Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. 5 - 1st movement (Benjamin Zander - Interpretation Class)

For more classes like this one, please visit the Benjamin Zander Center - www.benjaminzander.org/
Michael Bukhman, conductor
Interpretations of Music: Lessons for Life
with Benjamin Zander
Dave Jamrog Audio/Video

[@delilahandaria6198]

Props to how prepared that pianist is

[@luisbreva6122]

People can sometimes be afraid/ashamed to show their feelings to others. Its something natural that happens to almost everyone including musicians. But musicians _need_ to overcome that feeling in order to open their soul to the audience. Thats what a good musician must do.

[@markemanuele1929]

Many years ago, I has the extreme privilege of studying master class in conducting with Maestro Leonard Bernstein. The work I had assigned to me was the Dvorak 9th Symphony 2nd movement. I remember how embarrassed I was when I had tears flowing from my eyes, and stopped. Maestro Bernstein said: "Why did you stop?... FINALLY, I am seeing someone here conducting with EMOTION!!!" 40 years later (now) I am preparing the score of the work in this video (Tchaikovsky 5th) for a recording I will be conducting (once COVID restrictions have ended) and while preparing the second movement, I again have my eyes tearing up, and will most likely have watery eyes when I actually conduct it, but my instrument (the orchestra) will SEE the emotion in me and produce that emotion while playing it.

[@stefanocontiflutechannel6812]

"Be a story teller" each musician must remember this...Michael is a great...

[@adrianoseresi3525]

A conductor really has to be more of an actor than one might initially realise. They must be able to express their emotions and ideas effectively, without a word.

[@TchaikovskyFDR]

The world's a stage...

[@wajang1000]

"Story telling. It's all story telling." All music can be encapsulated in those words and all interpretations must bow to this simple but paradoxically complex axiom.

[@kennys4100]

Starting 9:22, literally goosebumps... That's a power of a great storyteller.

[@ardavalilable]

I am not a musician, but this symphony just became my favorite because of this video, I love how Mr. Zander interprets it! Just love this channel!

[@aidanmccormack5443]

If at all possible, more of these conducting interpretation classes would be awesome! Their so fascinating!

[@nicolejosan6364]

There are LOTS of them here on KZbin. Most by Boston Philharmonic.

[@othoncesar215]

My God. What a teacher. Eyes motionless while watching Mr. Zander. What a valuable class.

[@gideoncheung8731]

Michael is awesome too. Zander just provided him so much more points to think of and improve, and Michael certainly didn't waste this lesson sitting (standing) around.

[@TechTomVideo]

i never thought, conducting was such a hard and sophisticated task

[@markemanuele1929]

And this is the EASY part 8^)... The "tough" part (actually the most time-consuming part) are the Hours, Days, Weeks, and Months spent preparing your score.

[@gideoncheung8731]

The image visualisation from Zander is so authentic, so concise and clear. I only play the violin, but I learnt so much:)

[@justinmckeown]

The Importance of Storytelling!

[@kennethcarvalho3684]

Wow...never heard this symphony before...sounds great

[@megaleuzao]

Dumbledore and his student, Harry Potter, circa 2017 - Colorized.

[@beamoorefrank5194]

Thoroughly wonderful to watch.

[@alexandrecivalli4018]

real transformation! Bravo!

[@lynnrixson3013]

Another brilliant session. Thank you. Please keep them coming.

[@qlethora4101]

A conductor is like a public speaker. Some are boring when they speak. Some conductors don’t have interesting things to say either. Classical music can suffer from uninteresting interpretation as Zander shows to all his students.

[@strictlyyoutube6881]

This is an eye opener for me

[@Squisky]

A Rachmaninoff Symphony 2 I attended at the TSO suffered this fate. It was like the conductor needed to go to the loo.

[@jakehouston3377]

Incredible transformation, wow!

[@LSD4DLS]

As a child, I wondered the purpose of a conductor--musicians are fixated on sheets of paper and I don't see them connect. As an adult, with a musically uneducated background as well as prior to having viewed this lesson, my inherent understanding of a conductor is to be an interpretive dancer (is that accurate?). Even if it is inaccurate, I believe a conductor's storytelling would have benefited from that comparison. And if I'm completely wrong then I made a mistake, "how fascinating!" The grasp I now have of conducting is somewhat firmer; regardless, this class invited me to be appreciative. Thank you all, especially Benjamin. Brilliant.

