"It is my privilege and duty to keep these fine old instruments for the next generation, I have the privilege to work on them, you have privilege to play on them". A true old world craftsman without ego, most would says it's their pleasure or honor to service, but here this true tradesman is dedicated to his work entirely without even a thought of ego.

Great story and great storyteller....people like this are getting rare. This man's story should be documented for posterity.

@billc6087

4 жыл бұрын

You are so right, I was literally entranced through this entire video.

@yosserc

4 жыл бұрын

No they're not .... every generation produces storytellers.

@alanleslie7751

4 жыл бұрын

It just has!

@rsingh1252

4 жыл бұрын

what is the background piece?

@fernandodelvecchio6549

4 жыл бұрын

Again?

So much respect for this dude being like, "I don't give a fuck who you are, you come into my shop you bring your shit. And no house calls!"

@sak_1017

2 жыл бұрын

Lmao

@xinouwei

2 жыл бұрын

LOLOLOLOL🤣

@littleredwitch

Ай бұрын

Hmmm.. He had a bit more class than this but basically that’s what he meant. Oh and I wouldn’t call him a dude.

“It is very lonely at the top, and there’s a very high price to get there”

@surr3al756

4 жыл бұрын

Is that Eddy from Twosetviolin as your profile picture?

@christianrupp4006

4 жыл бұрын

@@surr3al756 yes it's Eddy

@wei_01

4 жыл бұрын

U the guy from heifetz’s Masterclass?

@nickcarroll8565

4 ай бұрын

“It’s lonely at the top but it’s comforting looking down on everyone beneath you” 😂

A very humble man.

I know I will be burned and scorched for saying this but we have no one like Heifetz in the violin world today and we never will again. We have fine violinists, but hardly any great artists. What we have are mostly a lot of Heifetz imitators. Anyhow, it's nice to hear/see this interview. Only a moment or so was included in the Heifetz film (2011.) As a Benning customer for many years, I will attest to how good this shop is - and there have been 3 generations of Bennings working there for many years now.

I've played your violas, and violins. They are off the charts amazing. I have been saving for years for your violin.

@benlyon

3 жыл бұрын

I agree. The Benning family are some of the best luthiers in the world right now. The level of care in each instrument is astounding. I have a fiddle made by Eric Benning that is just heart melting.

“It’s just the way it is”

@madphotographer762

4 жыл бұрын

It is what it is.....!!! (The Irishman - Deniro)

@TheViolinAndMore

4 жыл бұрын

@Lhuce G i am pretty sure it was like this :)

@Alexagrigorieff

4 жыл бұрын

"This is the way"

Heifetz touches ones soul with his playing.

he talks very delightfully.

@fingmoron

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, certainly lovely accent, speech pattern and vocabulary.

Image meeting mr Heifetz in person, it would be an honor just to talk with him, this is an amazing story, and I loved hearing it

@lilacdavid626

2 жыл бұрын

It’s like just a dream, I would just shake ☺️☺️😂

What a great master `violin fixer`. Great unsung heroes.

@jamien.5528

4 жыл бұрын

*luthier

Heifetz just tested him, would make sense given his nature :) great story !

@nickcarroll8565

4 ай бұрын

That’s definitely what it seemed like, haha. He was definitely a unique person.

Very humble man. Great story.

One of my very favorite videos on KZread! Hans is a great man!!! Also wonderful to see family continuing the good work!

Outstanding story.

Talk about a fascinating video. I loved listening to him discuss his meeting the great violinist the first time and how their relationship lasted for 15 years. So interesting.

Wonderful old world accent.

@laurencelance586

4 жыл бұрын

I guess it's because I've been around people with his background that I don't hear an accent.

@ghlscitel6714

3 жыл бұрын

For me, It is an american accent without even a tiny bit of a germanic tongue.

@KSfan4ever

2 жыл бұрын

@@ghlscitel6714 There are some extremely subtle give-aways such as "t" instead of "d" at the end of some words.

@ghlscitel6714

2 жыл бұрын

@@KSfan4ever My Germanic ear does not recognise it.

I love your story and respect your expert.making. this was a joy to see there will never be another Heifetz. Violin hasn't been the same since. And you sir thanks so much for being there for him and also for all the other musicians that came your way and I know there was a lot. Enjoyable story

Thank you Eric Benning; are you a relative of Mr. Hans Benning -- a real humble artisan he sounds like. WOW....am in tears...so much history...I am a violinist in Calif. I so want to know about Mr. Heifetz's violin and other violins he owned and what happened to them.

