This Is What a $45 Million Viola Sounds Like | The New York Times 

He's holding something worth more than all the houses on your street combined.

Ah if you guys were wondering this Viola was made by a famous viola maker in 1719. Only 10 were made and this one is the only surviving one that is in perfect condition and able to be played regularly. Interesting stuff.

Ah yes the sound of my dream mansion, six Ferraris, college tuition, and a giraffe

That one rich kid in middle school orchestra

Too bad it was recorded with a $200 mic :p

Scrolling down comments while watching the video. My life feels complete with this mixture of humor and music.

If you look closely you'll see it's actually his eyebrows making the sound.

Brett and Eddy need to watch this

the viola is 45 millions, but the microphone they used to record this is like... $10?

Doesn't sound anything like a $45 million Viola. It's much closer to a $39.6 million one. I can hear the difference even on a mono speaker in my smartphone.

i bet %99 of the world can't tell the difference between that and a 4.000$ viola , myself included as a musician.

"45 Mil. is nothing if you don't put in those 40 hours of practice a day" - Ling Ling

Legends said he did not wash his hands to this day after touching that viola..

>This is is what a $45 million viola sounds like after undergoing RU-vid's audio compression off of a crappy on-board laptop sound output through cheap head phones.

Hmm, let's record a $45 million instrument with deep, rich sound on audio equipment that doesn't have the dynamic range to record the sound, then compress the audio further thru the internet, and then have viewers listened to the soda straw thin mimic of the actual sound on speakers and headphones that cannot even translate the already internet compressed audio files and say, "This is what a $45 million sounds like." Yeah, that should do the instrument justice....

The Viola is underrated. Most music written for strings is for the violin or cello. Viola is like an afterthought.

I'd be too afraid to even breathe anywhere near it.

$45 million viola recorded on a $100 microphone

Give it to me and it will sound like a 1$ viola you bought at the thrift store

Look how big he is! He makes that cello look so small!!!

Half the reason it sounds great is the very skilled performer using it.

Can I put something straight? This is directed at all you people saying, "I wouldn't pay 45 million for a viola," or, "It doesn't sound any different from any other viola," or, "It's not the Viola, it's the violist." 1. You wouldn't pay 45 million for it because (A), you probably don't even know how to play it, or (B), you don't know how valuable it is and can't hear the richness and colors of the tone that resonates from it. And not only its playability and sound, it also has a history. Made in the seventeen hundreds by one of the greatest luthiers in history, Antonio Stradivari. Depending on which Viola it is, it was probably passed down from some guy to another guy and sent as a gift to some other guy and yadda, yadda, yadda. Anyhow, it being 300 years old ALONE makes it priceless. You see, the older a string instrument is, the better it sounds, and the more the wood resonates. Search it up.

for $45M, it better come with that guy as well

Digital recording can never capture even 10% of the quality of the sound of a Stradivarius. Hearing it live is an incredible experience.

Corrected the headline: This is what a 45 million dollar viola sounds like recorded with 10$ mic, edited background noise away, flattend into 0,0001mb youtube form and played by crappy mono speakers :-D :-D

He better be included for 45 million. I want him playing 24/7.

the viola is 45 million dollars but the guys eyebrows are priceless 😂

The viola itself sounds as if it has a whole symphony and percussion on its own.

Has chance to play $45 million Viola. Plays cello piece

let's all agree that this dude can make a potato sound good

does the guy come with it

I love the viola so much. I don’t understand why people dislike it so much more than the violin or cello. This is my 6th year playing it and I know I will never give it up. It’s beautiful and deserves just as much praise as all the other instruments ❤️

forget the 45 million dollar viola, lets talk about the 45 million dollar eyebrows

Today, on Pawn Stars, You bought that Viola for $45 million? Let me call my guy. The best I can do is $5.

I dont know man, only sounds like 44 million to me... clickbait tbh

Rick Harrison: I mean the bow is used and the instrument has been played a lot. The best i can do is 40$ and im taking a big risk here seriously.

Still waiting for a $100 Million cowbell video...

He got a deal! That sounds exactly like. $46 million viola!

Accidentally stepped on my violin once. I would not trust $45 million in my hands.

This instrument is exactly the same age as the piece being played. Bach could have had this piece played on this particular viola.

Rumor has it......his eyes havent opened

You could see the notes coming out of his eyebrows

hand it over, I'll make it sound like a $10 one with two strings you found at some garage sale.

In my opinion, no matter how beautiful and expensive an instrument may be, its all about the player and yes, the price can definitely help the quality and tone of the sound, but a professional always ties everything together. I think we all are glad to see this man is getting the praise he deserves in the comments.

