Indeed amazing ... But really no surprise! Nicky is amazingly brave, vulnerable, honest, and transparent. Coupled with her artistry, professionalism, charm and beauty, she embodies the qualities to which world-class musicians aspire.
What a wonderful video. A window into the life of a composer and a virtuoso soloist. God bless you, Nicola and Winton and every musician who offers their self to the public. So much courage and grace.
At first i wanted say Wynton get off the gas , but after hearing it I realized it stretched music in general to a perfected state. this was a aural blessing
Definitely agree her vulnerability is great considering how people view virtuosi to be. However, moments in this film are so hard to watch.... The tension between them both OMG! But I really enjoyed watching.
BRAVO! It brings us deeply into the many difficulties of a working process, leading to an amazing piece. This is a lesson for all those who wish to achieve great things (whether in music or not) but are scared of all the challenges that it will involve. CONCLUSION: believe in yourself and just DO IT !
It was nice to see the intense creative process work out. I'm fairly certain some of the great works we take for granted today started out just like this. Kudos to both of them!
Wonderful documentary, thanks for uploading. You can see the inherent 'clash' between a Jazz musician and a classical musician - Wynton often telling Nicola to go with it, to improvise, to change on the spot if necessary, and Nicola being very resistant to it - and understandably so.
Great film- really enjoyed it! Nicola Benedetti was amazingly calm and collected through out despite the pressure of the piece ready not being ready on time, and the lack of rehearsal time. And did any one else notice one the main themes being "Never Smile at a Crodile"?
One of life’s great learnt experience is that you learn from your mistakes. A life led without any risk is a life not worth living. The negative comments by certain people, that this was unsuccessful have missed the point being, that without these risks nothing of any greatness will ever be created.
"Part of the point of any concerto is to be a showcase for the talents of the soloist." No. Maybe in the day of Paganini or Liszt. Virtuosity is necessary to carry off a concerto for sure, but the *point* of a great work is not the soloist or celebration of the soloist or ego of the soloist. The point is the music, the musical message, in the composition, in the interpretation.
This is my single favorite violin concerto. Been playing it on loop for days, it's just tremendous! Weird to hear Wynton say that he thinks someone can successfully combine jazz and the orchestra @ 01:37. Not sure what he meant by that. 🤔 Gershwin obviously did it umpteen times.
NOT REALLY! Because Gershwin was NOT a Jazz musician! Incorporation of a few blue notes into a score does a Jazz composition make! You need to get over yourself, if Wynton says it has NOT been done, THERE IS NO MORE TO SAY ON THE MATTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@Playthellgb42 LOL, Wynton Marsalis' violin concerto isn't jazz either. It's a hybrid composition, a **combination of jazz and orchestra**, by his own description. That Gershwin incorporated jazz into his works (stylistically and melodically) means that he successfully represented jazz in an orchestral ensemble. In truth, other composers have been doing it for decades. John Williams did it in the third _Harry Potter_ movie, FFS -- just listen to "The Knight Bus," which is scored for _full orchestra_ ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xTCuIM3w9E4.html ). It's just odd that someone as well versed in music as Marsalis would assert that his concerto is the first successful marriage of jazz with orchestra.
I love and have respect for both of these awesome musicians. Having said that, in the part around 38:00, I can sympathize with Nikki's frustration. Wynton seems to be almost purposefully abstruse. He may have been ruffled to receive critical feedback from someone younger. My guess is Nikki knows a good bit about where the violin should live in the musical landscape. Wynton lost a great opportunity to make this a better concerto by failing to avail himself of her expertise.
Some of it sounds a little Ellingtonesque! I love that these two beautiful artists are collaborating. If I were Wynton, I would see if Bradford would play in the orchestra as well, given that he can play saxophone in classical contexts like a god. Nicola will perform this work so very well.
As a classical musician, it's my opinion that these two are mismatched. They are obviously both phenomenally talented, but that doesn't mean that they can generate a great concerto together. They don't really speak the same musical language, even in terms of rehearsal technique and performance philosophy. Someone like Mark O'Connor might have been a more appropriate conduit for what Marsalis is trying to achieve. Sadly, the end result of this effort sounds to me like a pastiche. Beautiful moments that never really cohere as a whole.
He does not understand the basic acoustic principles of balance in an symphony orchestra.It is senseless to argue about why to balance 1 trumpet we need 16 first and 14 second violins..and not the opposite..but she's done in great. Thank you for uploading -very interesting .
athruaathrua I think you're being sensless you dont even know why he couldn't come, he said he wanted to go it kills him however you are acting like he missed it to see the last episode of pretty little liars. Its probably something to do with family or another personal issue. I had to miss my or orchestra's last performance in front of very important people for a HS Orchestra for my uncle's funeral. kind of disappointed that people would think that he is sensless
Ryan.s they made a world premier documentary around getting prepared for the concerto and the climactic end is, what? he missed his own premier? you have to admit it was very disappointing. That's all I'm saying...l invested time watching this thing and at the end it the performance didn't even matter....
I wonder why wynton didn't ask another more experienced violinist? Like mutter, hahn, chang or kopatchinskaja they have more exprierence in study new violin concertos
ChowTurtlezPabus totally agree. But there's some tension between them, in one hand nikky thought from the beginning that the concerto would be written under her taste and opinion, and the other hand wynton doesn't seem to be so permissive in accepting some opinions or advice. So that's why my comment. All the documentaries I've seen about new violin concertos this is the only one that the violinist complains about the working process.
ChowTurtlezPabus but you're very right she must start and i must understand that maybe complaining is just a beginner mistake or maybe nikky gets stressed so quickly with new experiences.
I'm no musician and I love classical and jazz, but even I know that different genres of music may never lend themselves to a harmonious blend. Jazz and the blues can obviously be put into symphonic forms, but Marsalis seemingly wanted to incorporate improvisation into a classical paradigm. Bad idea, even when performed by virtuosos. The way he arranged the various instruments pieces just didn't blend well. It was hard to listen to. I'd love to hear that hottie Nicola play Paganini or Vivaldi though!
STROGLY disliking the mocumentary style and concessions to that side of culture. It's the same story and fake editing wether the voice over artist uses RP or not. Shame I am genuinely interested in this but at 1.30 the editor and director have appalled me sufficiently to guarantee I wont be watching more.
Confirms what I always thought about W. Marsalis. Virtuoso sure, but overinflated sense of his own talent and importance. The guy actually thinks he IS jazz. Kudos to Nicky for delivering the goods (as it were, given that it is a mishmash of a concerto) under what must have been very stressful conditions.
When you look into what he has contributed to Jazz over the years, especially through education festivals and lectures. He has and is adding a new (but at the same time) old twist to the world of music, making a new sound by combining the classical world of European musical styles, with the mishmashed world of southern US musical tradition. its not supposed to sound like a proper concerto that was traditionally written. it is meant to be a concerto for the 21st century.
I agree Jp Merce. Nicola Benedetti, is a world class Soloist. I found Wynton’s conversation with her excruciating, and unpleasant. I wouldn’t blame her for saying, “ been There, Done It, Taxi” 🚕 ! !.
