Star Trek: TOS - Spock Plays a Waltz for Piano

From the episode "Requiem For Methuselah"
Paramount owns all rights to this, and all rights of Star Trek. This is for fan evaluation only.

[@goback3spaces]

Nimoy acts out perplexity at the piano while playing the waltz while Kirk is trying to make time with a robot. Brilliant. This is simply the greatest TV show ever.

[@johnshelton6434]

Kirk didn't know she is a robot at the time.

[@RA10H56]

It really was great wasn't it? I remember watching all these episodes on a black and white 13 inch TV in my room while playing toys...it is such a happy memory

[@donmccullen1973]

"Forget."

[@charlesmiller6281]

One of the more amazing things about it that I noticed long ago, the stories are so good they hold up even on audio alone. Too much today relies on special effects. Star Trek doesn't even need them!

[@goback3spaces]

Agree 100%@@charlesmiller6281

[@aaronhotchner3412]

spock is literally the motzart of vulcans

[@fletchercastoria2338]

...Mozart

[@obadijahparks]

@@fletchercastoria2338 not since he's Jewish.

[@esausjudeannephew6317]

ALL Vulcans can read and play 🎵 music. ( &They can all juggle) "I'm not joking, Jim!

[@artoflatraille]

This scene from a classic Star Trek episode featuring a waltz by Brahms, that is not by Brahms, but surely is by Brahms! A testament to the skill of composer Ivan Ditmars who wrote a very Brahmsian sounding waltz for this episode. A music school colleague of mine, Bruce Maiman, transcribed it and played it on a recital many years ago. Additional music for this episode was by Fred Steiner who also wrote the famous, and very bluesy Perry Mason theme.

[@jeffs7915]

The music was such an important part of each episode, as a commentary of the action. Something that the other series lacked.

[@namibuburderoch3965]

@@jeffs7915 You're so right. The musical interludes, and even the colorful lighting in season one, were sometimes like an extra character in the room. They had that much potency. I too find it strange how TNG and the other series failed to follow in the footsteps of that. Then again, TOS was extraordinary in assembling such a talented production group to make the series work so well. Roddenberry typically gets the lion's share of the credit for all that, but that's neither fair nor accurate IMO.

[@majkus]

Today, they would just get an AI to do the brahms paraphrase. Who needs artistry when you have factory products made of spare parts?

[@chriscross1424]

That's awesome. I've always loved the sound of that piece

[@catman8965]

Poor Bones, everyone's partying except him.

[@Jacki._.Jack.]

Poor Bones, that all we had to say. He's so tired of everything 😢

[@ReadTheShrill]

He's a doctor, not a socialite!

[@eirianerisdare80]

OH FOR GOODNESS' SAKE KIRK STOP FLIRTING WITH THE RANDOM GIRL AND LET US SEE MORE OF SPOCK PLAYING THE PIANO.

[@LazlosPlane]

Yeah! I was hoping he was gonna play "Melancholy Baby"!!

[@danbasta3677]

Written for the series. The Captain has proven many times in the past that his ship, his crew and his career has taken priority over women.

[@andrewmichaelscollectibles]

She's a robot

[@cosmogoy1895]

THE CHEM TRAIL CASTRATED MALES 🥔🍚 DON'T LIKE IT....... THANK BILL GATES

[@EdiaStanfordBruce]

He seemed to have flirted with the females of every people in the quadrant--except Vulcans.

[@snafu313]

The waltz that Spock plays was written by somebody else especially for this episode, but if you catch the image of the waltz at 2:55 that Spock looks at after playing the piano, it is a reproduction of a manuscript of an actual Brahms waltz, opus 39, no.1

[@TrollMeister_]

Eagle eyes !

[@LordGreystoke]

And how do you know that?

[@snafu313]

@@LordGreystoke Been playing the piano for years and happened to catch the scene and recognized the music. Went back to one of my music books and confirmed it

[@theoldar]

Star Trek loved Brahms.

[@vicco86]

How sad that you´re gone now, Mr. Spock :'-( At least you left us some fascinating foresight. Wherever you are, may all of you "live long and prosper" out there!!

