[@NOONE-cd4gu]

* Talking really fast * 8:57 * suddenly sees his greasy hair * "GREASY" * Goes back to talking fast *

[@emily51805]

i got a D in Music History too! wow, i feel so much better about my life now.

[@scorwitz]

Seth, sometime when you feel like it, please play the whole thing! The Gershwin, I mean.

[@klmnumbers]

I think singers in general like violin because it's the most similar to the human voice in a way. I know that's why I love violin, haha. Although my classical love is mostly for progressive 20th century music or Debussy art songs. =)

[@aseretkavon]

I thought I was the only one that did fake vibrato when I used to play piano! I don't feel alone :)

[@j0scthecitygal7]

Love it! We played Rhapsody in Blue in full-orchestra last year.. We were ok. I've played the violin for almost 10 yrs (I have a blue one!), and I don't think you're a terrible violinist! I've heard much worse! ;) seriously, I have.

[@williamevans9426]

You entered Oberlin Conservatory at 17 years old? Isn't this quite early to be accepted into a prestigious Conservatoire? In the UK, university (etc.) entry is normally at age 18.

[@SethTV]

Aw thanks! It's only a year early...I skipped Kindergarten (really) so i was a year younger than my HS graduating class.

[@williamevans9426]

@@SethTV You're too modest, sir!

[@secondaryactons]

Is it wrong that I went crazy over you're framed Guilty LP rather than the video it self?

[@mzdjmciver]

This people is why I sucked terribly at piano in college. A voice major can only do so much:(

[@karrezza]

Love the Mendelsson piece! (did I spell that name wrong??

[@gnateoj]

I just died on fake vibrato. Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!

[@carly3592]

...and I wish I could play piano that well. fake vibrato... haha

[@蔡昱安-h5d]

That violin is so out of tune lol