Im 37 now, well 38 in two days but i have been going to hanz since i was 5 and bought all but one of my violins from his shop. I can attest that he definitely doesnt give a "F" and a bit scary at first but as i got older i respected him. I love seeing him and hes a great man. His whole family is amazing. His son Eric is definitely keeping their legacy alive and erics son is now working there as well. Im honored to be able to say that im lucky enough to know them and now that hanz knows me i get to see his soft side and talk to him more and love him so much.

@eladsinay6914

2 жыл бұрын

I should clarify, by does give an F i meant stands his ground like he did with Mr. Heiftz but i personally love that about him

@SylviaXTan

2 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing your experience with Hans. Lovely.

Love hearing about all this. Thank you.

So very personal, and beautiful relationship with a great Violonist

An amazing video, amazing story, Mr. Hans Benning an amazing gentleman. Thank you for making such a great video and sharing it with us. Much love from Ireland.

Heifetz stories are always interesting. The person who had the greatest number was Eric Friedman. If you met him at a party he could tell Heifetz stories, one after the other as long as you could stay and listen. This included the one about what Heifetz said to Friedman after Friedman had sent his first recording to Heifetz. Heifetz allegedly said "I have taught you everything I know, and you know nothing." Friedman was such a superb player he did not need to depend on the stories to create an impressive identity. He told them for the sheer joy of it.

How inspiring!!! thank you. I wish I had heard Heifetz live ... sigh

@user-pt3ft7pe3z

2 жыл бұрын

Пп ихе

I like the story about the little half-size bow lol. This guy calling the del Gesu the "del Jayzee" that's an old Californianism, like a real old California guy might call the city of Costa Mesa, "Costy-Maysy".

Great story

What a memory to tell, thank you

The Benning shop is the best! This was very interesting! He is a humble man.

This such a great lesson in not compromising your standards you will be more respected in the end. Great story!

Many thanks for uploading this most interesting video! The most impressive anecdotes to me: Heifetz never allowed his students to show up with shoulder rests, and the famous Guarneri sounded totally different in different hands on the same music with the same orchestra. Great lessons!

Fantastic interview. Thank you

That was wonderful!

"Cwaarnayree dayl chasey"

Fascinating... Thank you so much for posting this marvelous reminiscence!

Fascinating. Thank you for sharing this.

Wonderful. Thank you.

He reminds me of Max Von Sydow.

Thanks for sharing, very insightful.

What an amazing interview.

Thank you Sir. Wonderful.

This is so beautiful!

I always look for Great Stories like yours, Sir. Thank you for sharing. Blessings.

Lovely. Thank you! Maestro Heifetz' comment on the cost paid by top virtuosi reminds me of a quote attributed to Franz Liszt when an admirer after a private concert in a home told him she would give her life to play like him. He responded, "Madame, I have!"

Great .....so cool....just wonderful....thank you sir....

Great story from a consumate craftsman and student of his craft.

Thank you again for your touching insight !

What a wonderful account and what a great man! Thanks so much for sharing your memories on the genius that was Jascha Heifetz

I'm glad the guarneri would speak only to Heifetz in that particular way.

This is the best video on this website

That’s a lovely memory Mr Benning. Thank you for sharing it.

Thank you!

Wonderful memories. Thanks for the storytelling M. Benning

Sympathisch!!!

astounding wonderful wise humane

Lo que dice Tom Greene es FORMIDABLE. Y la honestidad de Hans Benningtá es un ejemplo de amor y honestidad.

Thank you Sir. I love your craft. I am sure that you make most beautiful instruments. A very nice story.

Thankyou for sharing these most interesting memories with us. I think Heifetz appreciated - besides Your mastership as a violinmaker - that You are an honest, down-to -earth and humble person, The story with the sissers though show that he was - let's say very - "special".

7:38 Heifetz did not allow a sholder rest in masterclasses.

@legamature

3 жыл бұрын

If I don't like sholder rests, you can't use one !

Fantastic story! Also, who downvotes something this amazing?

Wonderful stories from a wonderful workman. I can play instruments, but I recognize that I don't have the patience to work on them. :)

A very pleasant, peaceful piece of storytelling.. very different from Heifetz' playing style which is natural because this talking gentleman is another artist. Still could feel Heifetz. I enjoyed it.

Imagine playing ping pong with heifetz

@justinstrik7125

3 жыл бұрын

and winning....

If theses stories and this history ever gets lost, the world will be worse off for that loss for ever.

I'd love to hear Heifetz play, and I'd love to hear Mr.Benning. But I hate doing both at the same time, because they only disturb each other.

@georgealderson4424

4 жыл бұрын

Yes they distract each other but I like the story

A very nice tribute to his good friend...

July-18-2023. ✝️

the background music appears too noisy affecting Mr. Hans particularly audiences . please consider !

🙏

🙏🏻💐🎻

How did Jascha have his Instrument set up?/What particularities? Great video, thanks very much for sharing all such insights.

