Reacting to Pop Violinists FAILING Classical Music?! 

Hey everyone! If you enjoyed the video, could you please make me a favour and subscribe and like this video! That would mean the world to me!

"It should sound melancholic, not alcoholic. " 😂

BTW: the final “s” in “Saint-Saëns” IS pronounced. French names often break French rules of pronunciation

AGT judges can't even tell a Violin from a Viola I think

Eugene ysaye, like (the king of violin) is known as the king of violin, however unlike (the king of violin), ysaye could actually play

Karolina is definitely a wonderful player all around. I think what Lindsey Stirling has going for her in addition to the dancing is her arrangements. They may not be the most technically advanced, but they are very entertaining and well done, especially for younger students. Obviously, she has a knack for visuals too, which is why she pioneered RU-vid. Not all music is about reaching the max technical capability.

That 14 year old is phenomenal. Her playing is so clean and effortless.

Hi, big Protsenko fan here. First, I commend you for pronouncing correctly her name in her native language (she was born in Kyiv). You're right, she had barely turned 14 when that segment was shot exactly one year ago, so now she is 15. That recital was held at Colburn, where she usually does her recitals. Her teacher is Sam Fischer (Colburn, Julliard) and next Sat, Nov 11, she will be making her soloist debut with orchestra with non other that the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto (of which you can also find the first movement on her main channel accompanied by piano and in the same venue). She is insanely popular. Just to illustrate her versatility, she can learn pop songs in half an hour and has played along with both Stirling and Ray Chen, opposites if anything. Chen traveled all the way to meet her, busked with her on the streets of Santa Monica and played pop. Vids on both his and her channels. Cheers, very good video. EDIT: Just found out that you are originally from Bulgaria, that explains the pronunciation. Thanks!

i didn't know saint saens wrote Capriccioso for sarasate... when sarasate popped out on my screen my fingers started to hurt cuz spanish dances automatically ringing in my head

I'm being guilty of writing a comment before watching the entire video. I think a lot of what you said on the first one is invalid. There is a lot what he does wrong. (Playing made up notes that make it sound worse while being out of tune with a complete lack of vibrato), but he is entitled to his own interpretation even if it means adding a bunch of glisses. Many popular interpretations actually do include glisses, although not as abundant as he originally plays.

I think I’m starting to learn how to pick up on their techniques because of your analysis. It’s actually kinda fun and I’m not even a musician 😂

You're so talented as a violin 🎻 commentator.👏👏👏👍🫶

I am captivated by all sorts of violin music and playing. Jerry Goodman of the Flock was my favorite for many years.

Objective and respectful, I wouldn’t say the video was snobby at all.

Love your video man. I like how you don't simply react, but you teach. You have given some great tips that were useful for my violin playing. Also, just a suggestion, you don't have to do it if you choose. Can you make part 2 of the playing a piece from chess moves? I thought the piece you composed was really nice.

didn't know Karolina put up her recitals on her channel

I was very fortunate to have a chance listening to Itzhak Perlman playing Schindler's List live, and I think what moved me was the simplicity. Every note was minimalist but just right. Sometimes "more" feels less authentic, especially when expressing feelings.

I hope you make more of these reaction videos. Very nice job.

I literally don’t know anything about violins and music sheets but this video was still entertaining.

The Protsenko segment looked weird, like the video had been sped up, which would be, you know, cheating. And what I've come to expect from RU-vid videos where you never trust what you are being shown. BUT when I checked the original video it looked perfectly normal. Maybe something weird happened when you put the clip into your video in the edit. I am glad I was mistaken, and that you included the link to the original video so I could easily see I was wrong.

6:06 is not really supposed to be glissando. It's richochet. (taught in Vengerov's masterclass over a decade ago with Chloe Hanslip) I think richocheting down would sound better than a gliss

Is this channel the next TwoSet? I guess we'll see... Keep it up, your content is very high quality and entertaining.

