SIBELIUS Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 - Ray Chen

Performed live on March 26th, 2015 with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Kent Nagano.

I. Allegro moderato
II. Adagio di molto
III. Allegro, ma non tanto

[RayChenViolinist]

I remember practicing the entrance of the concerto and thinking all the different types of wintery landscapes to inspire myself. What does the opening entrance feel like to you?

[buddyo]

4:23 literally the best thing I've ever heard... Wow...

[asdf]

So good that the audience hold their coughs.

[javierp]

En serio esto fue hace 9 años ? Por qué lo vengo a escuchar recién en el 2024!? Es una obra maestra y usted lo hizo muy bien, puedo sentir cada sentimiento de sibelus en sus movimientos y en cómo toca el violín, gracias por esta hermosa presentación ❤

[marco]

I am a simple person. I hear a new recording of Sibelius violin concerto and I listen to it at least 10 times.

[MsPea]

This is my favorite concerto. I started studying violin specifically so I could play this one day. I have a long way to go, but it's my goal. I hope I can do it justice in 10 years or so.

[dannyboy]

Phrases of the Sibelius violin concerto
I. allegro moderato
0:28 - the opening of the concerto
1:57 - intensifying part
2:28 - quick & edgy part
3:03 - beautiful ending of phrase
4:11 4:23 - bright part
5:44 - epic part
7:41 - cadenza start
9:22 - cadenza end
10:15 - softer ending of phrase
10:27 - darker part
11:42 - explosive part
13:34 13:46 - brightest part
15:14 - most epic part

II. adagio di molto
16:54 - the start
17:34 - solo start
18:59 - warm part
19:33 - calm part
20:03 - wavy part
20:43 - tense part
21:14 - intense & beautiful part
22:35 - soft octaves
23:03 - most beautiful part
23:37 - calm part
24:45 - ending of 2nd mvt

III. Allegro, ma non tanto
25:19 - train-like start
25:51 - fiery part
26:29 - orchestra part
27:00 - folk dance-like part
27:58 - crazy part
28:45 - main subject return
29:00 - fiery part 2
29:52 - bright harmonics
30:17 - intense part
30:44 - most epic part
32:15 - triumphant ending of concerto

If you would like me to do this on any other video, let me know in the replies :)

[akshayraoviolin]

4:23 has to be one of the best parts of the concerto
I love the way Ray puts his emotions and heart into his playing
Never give up Ray!!

[trrentray]

You can tell he practices 40 hours a day

[tobiasgerschman]

I. Allegro Moderato: 00:24
II. Adagio di molto: 16:50
III. Allegro, ma non tanto: 25:18

[obsession]

30:07 Can we all take a moment to appreciate how he absolutely nailed that harmonic part?

[claraartnow]

Ray Chen is such an expressive interpreter, it feels very emotional to listen to him; the phrasing of the music is very richly expressed, and it's very sentimental.
Also, I feel like Sibelius' music is very original; the first time I heard his music I though that he had very misterious melodies, but when you hear the second parts of the piece all those variated themes become connected with beautiful harmonies (I like them very much!)

[Haruka-]

Ray Chen is proof that those who consider classical music a language without words are very wrong: Ray's violin SPEAKS and speaks a language everyone can understand.

I definitely love him.

[sugarbabymo]

Sibelius: Hey, I wrote a violin concerto


Ray Chen: *plays it*
Hilary Hahn: *also plays it*


Me: *sweating profusely cuz I don't know who to prefer*

[SergioSanchez-zgjw]

Men, I have never been interested in violin concertos. I thought they were boring. How mistaken I was. After finding twoset on a random video, and then Ray Chen violin concertos. I have been OBSSESED with this concerto and it makes me feel about music on a different level than before. How magical is Youtube and things you can find if you dig a bit deeper. Shoutout to Ray and his version of this concert is the most passionate you can find online. I wish in the future can see this masterpiece live, that will be a dream become true :)

[yjh]

I LOVE the crescendos starting 27:02! He makes the movement sound so romantic.

[yjjy]

Hillary Hahn, Sarah Zhang and Ray Chen all have their own interpretations of this piece of concerto. You can hear it through the way they interpret the emotional flow of the melody through the bow strokes. I admire Hahn's and Zhang's crisp and powerful strokes which may be superior in some aspect in comparison to ray's version in my opinion; however, the emotion dedicated with Ray's playing in this version has an ethereal melody that is not produced in other versions of the concerto. Ray's unique style of manifesting his emotions during performances is his trademark and I should tell you that this version is my favourite one.

[vamvra]

Now that's how you let a Stradivarius sing! Well done Ray Chen.

[felixLucretius]

20:43 unfailingly goes so hard in this concerto. that's how you write a double stop section in your violin concerto, god damn

[ianhuangncubed]

I have listened to countless recordings, and no one plays the best part of the concerto the way Ray does at 13:20. Absolutely gorgeous!