@srinitaaigaura

3 жыл бұрын

His exact string setup is available : www.damianstrings.com/try_gut_strings.htm Silver wound gut G, plain unvarnished gut D and A and Goldbrackt steel E. Not easy to play on them. Very unforgiving of bad habits, quite plasticky, but once mastered, it's totally worth the pain. Nevertheless, the sound of Jascha Heifetz was unique and indescribably colorful and intense - only a few live recordings give you a glimpse of how it could make your hairs stand on end. Truth be told, the sound really begins in the mind of the player, and that's why others could not make the same sound on his violin.

@SamLamingMusic

3 жыл бұрын

@@srinitaaigaura Thanks. Whilst that's useful, the set up Hans refers to is what I was referring to; e.g the bridge height/string height, and perhaps string height at the nut if he had something unstandardised.

the first time I find Heifetz' playing annoying: the background of this video.

A great privilege n video not to mention it would be great for your business

........for performances , Jascha had some good days and some slightly less than good days. There were a hell of alotta top violinists back then . Plenty good ones today but I think they were slightly better from that earlier generation.. ....yehudi Menuhin made a violin out of matchsticks,, that's the violin I'd want. I like unusual violins. Best fiddle I've ever played is a homemade teardrop shaped violin.

I play my viola with no shoulder rest and no chin rest. Makes ALL the difference!

👏

Never could. Heifetz was a pain up my bum. My hands and wrist simply wouldn't accept his finger position on my bow hand . And then Ivan Galamian entered into my education. ❤ Pull the bow with a steady energy originating directly from your chi. Worked like a charm. The original spiritus involved was my mentor William Magers, a former Galamian student, and my viola Teacher at Arizona State University. I was one of five students, which gives you a clue regarding his status. He said to me, "You need more than Arizona. Study at Meadowmount. At Juilliard.""You need Paul Doktor, the #1 Violist on this planet." So off to Juilliard I went. Whilst running round this lecher's dining room table in my tennies, my peers in Manhattan asked"why are you studying with Paul Doktor, when you had Bill Magers??" Sometimes you have to go all the way round the world to find home.

and meanwhile reducing Jascha's playing to documentary background music, thereby making it difficult to listen to the interesting story of mr. Benning!

@jamesbarros950

4 жыл бұрын

You're right, they should put crap music up instead.

The background music is too loud!!!

@jpknijff

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, agreed.

@chuan-kangshih78

4 жыл бұрын

Second here.

@jamien.5528

4 жыл бұрын

I actually liked it and could hear him just fine

@JWP452

4 жыл бұрын

Good for you! I edit tv commercials, and I can safely tell you the background music is too loud.

@XCurvyBarbieX

4 жыл бұрын

it's ok we allow it because HE is playing

What are the pieces being playing in the background?

@rl7651

4 жыл бұрын

Zigeunerweisen by Sarasate is the first piece. The second piece is the Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G minor; the third piece is Sarasate's Spanish Dance, "Malagueña".

“One day, I was at my violin shop and God himself walked in and asked me to repair his instrument.”

Great luthiers are far interesting than their violinist counterparts.

Thank you for the video. I came back to re-watch it. Is Hans still living and well?

@srinitaaigaura

3 жыл бұрын

Yes.

@wombat5628

3 жыл бұрын

@@srinitaaigaura Thank you, really happy to know!

The music is too loud and it is difficult to hear what the man says

Can you tell me please, did Jasha Heifetz use only stock height bridges, or did he ever cut them down. Thanks for any help. C.e.usa

Music is a bit too loud to hear the guy speak.

4:35 What's playing here and next? Hungrean dance

Geigenbauerschule Mittenwald. Yeeeees!

What is the piece being played in the background, and which recording?

@larryphotography

4 жыл бұрын

Zigeunerweisen by Sarasate

@rl7651

4 жыл бұрын

Zigeunerweisen by Sarasate is the first piece. The second piece is the Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G minor; the third piece is Sarasate's Spanish Dance, "Malagueña".

Would love to be able to access this without the background music

Please correct en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jascha_Heifetz which says 10 years, if it's indeed 15 years.

The music makes it hard for me to hear what is being said 6:56

I like this guy more than Heifetz 🤔

That's a great story, BUT it would also be nice to come and greet your customers. I frequented your shop on the recommendation of a dear colleague. He said I should stop by and say hello to you. I saw you through the glass window and one of your employees told you that I wanted to meet you. You declined! I was shopping for 3 people that day, but unfortunately, I did not get the help that I needed. I told my colleague about my visit.

:)

You rehair as well, right?

Holy Mackerel Turn the background music down

2:11 "Guarneri Del Geeh-zee" that is spoken by a true western American! hehe.

He looks like the old dentist in the first "It" movie.