This is what a 45 million dollar viola sounds like, captured over a mic of ambiguous quality and streamed over RU-vid towards your speaker set of ambiguous quality.

I wouldn't pay more than 38 million for a viola like that.

Omg! How beautifully played that was, and what a magnificent sound. I will be getting a Viola very soon to replace my Violin. These videos are making Violas much more popular than they ever were I believe. The huskier voice of Viola is quite an attraction. I love it.

what does a 45 million violin sound like?!? incorrect what does my phone\computer sound like

0:03 “What...I have to play now?“

This Violin is worth more than my countries economy

*imagine him dropping it*

There was a study that found that even top violinists couldn't tell the difference between a Stradivarius and a modern (and less expensive) violin. The sound alone doesn't make the instrument worth millions. The price comes from the "brand name" and its value as a work of art with a history of being played by famous musicians. More expensive doesn't always mean a better sound.

Imagine if he ended it like how a rockstar would

It's funny & awesome that the better a musician gets, the more they sound like 3 or 4 musicians playing at once.

a violin could never 💁🏻‍♀️ , the viola is so beautiful

Didn't know Tom Riddle played the viola

But I only got a small loan of a Million...

I bet I could still make it sound like crap

The way he makes bow changes unnoticeable is so beautiful

Excuse me sir with your $45mil would you like to buy 2 Ferraris , a mansion , yacht and a few summer homes ? Na I'm good ima buy a viola , thanks Tho.

I'm more fascinated by the passion of the player than by the violin itself :-D

Superman seems to be very talented

so passionate, Must be incredible to lose yourself in the music like that, he is somewhere else during this performance.

inside his mind while he's playing "don't drop this, don't drop this, don't drop this, PLS DON'T DROP THIS"

1:42 , he literally starts playing three different things all at once, the "bass", middle notes, and the higher ones. the shine of his viola in the light is brighter than three of my futures at least.

I bought one of these beauties a few weeks ago on Amazon. Best purchase decision ever! And thanks to the free shipping, I was able to afford it.

me over here wishing i could feed my violin vitamin pills to make it grow bigger into a viola

So money can buy happiness

*hugs my viola* I still like you better buddy don't worry *glares at bow* nOT YOU

Here's the secret: that guy doesn't know how to play the viola at all, but this viola bestows upon him powers of a virtuoso. At least that's the only way I can see that being worth 45 million dollars.

I thought mine was expensive at $3000 now i just feel more broke lmao

That sounds beautiful but 45 million dollar is way too much.

Entranced by his beautiful facial expressions.

His eyebrows are worth 45million

It sounds so much better and sweeter than regular Viola. I loved his performance so much.

I'm waiting for a $2 trillion triangle video smh

Pawn Stars: *I can do $120* GameStop: *we'll take it for $10*

That whole thing better be coated in diamonds and unicorn skin

It's not the Stradi making the music beautiful, it's the massive, beautiful, specially designed concert hall with great big echoing walls that amplify the sound. I wanna hear a Stradivarius viola played in a carpeted room!

The artist determines whether or not its garbage or not

He looks like he got touched by an angel at the end

It's best to listen it through your ears.

I love my viola. Her name is Rhapsody. Such a melancholy instrument. And violas have the longest bow. I play metal in my Viola, Metallica, iron maiden,godsmack, ect. I appreciate classical.

this makes my viola look like a cardboard box

this guy costs 45 mil??

Half of the people here: Viola?! Did you mean violin??? I hear that half the time as a violist...

This sounds the way honey tastes. Sweet and smooth.

Never heard of a "Million" viola, but it sounds pretty good for $45.

Ew it's used now. I'll pay 5 dollar

the title should be: This Is What a $45 Million Viola Sounds Like, when recorded and put on RU-vid so all viewers can hear that sound over their crappy shitty speakers through crappy soundcards...

"if you can play it slowly, you can play it quickly" - sacrilegious boiii

I'm not a music expert, but I'd say it doesn't sound one hundred thousand times better than a 450$ one.

The only way I'm buying this is if he comes with it

That's like what the entire country of Greece is worth 😳

I remember seeing this video back when I first started taking viola lessons. Now I’m a senior in college about to graduate playing in orchestras.

*Drops it*

This guys eyebrows are going through an emotional rollercoaster.

Somehow I get the feeling he could do the same thing with a $50 pawn shop violin.

Where's TwoSetViolin??? String review!

I wish there were less reverb so we could hear the core tone of it, but regardless, it sounds really amazing :)