[@PGHammer21A]

THIS is the scene that was the reason I bawled at the END of "Requiem for Methuselah". What we (as outsiders) forgot - she died of emotional overload. Nothing that Kirk did - or Flint did, for that matter. Yet easily the most tragic of deaths - which is why Spock did what HE did at the end of this episode. How does one get over a death that tragic - especially when it happens before your eyes?

[@yamifannetje]

Leonard Nimoy realy can do everything, can't he?

[@Chuck_Hooks]

Hanne Lemahieu It is written in manuscript in Brahm's own hand WHICH I RECOGNIZE lol. Love that the writers make Spock so brilliant that he would recognize an old Earth music composer's hand on sight.

[@mdd1963]

LOL! Yes, no one sat at a piano better. :)

[@Bobbel888]

Well, he did not actually play the piano part.

[@danielnormann1679]

Oh, you‘re so right! It‘s just beautiful

[@kencf0618]

@@Bobbel888 He plays better than Lurch!

[@cmhughes8057]

I love the dress and the tunic in this episode. They fell like someone who has lived in many eras would dress, very bright and colorful.

[@mercedesk511]

People always complain about old trek costumes, but i always found them so fabulous. One of the reasons why i decided to watch the whole thing in the first place

[@bradfordrusso7480]

Flint's tunic is sporting a "paisley" design. Which is of old Persian flavor. The land of his origin.

[@tywilliamnash5078]

I remember this scene like it was yesterday. It aired on television in 1969, and I was 19 yrs old. I've always loved the way Spock's never ending piqued curiosity gravitates him towards anything and everything else of interest that's around him..... without missing beat mind you.... peeling away at the questions and stumbling blocks around him, and in due course quickly formulating answers en route....in the nick of time, I might add.... saving the proverbial ' Ship's ' day.....Mc Coy is no slouch either, and that goes for the rest of the Enterprise crew too.... Kirk's blessed and is a very lucky man...... Now....if we could only get him to keep his Monty Wanker in his pants.... THAT would be something....a start at least......

[@gkprivate433]

I was 12 but for some reason I did not see many if not even most of the episodes when they first aired. Sisters won out, went to bed early, I don't remember. We only had one TV, me and 3 sisters not to mention Mom and Dad

[@NicolaFaccioliniTv]

God Bless Real Star Trek

[@danbasta3677]

Original Star Trek Series. Yes, the very BEST Star Trek Series out there. None better than the Original Star Trek Series!

[@enriqueernesto738]

Spock is sightreading like hell

[@PETERJOHN101]

The point of Spock's perplexity was to express the fact that their host may, in fact, be Johannes Brahms, the composer who had died almost 300 years earlier.

[@snorefest1621]

BRBAHMS LOOKS LIKE MARX

[@slowfudgeballs9517]

I could not believe how little attention Kirk paid attention to that. This either implied he is him, or knew him. Which means he's been on earth or is from.

[@VilleMetsola]

I LOVE that piece. I haven't played piano in years but I just re-watched this episode and was inspired to learn to play this. Thank you kindly to the person who transcribed it! :)

[@shauniwilliams4840]

I love this piece of piano music. Very cool. I would like to play it to a cat sitting on top of a piano.

[@dmrr7739]

Rayna (Louise Sorel) is astonishingly beautiful in this episode.

[@rickacton7540]

yeah until she turns into a feminist

[@BedsitBob]

KIRK: "May I have the pleasure?" RAYNER: "Shouldn't we dance first?"

[@kelamuni]

hahaha

[@InweTaralom]

I think that losing Rayna as well as Miramanee, Ruth and Edith Keeler were the worst heartbreak of Jim's life.

[@edydon]

Actually, one of the criticisms of Star Trek was the way they trivialize death. At the end of a typical episode, after three people have either been vaporized, thrown into another dimension or turned into cubes, Kirk would have some light-hearted moment on the bridge before saying, "Take us out, Mr Sulu."

[@winstonmarlowe5254]

his fault for falling in love so easily

[@PersonaIncognito]

Not to mention the loss of his brother Sam.

[@HadrianDan]

Excellent inundation of sound from an earthly composer interpreted by Spock, half human means Spock got the surplus incentive and demeanor to play the piece in accordance to the notes. Notes sort of seem such as Vulcan writing of the home world where they seem similar to human notes on the Earth planet in model of top to lower. Very nice.

