Bell himself referred to this piece as “one of the greatest achievements of any man in history.”

Only someone, like myself, who has also conquered this mighty work, can truly appreciate the colossal effort, spiritual, mental and physical, that has gone into this performance, and, of course, from memory. As a student, I busked nightly in the 1950's in an arcade at the north end of Leicester Square, performing exclusively the 6 solo sonatas of Bach and the 2 concerti. Having invariably attracted a large, silent audience, and aware that the shop lights would extinguish at 11-o'clock, I invariably planned to perform the Chaconne in darkness. I made a FORTUNE! Not only did I finance my studies, but bought a house a year for 3 years. Writing in "Woman" magazine in 1958 Beverley Nicholls wrote "Bach spoke with the voice of God: Keith Ramsell is his young disciple". I find it strange that my experience of busking was so different from Bell's, since my own interpretation is in many ways similar to his own (I particularly approve of beginning the central major section quietly, entirely without vibrato). I think the main difference is, I put much less "interpretation" in the opening and final statements of the chord-"theme", and particularly the amazing long bariolage section, aiming at much more raw POWER. My favourite bar? The absolutely FILTHY discord at 12.19! Always gives me the shivers. At 88 I'm much too old now, but I would have LOVED to have met Bell and discussed interpretation with him. Strangely, although a successful University and College Professor, I've never succeeded in inspiring any of my highly successful students in mastering this mighty work. Once, at a University concert, the soloist was ill and didn't show up. I stepped from the leader's chair and, without preparation performed the Chaconne. I was asked: "How could you memorise all those notes?" My answer? "HOW COULD I FORGET!!!".

@Cristobels-Green-Boots

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Sir, for your great review & for telling us your own story…I am glad that Herr Bach saw that you were comfortably off, while perhaps introducing this marvel to new listeners… Once heard, never forgotten! 🙏🏽💔🙏🏻

@keithramsell9955

Жыл бұрын

@@Cristobels-Green-Boots I normally avoid any mention of it, but now I am retired I occasionally mention that I was born with a right hand consisting of a single finger and two short, rigid, stumps. Thank you for your kind remarks.

@fedegroxo

10 ай бұрын

Wonderful story

I wouldn't just walk right past you in a crowded metro, sir. :)

@emregeylani891

3 жыл бұрын

I'd put a coing atleast

@alphaghost1546

3 жыл бұрын

I wouldn't either, I love listening to classical music!

@LearnWithLilibeth

2 жыл бұрын

I came here after reading that DC story too.

@tararamatei-adrian7681

Жыл бұрын

Same here @Lilibeth Rivera

@shrirangjage999

Жыл бұрын

Me too 😊❤️

I don't usually comment on KZread videos, but I saw the amount of hate Bell was receiving, so I decided to share my opinions on the video. Yes, the space he is using is acoustically challenging and does not enable the sound of the violin to thrive, but, personally, I thought it was a very bold and unique decision to record it where he's at. Bell playing in a hall where the acoustics are poor reveals the true virtuosity in his playing, compared to a person playing in a church hall where the color changes are evenly blended and makes the music sound, frankly, better. In this video, I feel as if we gain the truest sense of Joshua Bell's violin playing. He's saying that he does not need an "Autotone" (in this sense, an open church hall) to sound as "good" as the next guy playing in an acoustically viable space, and that's something I completely admire. I never really grappled onto why Bell is so widely known, but now I know why.

@Tore_Lund

4 жыл бұрын

I'm impressed too, no hiding with such acoustics, and his fingering is good, only a few places where he needs to adjust, and it wouldn't be noticeable in a concert hall. He is also 40 seconds faster than most interpretations, which might be needed without reverb?

@dannyboy2267

4 жыл бұрын

@millionleaks Can you show the link?

@javierdiazsantana

2 жыл бұрын

It is, definitely, an amazing interpretation on the piece.

@sadie1981

Жыл бұрын

I was so busy with work and court deadlines that my husband dragged me to see Joshua in Boulder. He played this first and we were in the front door. While nothing compare to hearing and seeing it performed live, this version is beautiful.

I agree with other commenters: the sound in this video does neither Joshua Bell, the chaconne, nor the strad here any service. All sound pretty rough. There's no question Bell can play this piece--there are other clips out there. I just wouldn't place much stock in this particular video.

Mr. Bell, thank you for letting us listen... for free. Where I live, and in my circumstances, I'd have no other way to hear you. You're very generous, and obviously want everyone to love and appreciate music as you do, and are thinking of new flexible venues to bring people in.