[@Pipit123ify]

they control the orchestra. Not interpretative dancers. Body language is very important in communicating to the orchestra properly. But the most basic is the counting.

[@markemanuele1929]

To quote the best teacher (And I mean the best of ANY teacher of ANY subject that I studied) that I studied under, Maestro Leonard Bernstein "A conductor is a musician whose instrument is the orchestra".

[@natejohnson1083]

i think the student gets what Zander is talking about, it's just hard to put into the physical world

[@shardumachal]

Beautiful

[@adriancressy8363]

I'm understanding what the purpose of the conductor is by watching this. The conductor has to be REALLY deep into the music to get the orchestra to playback the intentions of the composer. So many little nuances in classical music.

[@cryptoholic7322]

Mr Benjamin, you are a god.

[@danylaley]

That piano sounds amazing

[@feelslikeflying23]

He is aware that the story is fragile and approaches it delicately

[@NArbiza4]

One more thing, he makes this type of music what is it all about... Feelings(Sadness, joy, love, happiness, loss, etc), not about seriousness and eliteism like almost every musician has made it.

[@juanmanuellinares3083]

And how can you tell if other musicians approach it from seriousness and elitism? How can you figure that out by listening/watching a performance? I think you're appreciating it on a complete subjective and personal level (which is good), but an objective view is preferable when it comes to decision-making while in rehearsal

[@frankteunissen6118]

You have been listening to and/or watching some funny musicians. If music, especially classical music, is about anything, it is about conveying emotion. Zander is doing exactly what every conductor I have ever watched rehearsing with an orchestra seen do. There is a classic scene of Bernstein rehearsing the "Dies Irae" of Verdi's Requiem and it looked more like wrestling match, including all the shouting. And the anger that came out of the players and the singers eventually was frightening to behold.

[@thej1091]

The guy really changed man! Wow!

[@timvanmonero2720]

edward snowden goes music

[@contranimal]

I would love to have the opportunity to do something like this​, if I got to pick my piece Id want to do Shostakovich 5 - Mvmnt 4.

[@NArbiza4]

Watching this Masterclasses i have come to realise, that i did not liked "classical" music because almost all the musicians do not interpret well what the composer wanted to say

[@NArbiza4]

Thanks Ben for everything

[@HanKyeolYoon]

All happened due to propaganda, politics back to 20th century. Musicians have become more free nowadays to interpret which allowed them to understand composer's mind.

[@michalcohen7747]

Thats very true!! He explains that here kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGqvdKp_as54qKc&index=31&list=WL its a very good ted talk you should watch it

[@javierbiaggi3072]

True but but all. There are brilliant interpreters that do great performances the fun is to discover them. One with a couple of friends heard 9 versions of the Sinfonia Fantastica, as a blind test. Only me knew the directors. So we hear each and make our notes then hear the next. Until we hear all. We all get to the same interpretation that was the best of all. I was really a sacrifice I don't like at all that sinphony. These are pieces that you can hear it once every 8 or 10 years. But there is one the one you say Wow! I have all version of Bach's organ and harpsicord music there is one Toccatta and Fugue in Dminor which is my favorite and is not the version on Japanese instruments neither the great version on heavy metal that cane out recently as well as the Toccatta in F. This the wonderful world of music music written is a strong proposal but there are subtleties that are the one makes you say This Is The ONE! Don't give up a do respect all versions they always said something about the composer. Enjoy!

[@diazmalcolm]

yes....pain, sorrow....:(

[@BogdanGabrielMarinica]

Lol, I was so anxious for him to succeed, hanged on his every move. Awesome stuff

[@PuffinEasy]

Cello player ♥

[@antoniorodolpho6835]

They are amasing

[@antoniogarciagil4665]

❤❤👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@MIGUELDIAZ__]

Rostropovich for the people who tried to look him up

[@jwd0808]

6:43 - I swear I felt a breeze... Zander is awesome. This is proof that even conductors are born, not made.