[@thomaselliott4562]

Mr Spock would have found music mathematical and therefore logically easy to play. A lovely piece whoever created it.

[@robertlancaster8190]

Ivan Dittmars

[@smkuslendermankillsu8545]

Slay dat piano spock SLAY BOO SLAY

[@Playwright62]

This is one of my favorite episodes. It influenced me as a writer, especially Flint's monologue musing over his memories of the Bubonic Plague. Wonderful episode!

[@sallyrickerson9139]

Beautiful piece. The notes are very unique.

[@ArmyJames]

Clearly not the work of Brahms though.

[@raymondgood6555]

Sounds like something Brahms might compose at age 12

[@AllonsyEveryone]

How can such an logical supposedly emotionless being put such emotion into the music he plays?

[@danbasta3677]

He was als9 half human.

[@hamhockbeans]

@@danbasta3677 Also Vulcans are not machines they have emotions. They just repress them.

[@PGHammer21A]

Nimoy does that in ALL his characters; it wasn't unique to Spock. I'd like to find other pianists playing that waltz, though - to simply see if anyone else can do it the justice that Nimoy did.

[@brynpookc1127]

@@PGHammer21A What is it that makes you think Leonard Nimoy is playing the piano? There is not even a fake shot of his hands cut in to sell the supposition.

[@PGHammer21A]

@@brynpookc1127 - I said that yheparticulsr oiece

[@MuzixMaker]

Play it again, Spock. This time with feeling.

[@majorlagg9321]

Spock plays the waltz. Kirk gets laid. Life is so unfair.

[@jsandusky6981]

Thanks so much for posting this video! I love the music and the scene. Classic TOS.

[@ianboard3555]

Whoever wrote the piece did a passable imitation of Brahms. I remember seeing this episode when it first came out and I was a little kid - I rolled my eyes at Kirk even then. McCoy is like WTF??!

[@ddmck1972]

I wonder if Vulcan has any famous musical composers? Spock certainly knows quite a bit on Earth history, and this has always been one of my favorite scenes of the series.

[@jimjackson4256]

The guy has a cape. I like that.

[@derail14]

The look on kirks face when he found out the girl was a android.

[@kitcat7538]

William Shatner is underrated as an actor. He's really good.

[@kurtb8474]

Kirk doesn't even remove his sidearm when he dances with the lovely lady. Ungentleman-like.

[@harrymiley3707]

There should be some back story on why he has this skill and knowledge. Was this something his mother required of him? Did he spend awkward teen summers at music camp on Rigel 7?

[@CookieDTotR]

"Totally unknown … and yet unknown." :-)

[@seikibrian8641]

It's two statements, repeated for emphasis. The waltz is unknown. It is by Brahms, a famous composer, yet it is unknown.

[@itubeutubewealltube1]

I always wondered if this episode inspired the writer of the original "Highlander" movie.....

[@interruptuscontranatura1219]

Oh, such interpretation! Very music! So emotion! Oh wait he's a Vulcan...

[@datacipher]

Vulcans still engage in music - Spock himself played a Vulcan instrument.

[@yamihoole]

Spock playing piano = win

[@sanjivjhangiani3243]

Maybe his mother taught him ( she was human).

[@mbhog8490]

Requiem for Methusala

[@71lupenzo710]

❤best episode ever

[@houseofno]

The TOS series took place between seventy five and one hundred years before the TNG universe, yet except for Julianna Trainer in "The Inheritance" episode of TNG, none of Soong's androids from nearly a century later looked as appealing as Rayna does in this episode. That Kirk couldn't tell she wasn't a real woman until later in the episode indicates just how advanced an android she was.

[@DoubleGauss]

The Lost Waltz by Johannes Brahms

[@mellzuzu3195]

Lol ikr

[@lankylankster7148]

Excellent. Thanks! With sheet music in hand, curious if I can tickle the ivories to this.

[@DoubleGauss]

@@lankylankster7148 I was being facetious. There is no such waltz by Brahms. This is fiction.

[@lankylankster7148]

@@DoubleGauss Correct. I meant to reply to another comment right after yours that led to the actual sheet music. Clicked yours accidentally. LL.