So sublime. At 5:20 is almost sounds as if the instrument was vocalizing, sort of singing. This piece is probably one of the greatest accomplishments in music and is so perfect that it has loaned itself to other instruments, such as saxiphones, piano, organ but the violin is what it was written for and nothing brings out the emotion of the chaconne better, even when it is played in New York subway or in a room with poor acoustics. Josh does it like nobody else, you can see his passion. He once said that it was the single greatest accomplishment of man and Schumann said that if he had to try and write it he would probably have gone mad. I love Bach's music.

I collect violins and I've had the good fortune to handle a lot of beautiful Italian made instruments. But the first time I heard a Stradivari being played in person, it was this very 1713 Stradivari ex Huberman, and it was Joshua Bell playing the same thing at the Seattle Symphony in Benaroya Hall. Believe me, nobody would have any issues with the acoustics there; it was magnificent. Such a joy to see a fine antique violin being played by a Maestro, and do what it was built to do: project to the folks in the back of the hall!

One of the most moving performances of Chaconne ! 🥰🥰🥰 Thank Joshua Bell ! 🌺🌺🌺

Cette version n'est comparable à aucune, elle est une interprétation à part entière. Quand on écoute Joshua Bell, on sait pourquoi on aime la vie. On ressent un réel amour pour la musique quand il joue, c'est beau.

Some people did not like the reverbless recording, however it gives you the chance to listen and enjoy the actual tone of the instrument; analogically like seeing the real beauty of a woman with no make up.

@stepaushi

3 жыл бұрын

Plus, it's much harder to play that way. Every little thing is heard.

Magnificent, powerful, sublime, and authentic performance.

I listened to the 2 other violinists mentioned in posts as being so much better than Mr. Bell. I studied classical piano for some 15-20 years....so I have some musical education. I find Mr. Bell's interpretation the most authentic to the period of the composer, and therefore my favorite of the 3 renditions of this piece I have listened to tonight. I do not care for classical pieces that are overly romanticized when played. If you want romantic, pick a piece from THAT period and have at it!!!

@littlehummer

8 жыл бұрын

Well, I am currently listening to Heifetz's interpretation..... ....he's pretty good with his classical interpretation, too. :)

@hugohaag9878

8 жыл бұрын

Have you even heard Perlman playing this? It's ridiculously good. His sound is godlike. Watch his performance at St john smiths square, the chaccone starts at13:32

@chriskur9864

8 жыл бұрын

Diana. You should know that Bach is all straight tone so really anyone who plays with vibrato is not really interpreting Bach authentically. Bell has vibrato throughout this piece so he is romanticizing it as well.

@pedaugherty2393

8 жыл бұрын

+Jenny Mae : Bell has stayed away from recording Bach for years and he's given various reasons why he's been reluctant to record Bach. When he finally did it, the CD has turned out to be one of my favorites and yes, there are some of Bell's CDs that do not particularly resonate with me...I don't drink his kool aid. However, when it comes to Bach, he knocked it out of the ball park.

@NuneMelikian

8 жыл бұрын

They did not use spiccato at Bach's epoch but Casals used it; please, consider that the instruments and bows were different at that time as well; so not too much vibrato, but still we need a bit of it

“If there is anyone who owes everything to Bach, it is certainly God.” Romanian philosopher Emil Cioran

What a bunch of bags complaining on here.. Please post your own stellar rendition and direct us to it so we can partake in the brilliance.

I enjoyed listening to this raw sound, its closer to how my violin sounds in my kitchen, lol ~ I wish. Beautiful playing, My admiration to anyone who plays 'the Chaconne'!

It's my first time hearing of this specific artist, or even just this song. But for some reason I cant explain it makes me feel emotional.

I like his emotion in interpreting this piece..

Beyond focusing on technique and the original intention the composer wanted to give this piece, the most important thing is to play the violin with the soul. This is something that is hard to find in any violinist at this time, and that is definitely what makes Joshua Bell one of the best violinists (if not the best) of our times.

@Ethan-yj7dx

8 жыл бұрын

+Dawn Leroux I strongly disagree with you, there are many contemporary violinists that play with incredible heart and soul such as Julia Fischer, Hilary Hahn, Maxim Vengerov, and so on...but what seperates them from joshua bell is that they had strong fundamentals and technique, and later on they developed their own style and interpretation. Bell is someone that learned the hard stuff first and never fully mastered a strong technique so pieces that require alot of bow and power like Chaconne aren't done much justice by him. Watch Heifetz or Isaac Stern play this and youll see what im talking about (sry for the long response, just voicing my opinion)

@evalinnert7736

Жыл бұрын

Warum bei "keinem"- hören Sie bitte Frank Peter Zimmermann.