[@andyzhang7890]

lmao you're not the only one. I will say however that almost any skill can be mastered with enough hard, smart work, good guidance, and thinking.

[@epalegmail]

well he is pretty old. I think he had enough time to be made in a conductor. Maybe these students will be even better than him when they have his age

[@mariannegebauer4416]

I don´t know who are this Young Student, but i am so sure tha YOung will going to be one of the Best Directors i ever seen, he is so Sensible and Unique, Really God One Master Classes thanks to much !!

[@feelslikeflying23]

7:58 that eyebrow as a note lol

[@aowsbaker8449]

@ 2:04 you can hear a rock hard piano damper coming down, causing a major zing 😖

[@UncleKosta]

Man...the first violin is a total babe...I know I'm biased but...wow...

[@LuisGonzalez-xv4qv]

Where can I get the piano music sheet for this piece?

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

Here: imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.5%2C_Op.64_(Tchaikovsky%2C_Pyotr) Look under the Transcriptions Tab and you will find it. I recommend the Singer over the Pachulsky version.

[@XYZ-fw1pi]

Am I the only one who thinks that the quartett arrangment sounds better then the original orchestration? :D

[@Cheesedays]

XYZ 789 It actually sounds horrible compared to the orchestral

[@dougpiranha3230]

Yes! You are!

[@piggy2309]

It does sound better in my opinion.

[@Deleted_user982]

Lol my name is Benjamin and my brother is called michael

[@davids5652]

Ben Shafik how lovely

[@PuffinEasy]

Hello cello player... :)

[@lekhapratap1652]

Where’s that Chinese dude?

[@chickencoopououwu2584]

sitting in front row

[@lotusbuds2000]

A little too stiff in this body...conducting effectivelly is not easy

[@FugieGamers]

He's trying to teach what you can't teach-passion. Not everyone is born to be a conductor

[@kristianl7117]

While passion might not be teachable it is most certainly possible for a very passionate person to imbue some of his passion onto another person. I have experienced this firsthand with my pianoteacher on several occasions. Sometimes all it takes to make someone feel the music is a little nudge in the right direction.

[@d10ragingmountain11]

the 1st violin barely played anything😂

[@wiktorjajcarz448]

How did Russia suffer? By attacking other countries and making the communistic states? (no offence Russians just asking)

[@johnaustin5677]

The USSR and the Russian Empire of Tchaikovsky's time are completely different things, not to mention, aside from the political situation, sadness and despair are part of the Russian soul (and their music), it's the cold I think.

[@playermartin286]

That’s BS. Karajan, arguably one of the greatest conductors ever, didn’t look like his face was about to explode everytime he wanted the orchestra to play more expressively

[@kristianl7117]

The difference is that Karajan already felt the music and had a passion for the music he was conducting. Zander is trying to get this young conductor to feel the music, and that is, for many, a lot easier when you use your body.

[@nizarrifki6473]

What a useless student. He couldn't go past the first page of the symphony in over twenty minutes. Benjamin was too kind to him when he said over and over again "you're doing great".

[@felixdeckers8863]

He was doing great, the speed of the lesson has nothing to do with the student's talent, it is about the severeness of the teacher

[@nizarrifki6473]

@@felixdeckers8863 it does, the smarter you are, the faster you act and conduct. Maybe we just have different concepts of speed, good, and kind.

[@felixdeckers8863]

Do you play music, because music education doesn't turn about speed

[@nizarrifki6473]

@@felixdeckers8863 I'm a professional musician. The speed I was talking about is not the technical speed, it's not playing fast. It's the conceptual speed, being able to understand things, to communicate them and to advance swiftly in whatever it is that you're playing. I don't know whether your are a musician or not, but if you were, you're not a good one. At least not good enough to understand classical music.

[@felixdeckers8863]

I am a semi-professional classical musician, but i thought you were talking about the speed at which the class went. I think we were having a discussion about a misunderstanding. However, i think you're way too harsh to call him useless: he is new to directing, he's a quick student and he is still very young. He has A LOT of potential.