[@ruthcormack1765]

Ivan Ditman wrote the music, just for the record. Not Brahms. A "derivative" . Thanks to Rachel Hirsch for listing a complete rendition. Since the episode was entitled "Requiem For Methusaleh" surely THIS IS that requiem. Therefore I will always refer to this piece as "Methusaleh's Requiem". On very seldom occasions deaths are made beautiful. 🚬

[@hifijohn]

a requiem is a mass for the dead this is more of a simple baroque style dance piece, something that Brahms would have never written.

[@dancersover40]

I have beeen looking for the score since I was a child watching this...the waltz is beautiful...maybe better than Brahms could write...how I love it...if you find it let me know!

[@Urmom-sr3tt]

It’s called Brahms paraphrased by Ivan Ditmars (• ◡•) LLAP 🖖🏾

[@MrSmartAlec]

Me too. I remember asking my piano teacher at the time if she knew what it was. I wanted the sheet music so badly.

[@ctrl.alt.del.9218]

@@Urmom-sr3tt Thank you.

[@raymondgood6555]

Brahms would have been embarrassed by this piece of tripe.

[@PersonaIncognito]

@@raymondgood6555 The only thing that's embarrassing is your asinine mental myopia, you pompous fool.

[@Aroer]

The middle section of the waltz is hard to hear when we see McCoy in Flint's lab. Maybe someone could make their own recording and put it on KZbin.

[@veryclever007]

@gnmarsh You've got it... and a Happy New Year to you and yours!

[@sean7134]

one of the better stories , Its will always be a mystery to me ,why NBC did not support this material

[@ajmittendorf]

I've always loved that waltz. Distinctly NOT written by Brahams, but charming none the less. Does ANYONE know who wrote it? Was it Alexander Courage?

[@PETERJOHN101]

It is familiar, but that may be because I heard it only in this episode as a boy.

[@misonoresoconto]

@@PETERJOHN101 It was written by Ivan Ditmars especially for this show, called "Brahams paraphrase"

[@PETERJOHN101]

@@misonoresoconto Thank you, that's quite interesting. Although not a Brahm's composition, I have always enjoyed the music of Brahm's and was fascinated with the portrayal of him in this TOS episode.

[@TrollMeister_]

Brahms’s most famous piano piece, aside from the lullaby, is the Waltz in A Flat.

[@raymondgood6555]

Opus 39 # 15!!

[@seanowens1006]

Mr Spock tickling the ivories!

[@mlongpre100]

yes and he plays the piano also

[@doctorcraptonicus7941]

Thank you Lurch...Now do The Ballad Of Bilbo Baggins.

[@trailblazing2576]

Spock is better than Chuck Norris

[@NuisanceMan]

Big understatement.

[@Carl-LaFong1618]

don't let chucky-baby hear you say that. he'll open up a can of wup-ass on you.

[@FredPlanatia]

the important thing is that all chemicals are always coming in various colorful hues in ketchup squirt bottles.

[@cameronpickard7456]

spock enjoying the piano in m,y eyes hmmm?

[@DoubleGauss]

This waltz is as much a composition by Brahms as the 'Spring Waltz' is by Chopin.

[@PersonaIncognito]

Metthinks sourpuss D-Gauss protesteth too much.

[@BarbershopTenor1]

@4implant Written by Ivan Ditmars entitled Brahms Paraphrase. See comments below....

[@veryclever007]

I've done a transcription of Ditmars's 'Brahms Paraphrase,' which amandalockworth (see comments below) has seen and heard 2 years ago. She agreed that it sounded quite accurate. If any pianists are interested, I'll send off a PDF of Ditmar's score. Needless to say, it makes a very enjoyable performance and study item (of course it's ©1969 Paramount Pictures).

[@chetchwalik5916]

Curious if you can still email a pdf of the score?

[@veryclever007]

@@chetchwalik5916 Of course Chet -- I'm at [e-mail]

[@woofawoof7616]

Yes please!

[@genericusername337]

@Aroer yeah that's what I was wondering...wanted a clear recording

[@ferociousgumby]

Whoever wrote this had a deep appreciation and understanding of Brahms. Or else - maybe they found an obscure Brahms waltz and used that (more likely). Nimoy isn't playing this, as most actors only mime playing instruments (cuz they don't know how).