I like the way he dashes off the arpeggios just before the last line. Fire.

Love this performance. Joshua Bell is so articulate yet very laid back in his interpretation of this piece. Fantastic

I like the intimacy of the small room sound. It may not be the most memorable recording, but it's one of VEARY few youtube videos of Chaconne played by a modern violinist not in the concert hall setting--which is what I expect to find on KZread. I really hope to see more from younger violinists uploading...so that I can see progression of how other violinists practice and master this difficult piece over time. I cherish some of old master class videos showing students playing Chaconne.

4:35 That pretty much represents all i've felt during lockdown, having regret of past actions and some people getting away of my life.

Joshua Bell has incredible passion for the violin His interpretation of the piece ,I feel is extraordinary. Segovia , played this piece as well with emotion and accuracy. This is a difficult piece that I struggle with , especially the arpeggios . I enjoy Joshua Bells playing and I personally find him flawless. There I said it,

@GrantEllsworth1

6 жыл бұрын

I concur!

The only problem with this recording is the lack of natural reverb. The playing is wonderful.

@pattycoelho1

7 жыл бұрын

Exactly

@jeronimojournade3627

6 жыл бұрын

atrizzy Thank you!

@ashk3734

4 жыл бұрын

stfu `

@redstonealex8575

2 жыл бұрын

i actually prefered it to be "clean" and no echo though

The lack of reverb makes the sound more intimate, particularly appropriate for this piece.

@user-qu9vu8wp5k

6 ай бұрын

Exactly. I love this purity.

Bravo Mr. Bell!

Great violinist.

love this, used it for my music homework

Давно хотелось посмотреть Чакону в его исполнении в хорошем качестве! спасибо! Интересно :)

この肩の演奏は、魂を揺るがす。高音が特に美しい。とにかく気持ちいい。聖なるかな。聖なるかな。万軍の主…天使が見守っているみたいに、安心する演奏です。

very nice play. God Bless you always. Thank you. hope to see you one day.

Such wonderful articulation. And by the way, the 'dead' acoustics* that people are complaining about only bring out the clarity in his playing. Bach can be played romantically or dryly (it's Bach; you can do almost anything with it and it still works), but Bell here brings out the ideas in the piece so clearly. Bravo! ____ * Listening further, I wonder if the sound has to do with the mic placement.

Bravo! An honest, heartfelt and courageous conception of the movement, no need to hide behind reverb when you bring so much to your work. Thank you Mr. Bell!

As always with Joshua's performances... Spectacular. Looking forward to buying your latest CD with all the Bach pieces as well as the ASMF...

@douwemusic

9 жыл бұрын

***** Why do you seem to be so sure that you DO know everything about the Chaconne and Baroque practice? Did Bach whisper in your ear 'wow bell's really messing up'?

@brendanhall3265

9 жыл бұрын

***** honestly I think somewhere is the audio screwed up because I don't even think a violin can normally sound like this....

Brilliant!!!

really appreciate the camera angle- great for students to see his fingerings!

Bravo!

What's with this baroque thing? Nobody understood Bach when he was making his music, and nobody understands him now, I guess. His music (and this piece in particular) transcends any musical period or genre. It is and always was above anything humans have achieved. To classify this as baroque is an insult to existence, of which this piece is it's most colossal description. Listen to how great musicians got inspired by this music and marvel at the possibilities of interpretation. You simply can not do this to a "period piece". Chaconne is one of the greatest if not THE greatest achievement of human kind. As per the balls on Bell to play this in an acoustically dead environment - hats down awesome.

@marax528

4 жыл бұрын

Toni Anzlovar Eres la mamada mijo

@leorodriguez712

3 жыл бұрын

? This is a baroque period piece my friend. You clearly don’t understand Bach’s time period

@tonianzlovar7590

3 жыл бұрын

Leo Rodriguez thank you for that insight.

Yo la siento muy bella interpretación, fuerte, dulce. Como decía Pablo Casals, al escuchar hay buscar la expresión principalmente.

Amazing

Bell is amazing ... I love this style, he plays with his soul, I love it

Mad respect for the obvious Arthur Grumiaux influences. Unsung hero right there...

i often watch this rendition :)

I really admire this performance. He played it in a small room. All of the sound you hear is him. There is no forgiving hall to hide mistakes and foibles.

@stepaushi

3 жыл бұрын

exactly

Not really into this type of music, but he is very talented and I respect you wholeheartedly

best violinist !!!

@manuelfohr6898

8 жыл бұрын

.

@nhinangiandoan

4 жыл бұрын

bad joke

Gracias extraordinario!!