Karolina Protsenko recently was lead violinist in an orchestra concert playing Mendelsohn violin concerto. She was AMAZING

I don’t particularly like this pop violin thing but I think you’re missing the point when you criticize stuff like “adding notes” or “too much glissando”. I see this misunderstanding every time with classical saxophonists criticizing jazz saxophonists and vice-versa.. The kind of sound, feel and articulation they are searching for is simply different.. some people can switch between both but most musicians are aiming for for a specific sonority. I don’t even think the first guy is trying to play classical music, he is playing a pop tune with some kind of “classical sample” in the intro

1:31 Yup ViolinMechanic's right BUT the background music he's playing here is the third movement of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E

I understand the first performer to be borrowing from a classical piece in the course of a pop performance - it isn’t my cup of tea, but I’m not sure it makes any sense to judge the value of that performance using strict classical metrics. (The intonation issue may be an exception - not sure that works in any genre)

You should have reacted to that miss america contestant that shredded zapateato

Great video! Hilarious😂

It’s ostentatious, ludicrous videos like these that make that turn people off from the genre and discourage aspiring string musicians. It’s okay to not be a fan of many pop, hip-hop, edm violinists. But to make videos bashing them about them about their artistic choices, technique, etc. feels really elitist and comes off as insecure. If people love how Lindsey Sterling or Brian King Joseph sound, then they love how they sound. Simple as that. They are making a positive impact on their audience and fulfilling their mission as artists. And they’re often making way more than your average classical musician doing it! Also Saying he is the king of violin is just marketing. He is thinking like a businessman and he is successful. Also you seem to expect perfection out of these musicians when they play classical music. That doesn’t exist and you know that. Always striving to be perfect will only lead to people being paralyzed and not going anywhere with their craft. Also, many of these artists you mention can also improvise REALLY well. Which I don’t see many classical musicians even attempting to do that because they’ve been conditioned to be obsessed with perfection and don’t take those risks. But it’s skills such as improvisation that the classical greats such as Bach and Mozart practiced that made them great. Improvisation is not a new concept for classical musicians get there are so many that are afraid to try it! But skills like that, along with playing in contemporary styles, will ultimately lead to more rapid and sustainable success than trying to audition in a symphony orchestra that might higher one out of 1000 applicants for a position. I’m saying this as someone who experienced feeling ostracized in the classical music world growing up and I’m sure I’m speaking for a lot of people. If we want to keep classical music alive, we have to be more open minded and not put everything into a box

What about classical violinists failing pop music, ‘cause I feel like that could be me sometimes

I love violin so much. Hilary Hahn, Caroline Campbell, Anne-Sofie Mutter, Rusanda Panfili, Esther Abrami, etc just to mention some are my all favorite but this new violin player also is growing a lot in the community - Karolina Protsenko. She is a classical violinist who knows how to improvise and play by ears, so pop music is something easy and natural for her. I'm a classical-trained piano player but I do enjoy jazz, pop and so on very much and that's why I relate myself with Karolina's musical background. She's already a violin pop start and she's among the best of her age and style for sure. Ps.: I tried to play violin but it's so hard and trying vibrato sucks! hahaha

Haha cool video man! (:

Lindsey Stirlings intonation😂

I slide, BUT I'm still learning shifting. lol. & I know it. I don't lie about my skill level.

Great video... you have a fantastic way of teaching along with your comments... I am not an expert on the violin like you, but I do know the business of creating young stars... I have commented on Karolina Protsenko's channel a few times that I believe she will within time be one of the greatest performing musical artists of my lifetime and beyond... her work ethic and drive to push herself technically is obvious but what makes this young lady even more special is her uncanny confidence to be totally free when performing... and what you simply cannot teach is how she reaches the very soul and spirit of her audience and takes you along this musical journey... it doesn't matter if there are less than a hand full or a crowd taking up the whole street she will give you everything she has in those few moments you are there...

Also noticed lettice's hand frame is abysmal

2:50 on Russian there's a word for this, "Poshlost"

Ma préférence revient à karolina !

