Ponce: Estrellita - Violinist Ray Chen and Amsterdam Sinfonietta - Live Concert HD

The Mexican composer Manuel Ponce wrote his song Estrellita (‘little star’) in 1912. It is a sweet and very nostalgic melody. Ponce made a transcription of the song for piano in 1925 and later also for guitar. Violinist Ray Chen performs the song together with ensemble Amsterdam Sinfonietta.

The musicians:
Amsterdam Sinfonietta
Candida Thompson [violin/direction]
Ray Chen [viool]

On the musical program:
Manuel Ponce - Estrellita

Recording: Sunday the 17th of February 2019, live in music venue Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. This concert is part of the public broadcasting series Het Zondagochtend Concert (The Sunday Morning Concert).

More AVROTROS Klassiek:

[lisanism]

My friend introduced me to this and now I'm floating

[MARTIN]

What a beautiful encore. This is the most delightful version of this Mexican song. It was a cherished song to Heifetz, who I believe, was the first classical violinist to play it, but Ray Chen makes it more sweet, sad and enjoyable at the same time.

[Mickju]

This is one of the most beautiful songs ever written and Ray Chen certainly does it justice. I've never heard it played more beautifully.

[oldmanandthesea]

The first time I heard this song, I was 17 years old. It was 1967 when “Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution “ violently swept China. In this world, only the artworks that truly touch the human soul will remain to tell the story of our existence, everything else, no matter how great it is, only leaves a flash, like a meteor cross the night sky.

[萩原耕介]

Oh! how beautiful music it is. I was moved so much. Mr. Ray Chen screwed romanticism out of lovely little star veryvery nice playing, also Amsterdam Sinfonietta pulled out further more beauty from Ray Chen. (soon be 91yrs.Japanese)

[RobertoMartinez-kvtp]

Imponente Belleza de esta obra del Gran Maestro Manuel María Ponce.
👍✔

[joubertsatyre]

Difficile de ne pas avoir envie de pleurer en écoutant cet air.
Je pense au vers de Baudelaire: "Le violon frémit comme un cœur qu'on afflige".
Merci au compositeur et à l'interprète.

[elisamusic]

Amazing, just discovered this piece some minute ago!!

[MARTIN]

“Estrellita” (lyrics in Spanish)

Estrellita del lejano cielo,
que miras mi dolor,
que sabes mi sufrir,
baja y di me si me quiere un poco
porque yo no puedo sin su amor vivir.

Estrellita del lejano cielo,
que miras mi dolor,
que sabes mi sufrir,
baja y di me si me quiere un poco
porque yo no puedo sin su amor vivir.

Tú eres estrella, mi faro de amor,
tú sabes que pronto he de morir.
Baja y di me si me quiere un poco
porque yo no puedo sin su amor vivir.

Baja y di me si me quiere un poco
porque yo no puedo sin su amor vivir.

[bochankang]

He is my Hero🖤🖤🖤 😭😭#raychen
What a great violinist!!👏🏻 bravo!!

[shin-i-chikozima]

Deep impression was reaching my wandering soul .
I hope my wandering soul will be healed and purified by his incomparable performance . 🍎

[notaire]

Was für süße und schöne Töne der geniale Violinist produziert!

[franciscopetelinca]

So beautiful !!! Belissimo !!! Encantador !!!

[redelpe]

Divine piece of music shining in the firmament.

[zevnikov]

Dear Avro. This is amazing. What an amazing and joyful tune od sadness.

[alejandroigartiburu]

Cuando escucho ESTRELLITA(MMPonce), me imagino en una mecedora. Ahí, mientras estoy en un ligero movimiento, contemplo el cielo siempre primaveral de mi México. También veo la lluvia cayendo sobre bugambilias rosadas. Alcanzo a oler lo que viene de la cocina y escucho, al compás de la lluvia, los sonidos del molcajete y del metate.

[joubertsatyre]

Merci également à tout l'orchestre.

[ferronasution]

Permainan Biola dan tim yg luar biasa...dimainkan dengan penuh perasaan.
Juga bagi yg mendengarkan...keren !!

[oldmanandthesea]

Five years ago I watched this video and left a comment (see the comment below), and now I am watching it again! This piece of music strikes a special chord in my heart and I like to share it with you guys. As I mentioned in my old comment, I first heard of Ponce’s Estrellita back in 1967. The violent “Proletarian Cultural Revolution “ was in its second year, and three people that I knew had died a violent death: my high school Chinese teacher hang himself because his dad was a landlord, number one enemy of the people; my elementary classmate was killed during a fight between different groups of “Red Guard”; my fellow violin player in a amateur orchestra. One day during the summer of 1967, I visited one of my elementary classmate. While we were chatting, he asked if I like to listen to a vinyl containing some violin music. It turned out to be Ponce’s Estrellita on one side and Serenade by Drigo. The violinist was Mr. Ma Cichong, the dean of the Chinese Central Conservatory in Peking. The music was so hauntingly beautiful that we were transported to a different world, forgetting the cruel reality we were facing day in and day out. Seven years later, I escaped to HongKong and later immigrated to the United States. I found out that in that year, 1967, Mr. Ma and his family also escaped to HongKong and later traveled to and lived in America till he died, never set foot on Mainland China again. Because all these unforgettable memories associated with this love song, I like to listen to it every now and then just to escape to another world.

[niceguy]

Where can I get the orchestra arrangement?