Well, it's certainly interesting to hear a rendition without reverb, you don't hear that very often

Yes this is stunning! My favorite is the Chaconne. I was fortunate enough to have seen Joshua perform in Clearwater in March 2015, front and center! I feel very honored for having done so ♥ I know the violinist of which you speak ***** and that would be incredible, we have only been teased with a tiny bit of this beauty! Joshua Bell is also magnificent.

@zzzzoijzzzzz

9 жыл бұрын

+L. S. Milani You don't know the meaning of the word awful... we're just fortunate to be able to hear the greatest renditions at the touch of a button

@Mralibabarooibakkie

8 жыл бұрын

+L. S. Milani Explain pls.

Maravilloso

As someone who already pass grade 8 abrsm if i hear this piece somewhere I’ll stop instanly and listen to this masterpiece

his violin is a famous Stradivarius.

Beauteous.

I have a serious question for anyone who knows about music production and technology: in the year 2014, am I expecting too much when I ask that audio and video be in perfect sync? Can we put everything else on hold for like a week and perfect that?

Som do violino totalmente limpo, sem arranhões, ou deslizes. #alunoviolinopower

Either the video and the audio is off or it's not home playing

Don't judge the sound harshly in a totally dead acoustic people! Excellent playing, considering.

This might well be one of the hardest things to play in classical music period. Supreme skill is merely a requirement if you want to play what Bach meant.

@keithramsell9955

Жыл бұрын

Myself an exponent of this mighty work, I've always regarded it as the most demanding in the repertoire: physically, mentally and spiritually. And from memory! Until I came across the Elgar Concerto! (which I was the first to restore to the repertoire in 1973 after 40 years of total neglect).

Mono for voice recording ?????

tous les grands violonistes,hommes ou femmes.jouent la Chaconne comme un absolu et un défi .comme disait en son temps Jacques Thibaud à chacun sa chaconne. J'en possède environ QUARANTE-40-et chacune a son caractère..Kremer,Milstein,Mullova Hahn.Benedetti,etc,Ma préférence bien subjective va à James Ehnes...

Where can you get the music For chaconne

@bylayer5885

4 жыл бұрын

imslp or buy it off shar or something if you want a book

@keithramsell9955

Жыл бұрын

The "INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPANY" edition contains a facsimile of the original manuscript in his own hand).

that music is a story... thats my story

Why ads?

This piece always gives me anxiety. Like I’m watching a thriller. Forced to sit at the edge of my seat.

Fine

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💕

From a musical point of view this is by far the best rendition of this piece I have ever heard. The tempo is quite fast but it never drags or loses its character. The clarity of all the polyphony is fantastic. Each variation has its own identity. The complaints from viewers seem based on their expectations of a more standard approach. Personally, I prefer Mr. Bell's intelligence to a lot of grinding and sawing. Mr. Bell has asked the music questions and shares the answers with us.

It was a bad idea to play this in an acoustically dead studio.

@joshuak9412

5 жыл бұрын

I agee. This is done by Chung Kyung Hwa i think recorded last year when she is pushing 70yrs old. Amazing. Highly recommending it. kzread.info/dash/bejne/Y3prxZqzecuod8o.html

@tonianzlovar7590

5 жыл бұрын

It's bad compared to listening to this in church, but, that's actually how you hear this when you practice at home. This is the most honest (and unflattering) sound you can get from a violin. It tells me (as a violinist) far more about Joshua's technique, his violin, his attitude... everything. I may not like the sound of this performance, but this is so brutally honest I can only marvel at Bell's balls (pun) to get this out in the public. It's wonderful in it's own right.

@MarySanchez-qk3hp

5 жыл бұрын

... That's it? That's all you have to say? ::: shaking her head slowly in disbelief ::: I'm not going to call you the name that I'm actually thinking. But I will call you an armchair pontificator. Those who can't... criticize.

@homeofcreation

4 жыл бұрын

It you can play it there you can play it anywhere.

@HA-me3ed

4 жыл бұрын

@@tonianzlovar7590 why would we care about any of that though?

For people who are complaining about the quality of the sound, the mike is too close.

He visto aquí en KZread a un violinista húngaro Cristof Baráti tocar en la gran sala del Conservatorio de Moscú tocar en el mismo concierto las tres sonatas y tres partitas para violín sólo de forma increíble. Joshua Bell a lo largo de su carrera ya hizo lo mismo? Porque esto me sabe a bien poco. Es un gran violinista nadie lo va a negar, pero que la entrada más barata para uno de sus conciertos cueste más de cien dólares me parece desorbitado!!! Si es el mejor violinista del mundo que lo demuestre en los PROMS:en un sólo concierto las tres sonatas y tres partitas para violín sólo de J.S. Bach y que no cobre tanto, por favor.