I like how you can appreciate and evaluate Karolina Protsenko right. The best comment I see here is Guillermo R.S. I can only add that very recently Ray Chen came to visit Karolina and they performed as a duo on the street where Karolina usually performs, playing Schindler's List together among others that you even may want to see for comparison. In that performance Karolina blended classical and popular style adding some crying slides exactly as needed with a great taste. There are videos of their joint performances on Karolina's channel and a behind-the-scenes video on Ray Chen channel. See what Ray thinks of Karolina and how they converse with each other. There is a "King of Violin" in your video who really doesn't sound nearly so high as that nickname implies - his classics really suck, but Karolina is known as Violin Angel around the world and I think this sticks very well. She actually learns two new pop songs per week all by ear only, it is quite easy for her. And she usually embellishes them improvisationally. She actually has two separate playing styles - pop with slides or glissandos and also glissando shifts often at the ends of phrases mainly representing pop song vocals and dancing and improvisation included and then classical as you saw it. So maybe it was not so painful to listen to her playing after all? So why doesn't she suck performing Sarasate? Perhaps because this talent has aquired two totally different playing styles - one for pop, other for classical? And she doesn't just have a pop cover channel - it is a channel of 8,16 million subscribers and 1,825 billion views just in 5 years - the biggest channel for any teenage music performer in the world. She is 15 now since Oct. 3rd. But now I want to challenge you a bit. About the talent of Karolina Protsenko. Please learn a pop song on violin on Saturday afternoon by ear only taking about half an hour to do that, go and perform it on the street next day, Sunday, with improvisational embellishments and little passages on the go - in your own worked-out inimitable pop performance style actually and gather a million views for that in a week. As she did with tribute to Matthew Perry - or three half-hour days as she did with tribute to Tina Turner. And that is not all. Store more than 300 improvisational pop covers in your memory along with some very advanced classical repertoire. And that is not all. After street performance go to a concert hall to rehearse Mendelssohn Violin Concerto E-minor with an orchestra for an upcoming concert in few days in absolutely classical playing mode and technical proficiency. And still that is not all. Please dance in sync with music while playing pop repertoire - or just try to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while simultaneously pirouetting, bending, even jumping softly, doing every kind of dance steps. Try to play any kind of simple piece while simultaneously doing calisthenics with a circling hula hoop! And that is not all. Please do professional ballet dancing on pointed shoes. And even that is not all! Please sing every vocal pop genre from jazz to rock with an educated voice both live or recorded and as a cherry on the cake - please play some piano, enough to harmonically and improvisationally accompany your own singing and please play acoustic guitar and do the same...Well, enough speaking of talent or multitalent rather? And one more thing - only playing acoustic instruments, never electric - except piano, having only electronic instrument at home. But still prefering to play acoustic piano. But yes, there is remote amplification device with microphone attached to violin to silence street noise for her videos to spread over the planet. So at street performances her sound comes from amps. The only thing I didn't like - why did you find it necessary to speed up her playing? This was weird, the original sounds so much better. But anyway - thank you for a very good video analysis of different pop artists, but your video description section is partly wrong and as such very disrespectful and unjust to one of them who also happens to be youngest of them by far.

Lettice got so Into the music that she kinda forgot to play in bit😅... Great video!

Honestly, i cast so much aspersions on their incessant "alcoholic " use of gliss. 😡😡😡. Likeeee whyyyyyyyyy🤢🤢🤢

Me for who the best part was to hear Mendy Violin Concerto and Shostakovich Waltz in the background: ... I agree, though

I like the Ray Chen reference

Thank you for the antidote courtesy of Ray Chen. I ❤ him!

At the end of the day it’s music. You might not like it, but others will. That’s the way they wish to share their art. 🤷🏾‍♂️

WOW, I honestly don’t even have that much experience with violin because I’ve never paid for a single lesson in my life and been taught everything at school or from my friends or RU-vid! I honestly wish I could learn more so I subscribed to you because you really have the ability to break down and teach what others cannot so thanks for taking the time to help and share this video. Also, IN THE FUTURE… when I start to upload videos of myself playing violin more please criticize them and you have all rights to use them on your RU-vid videos!

That introduction and rondo capriciocco was so horrible to be honest it was out of tune and the sound wasn’t bright the rythm just sucked he did not give each note enough time to shine

When you realize the entire first page of intro and rondo capriciosso is literally only the intro: 👁️👄👁️

But I thought people do do stuff with this Introduction Rondo Capriccioso, like adding their own flair 😏. Good choice taking Ray's performance to showcase Saint-Saëns' piece!

I enjoy going to Branson, Missouri, and all those pop artist would often show what they could do (or not do) with classical music. Generally the performances were quite a disappointment for many of the same reasons you mentioned. Without naming names, one exception is the _____ family's version of Pachabel's Canon in D on their DVD. One daughter has a master's degree in violin performance. I heard a live performance of them doing the finale to Vivaldi's Summer Concerto: so unclean and unmusical, but the daughter with the masters degree was not in the performance. Oh well.