[@almostfm]

And even if they do, the piano sound usually has to be dubbed in later, because you have to put the mic too far away (so it's not in the shot) to get decent sound.

[@dancersover40]

do you have it in full...with harmonies and bass? I would kill for it...beautiful!

[@CaptainXDFalcon]

i watched it today on TV :)

[@danielbrissenden2555]

Damn. Spock is GOOD to recognize the handwriting idiosyncrasies of Brahms. LOL

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

Like LaForge said, you don't get that third pip on your collar out of a cereal box. you have to be someone who is especially genius to work your way up to first officer of the federation's flag ship.

[@MaxAmerica.Freedom]

Thanks for the video. Great music. Looking for this for years. I wonder who wrote it?

[@misonoresoconto]

Ivan Ditmar wrote this. "Brahams paraphrase" it's called.

[@BalletBabyBoy]

I found a simplified copy years ago but don't know where it is. It's very beautiful and difficult

[@fletchercastoria2338]

It’s a robot.

[@jwdchapala]

Spock needs to bitchslap Kirk to make him understand why this 'old' stuff is recently made...muscles or brains, why can't we have both?

[@bardia-mn4vz]

then you would have a mary su or gary stu and it wouldn't be as much fun

[@firstordercommandergames2542]

Gene and company really have a knack for beauty and talent. They cast the most truly beautiful women in so many roles than any other casting director. Makes for greater viewing and falling in love with the series easy.

[@ArmyJames]

That’s called “the casting couch”.

[@mlongpre100]

0:44 the rest is just the same isn't it ?

[@FridMMVI]

Lmao I understood that Amadeus reference

[@emdee7744]

This would have been a great episode if it hadn't been for the horrible plot of male competition between Kirk and Flynt for the android woman's affections.

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

I agree, it could have used a lot more time on the drawing board.

[@zitacarno4443]

Everybody was way off base on this one. I'm a retired musician, and I've played the Brahms waltzes, and this one is not even close! I was thinking more of a somewhat earlier composer---Franz Schubert, who composed a great number of what he called "German Dances"---waltzes, Austrian landler, ecossaises and the like. This piece that Spock played is more like one of Schubert's landler, a medium-tempo dance somewhere between a minuet and a waltz. Someone should have consulted a good textbook on composers of that period or on musicology.This was one big malfunction!

[@jimbig3997]

Agreed. Probably the director/producer wanted Brahms out of some whim, and the one who wrote (or had to write) the music just called it Brahms and the producer knew no better. I do think it's a neat little piece of music though, and was written specifically for this episode! I wonder by who...

[@PETERJOHN101]

If the other poster is right that the piece was written for the show, then its association with Brahms is not a "mistake" as you suggest. The objective was to associate the character himself with Brahms, the music was essentially just a prop.

[@danbasta3677]

At any rate, would it be to much to just appreciate what was shown and played and just simply enjoy the episode as it unfolded? I do, sir respect your opinion on this, however, let's all not judge it, but love it for what it is.

[@misonoresoconto]

It was written by Ivan Ditmars, especially for this Star Trek episode, and is called, "Brahams Paraphrase"

[@suizokukan]

But it made for an interesting story in the tng novel Immortal Coil, with a few other episodes from the original series :)

[@timbeckstine1651]

Good show

[@cosmo9390]

I just saw this episode. This dude is so rich he bought an entire planet. That's what you call straight ballin'.

[@ddmck1972]

Yeah, right? It's enough on how much we scrape up for a down payment on a house, and in the future, someone can buy an entire planet! I wonder what State Farm charges to insure it?

[@W8ROI]

Was there ever any published sheet music for this 'Brahams Waltz'? - ROI

[@DIVINADADY]

you're not the only one!

[@StoneKnivesBearskins]

@Melyannadevart Sheldon Cooper! You can have him.

[@Myself-anonymously]

Where is the rest of this episode I wonder...

[@sammylacks4937]

Ahhhh Bach!!

[@PensiveOwl]

Radar's ticket to getting laid.

[@shawncurtis3686]

Flint, Harry Flint .

[@trwent]

Louise Sorel, simply gorgeous.

[@traceytaylor9043]

ol'e kirk all ways trying to get into some alien or androids pants

[@fyiaustralia9686]

Must be the first medical drone ever...