A superb performance. I would have preferred a bit slower in places.

🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏

Хорошо

I keep comparing every performance of Chaconne I hear to Hillary Hahn's. For me, hers is incomparable.

@jacqueline4365

9 жыл бұрын

Kurt S Listening now

@jacqueline4365

9 жыл бұрын

jacqueline de la galerie de kohco Absolutely STUNNING!!!

@chriskur9864

9 жыл бұрын

Kurt S I agree, but of course, hers is a recording. They can "cut and paste" and edit during a studio recording, even on a piece this fast. Even watching Valentina Lisitsa videos where she says she is playing Beethoven piano sonatas "live", you can see that her hair is different throughout the performance, where it was impossible to change from one frame to the next..

@kurtus.1

9 жыл бұрын

Jenny Mae yeah, I have thought of that. Hahn really doesn't have a live performance of it, but the recording has found its way into my head that I can't even listen to anything else without comparing it to Hahn's recording. Still would be really better if anybody had a video of Hahn performing it live though.

@wowhimin

8 жыл бұрын

+Kurt S agree

He plays this fast because he's got a metro bus to catch

No qué pasa con los violinistas actuales, no qué es lo que les enseñan en esas universidades. La chacona es una danza española e italiana muy antigua, se acostumbraba a tocar de una forma muy lenta para expresar el dolor, y no de la forma que lo están haciendo todos los violinistas contemporaneos, si Bach escuchara esto probablemente se le pararía la peluca, lo mismo hace Hilary Hanh. Por favor eschuchen al maestro Szering.

As we say in Wales. Bloody Hell!

Why live at all?

is it a strad ?

@reinhardstadler7722

7 жыл бұрын

Yes,it is a stradivari.now joshua is owning it.he bought it for ( what would you guess?)

@JacquesLuu

7 жыл бұрын

$3.5 Million

He plays better than me...so I guess he's got that going for him...which is nice...

ジョシュアさんだけで、何も伴奏がないのがなんだか一番よく聞こえる。ほんとにソロだけの曲集めて聴きたいです。今日は１日中聴いていました。アルファー波だ。

The way YOU play BACH with your STRAD makes one touch Heaven!!! Thanks!!!

N. Tufnel is right. The saddest of all the keys

조슈아벨 지하철연주가 생각나군요. 우리에 대가 조슈아벨

9:40

This piece fits so perfectly on guitar, it’s as if Bach wrote a violin version as an afterthought.

Джошуа- феноменальный музыкант,фантастический!!! но,может быть,в этом исполнении Чаконы немножко многовато эмоциональности,лиризма?перепереживал?

I think this performance is good for: -the acoustic where he is, is terrible, and still yet the dinamics sounds well, some parts had mistakes, but who cares?, we are humans, the music doesnt have to be perfect, the point of music is show the human emotions, and with that, the nature of human beings Just my opinion

@linus3169

8 жыл бұрын

totally Agree!! I think people forget that even the best performers out there today make mistakes. I thought the performance was wonderful despite the sound quality. and I am in no way shape or form, a Joshua Bell fan.

@stepaushi

3 жыл бұрын

Where are the mistakes? Edit: Okay, a few squeakies.

ブラボー！！、私自身は、セゴビアの1959年のギター独奏が亦格別と思ってますが。

#alunaviolinopower

.

🤔

Well done Joshua. Keep improving!

@stepaushi

3 жыл бұрын

You have no idea.

@brahmsbratsche

3 жыл бұрын

@@stepaushi why not?

@stepaushi

3 жыл бұрын

@@brahmsbratsche Please correct me if I misunderstood your comment, but I interpreted it as cynical as if Bell were at an immature stage of playing.

@brahmsbratsche

3 жыл бұрын

@@stepaushi Hahaha…not at all. I consider Bell a very good violinist, but I think -my personal opinion-he has to improve this version. He is still very young. That’s all. Cheers!

@stepaushi

3 жыл бұрын

@@brahmsbratsche Okay, I'm sorry for my sharp remark. (Actually, he's about 50--maybe that's still young these days!)

172 funkeiros não curtiram

the work is beyond his understanding

unadulterated purity ❤

musique belle emporte dans les lieux magiques . écoutez tout simplement la beauté du son du violon . pour moi joshua est le meilleur performance incomparable . j adore le jeu de l archet sur les cordes . merci joshua j espère vous revoir a hongkong bon partage

Check out Nemanja Radulovic! Bell seems to be struggling big time - Nemanja is phenomenal - plays with such joy, ease, so musically and brilliantly - he is definitely ONE with the violin!