Yooo drop a like I love your channel!!!

If anything pop violinists are bringing interest back to young beginning artists. Any good violinists will tell to learn classical to learn the skiil...But dammit..The violin is an instrument that doesn't have to pigeon holed into classical. Pop artist allows the violin to rock..This is all silly..Find something else to crow about

actulay some comments on the introduction and rondo capriccio, you would like to have more breaths between phrases. It should sound like sighs, which sticks to the melanchol nature of the first paragraph.

ooops Did you call this piece a...song? Songs are sung

man this brought back trauma, hilariously back from when I was actually playing Intro and Rondo in undergrad (also, god, fella totally omitted the sneaky sneaky note alterations that make that opening awesome (also side side note, I personally feel like slides are ok on this opening, just lightly and quickly, total under-pressure and melancholic/hoarse with LH pressure, pad of the finger stuff))😂😂 a composer pal of mine reached out about a local fashion show performance in Tallahassee, and got me in contact with the development officer for the event! He gave me a rundown about the show, the schedule, and some PR and Local TV stuff, ending the meeting with “wow, I’m so glad I found a Rap Violinist for this event, I didn’t know violin players did that kind of music” lmao. Long story short, someone on this planet owns a recording of me with a bedazzled sport coat improvising over Chance the Rapper on electric violin, and I will hunt them down

Remember me? I’m the girl who asked you to wear the hat. I’m back but I’m not here to ask u to wear a hat (although that would be nice) I’m just here to say I love the video lol :)

I think Lindsey is playing on a Carbon fiber violin. As a “cellist” (I’m a pianist who dabbles in cello) I use to allllllways want a carbon fiber cello and the instrument she’s playing looks like how carbon fiber cellos and guitars look. Carbo fiber instruments have a very harsh sound because they’re made of metal and I think it dulls natural resonance like ALOT. *BUT* I’m *no* expert so don’t quote me on that

Would love to see Lindsay Stirling play erlkonig

Why the KFC example?

Here Karolina Protsenko’s violin is an @3K off brand Chinese Model. Still (?) searching for a orchestral worthy violin.

Where's Vanessa Mae though?

I was on the edge of my seat to hear how you ranked Karolina and raised my fist when you gave her a thumbs up. Someone said you are nitpicking . Well duh, that's what critical commentary is supposed to do. Keep picking at the nits.

Mediocrities of the world... I absolve you.

This kind of negative attitude is what's failing classical music. If we nitpick more than we celebrate people participating, then it's no wonder people aren't listening.

You're missing the point. There is no one way to play the violin, classical violin playing isn't the pinnacle. You wouldn't compare a classical guitar player to the millions of unique rock and pop guitarists out there, most of whom are famous because they have their own thing going on. Dave Gilmour mastered the art of slow playing because - in his own words - he simply can't shred. Technical limitations can lead to a player finding their own style, and becoming memorable and innovative. If you needed to record string parts for someone's rock/pop album and the songwriter didn't give you any sheet music (Because why should they? The other players don't need any...), most classical players would be completely lost. What if they asked you to improvise over a section? I'm telling you, the musicality most pop violinists bring to the table, makes them incredibly flexible, adaptable, and great to work with. They are so well-rounded, it's a joy to see!

Lindsey Stirling bores me silly.

To be honest I don't know much about playing the violin and this video isn't inspiring me to learn more

I disagree. You are being deliberately harsh and antagonistic! Pop violin is what it is…you do your own thing and are allowed to do extra slides and chops. It’s about entertaining the crowd, and I respect people who try to do this (cross-over is not easy) rather than knocking them which you appear to be always doing.

Had he said anything bad about Karolina he would have been skewered by nine million viewers; at least. She is a uniquely talented musician who is dedicated to her work and puts everything into her development. Work, study, practice, practice, practice.....Edit; he should have played Karolina's Schindler's List with Ray Chen played outside on the street. That would blow the socks off of the version played here. Of course that was two violins, two violins played the way they should be played.

Classical violinists should really learn that vibrato is not the only way to get a rich/nice sound. Most of it should really come from the right hand.

Pop violin player just a joke

Dude Yes, he didnt played it just like the score. That is what called interpretation. It is his performance.