[@evoman1776]

Spock, who grew up on another PLANET, in the 22nd century, educated in science and logic somehow "recognizes" the handwriting of a 19th century EARTH music composer in a different earth language. Ok.

[@mariajohnson-tanner2720]

It would not have been difficult for him to learn earth history. Vulcans living on earth would have collected a great deal on earth history.

[@TheStarTrekApologist]

Never noticed but they avoided showing Spocks hands

[@ddmck1972]

I was going to mention that myself, but you beat me to it. Let's allow our imagination to believe that Spock is an accomplished pianist in addition to his other skills.

[@MrAlienUSA]

@bustedbenz me too!!!!

[@rdfab3]

Nomad once again

[@mifi5913]

Wow, it really looks like Spock is playing. 😂

[@oriraykai3610]

An obviously subtle allusion to Lurch playing the harpsichord on the Addam's Family.

[@el7jake]

For those of you asking about the music who have yet to find this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/roOqh6iwjL1sntk

[@malin6951]

Bravo! ^>

[@danielbrissenden2555]

NEVER put down a pool cue for a dance! Horrors! :o

[@moseshorowitz4345]

3:33 - Kirk goes to to the lab to find an unknown way to purify the Irridium, and tells Spock to stay at the piano. Wha?

[@Plattensammler88]

Is it possible to get the sheet music of this waltz?

[@seanfleming6680]

yes composed by ivan ditmars,

[@socalcraigster]

Dancing with a phaser? How gosh!

[@marcopapaingiroperilmondo]

Who s here After 53 Years?

[@youngimages2000]

Darn, was waiting to see what was next, then it stopped :-/

[@kencf0618]

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that this waltz was not in the style of Brahms -he wrote only a handful. Has anyone played the sheet music Spock shows?

[@raymondgood6555]

Brahms wrote a series of 16 waltzes, opus39. They are all short and each is a masterpiece . He used the waltz form in several other piano pieces. The waltz played by Spock sounds vaguely Brahmsian.

[@MartinAracon]

A typical piano interpretation of Mr Spock! What did Leonard Nimoy think about this?

[@johncarpenter624]

The Waltz he shows the camera near the end of the clip is not the same music as he is playing.

[@LazlosPlane]

No, but it is a Brahms waltz. Perhaps Spock picked up a different page.

[@g00gleminus96]

No, he clearly says "This waltz I JUST PLAYED is by Johannes Brahms... Captain, it is written in Manuscript, in original manuscript in Brahms own hand which I recognize." So, the waltz that Spock just played is the same waltz on the page we see. Explain that if you can.

[@Timrath]

The piece that we heard is not by Brahms. It was written specifically for that episode. The piece that we see is indeed by Brahms. It's the Waltz Op. 39 Nr. 1. However, it's not the actual manuscript, even hough it emulates some of Brahms's handwriting quirks, like the sloppy stems, the characteristic clefs (both treble and bass drawn with a single line). Obviously, the director hoped that Star Trek fans can't read music. In any case, the music that we hear, and the music that's written on the piece of paper that Spock holds, is definitely not the same. You can trust me on that, I'm an actual classical pianist.

[@danbasta3677]

@@Timrath i do brlieve you are correct on this one as it was written and i read it that this piece was specifically written for this episode, however the written musical paperwork was Brahms.

[@misonoresoconto]

The music is by Ivan Ditmar. "Brahams Paraphrase" written just for the show.

[@keetrandling4530]

Where's the steadycam?

[@ddmck1972]

Can Spock play the "Miami Is Nice" song?

[@johnfraraccio99]

Aah. The end credits for this episode display a special reference to this piece. Now, seek, find and view The (original) Outer Limits episode "The Sixth Finger" and David McCallum's character discovering the works of one J. S. Bach. (No spoilers.)

[@raymondgood6555]

He plays the second prelude in c minor from book one of The Well- Tempered Clavier

[@aidanjoyce3248]

Is that your phaser or are you happy to dance with me.

[@susannaperrin8827]

I've always wondered if this where they got the name for ritalin from?

[@TheNoiseySpectator]

Well, if you really want to know, why don't you look up the generic chemical name for Ritalin. *I've* always wanted to know what that piece by Brahms really is?