*Knocks violin with bow*
Ooooh!!!
It's ok...
What are you f***ing doing?
What are you doing?!
If you break that,
you gotta sell all your organs!
Hello everyone~!
Welcome to another episode of TwoSet Violin.
And you might be wondering why there are
two violins on our table
that look slightly different to our usual violin.
It's because
we just got two Stradivari violins delivered from New York City.
Two Strad violins!
In our studio, right now.
Now, Stradivari violins, if you've followed us before,
they are very rare instruments,
but also known to be played by the best.
And we're just very fortunate,
because thanks to Tarisio,
and Carlos, my man, shout-out to you,
thank you so much for loaning us these instruments
for our concert in November with the
Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
These are like, the "Golden Strad Period," too,
so each one is absolutely invaluable,
so don't drop it.
Can you imagine?
- We're not gonna get... - Wait, how much do you dare to, like...?
Okay, let's see how far I drop it, right?
- Let's play a game! - Dude, Carlos is gonna watch it...!
- HOW FAR CAN WE— - Dude, Carlos is gonna watch it...!
*just kidding*
Anyway, they're both made in 1708.
So what are the chances we have
TWO Golden Age Stradivari violins
from the same year?
Even Paganini was born later.
And they're both—
Actually, we put our shoulder rests on already,
but can you guys see? They're both one-piece backs.
Beautiful piece.
Anyway, I think we should play a little bit, um...
All right guys, are you ready to hear how the Strads sound?
- Yeah. You ready? - Let's play, um, the opening of "Navarra."
Yep.
*Crunchy-creaky rendition of "Navarra"*
Whoa!
Sounds so good.
It's beautiful!
Wait, look, look!
The sound actually goes really deep.
*Crunchy note*
What did you...?
Don't you hear it?!
- Okay, okay, okay, we're just joking. - We're pranking, we're pranking.
(Both) PRANK! Prank!
*Playing opening of Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto*
Yeah.
Whoa, that's a Strad.
You guys know we've played some Strads before?
- This is a Strad. - (Eddy) Yeah.
I dunno if you guys can hear it,
- but it's just... there's something about the tone, - It is beautiful.
the overtones, it just feels...
ah it's like, it's caressing your ears.
It's like someone whispering "Bubble tea" into your ears.
It's the difference between, like,
cheap tea, with like a bunch of sugar,
versus like, premium "heitang" black sugar.
Ohh! Yeah, I know what you mean.
- With like, the best scent, - Cream...
- and with some, like, mousse at the top. - Yeah, an aroma, and—
Aww, my— yeah, it's true, it's true.
Something about it sounds to me
a bit like the human voice.
Yeah! I feel like I could do a lot more to it,
like it's just like, ♪ Ah~ ♪
*Playing opening of Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1*
Aww...
- Bro, look at that. - Dude, you're...
Dude, your hair!
Oh, he got goosebumps!
Can you guys see? He got goosebumps!
I dunno if you guys can hear, but this is insane.
- It's actually insane. - You wanna try...?
I got freaking goosebumps, bro.
Aw, dude!
We've talked to a lot of soloists before
and they've talked about playing Strads.
And they say the Strad will teach you how to play them.
And they always say it's about more bow, right? Than weight.
I mean it is weight, but less pressure.
- The more bow you used, the sound started coming out. - Yeah.
The sound it can make, it's guiding me to play differently.
- It is, right?! - It guides you to play a certain way.
You kinda started try—can I, can I try that one?
Yeah.
*Playing Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso*
It's beautiful.
We should try this in a concert hall.
Yes, let's try these violins in a concert hall.
So, we're gonna go to the Esplanade Concert Hall!
Thank you, Esplanade!
And we'll see you guys there.
(Brett) Woo! Okay, we are here now.
Hello, everyone.
So actually, we were here five years ago
in the recital hall.
We can talk more about it when we get there, but...
I can already hear the acoustics, it sounds really nice.
(Eddy) Whoaa, look at that!
- (Eddy) Whoa... - (Brett) Yep!
(Eddy) Whoa!
(Eddy) We're onstage, baby! Woo!
I've got the Strads here, and my violin,
- Eddy's got his on his back. - (Eddy) Yep. Yep.
What we're gonna do is, um...
not play our violin, but we're gonna play the Strads here
and test the beautiful acoustics.
It's really cool, they've got like, 84 doors
all around us at the top, and
you can kind of control the sound quality
by opening and closing it, so
it becomes dry and wet to your preferences, you know?
(Eddy) It's kinda like a...
- real-life GarageBand in a hall. - Exactly.
- (Eddy) Adding reverb, that's crazy. - Yeah, what a flex.
Now, apparently—we're gonna test this today—
there's actually, they call it like a "acoustics place"
where it sounds really nice for the soloist
and where you can perform to
1,600 people!
- (Eddy) Whoh, look at that. - Look at that.
(Both) Whoaa!
(Eddy) Speaking of going up, too,
what is this?
(Eddy) Look at that.
So what you just saw there was the acoustic canopies.
And you can change the acoustics accordingly,
so if it becomes more of an umbrella shape,
the orchestra musicians can get a better feel for the sound.
If it becomes a—was it a U shape?—
the organist also gets a better sound.
(Brett) Anyway,
first we're gonna open the Strads,
and then... we will just have a go and see what happens.
All right, let's go!
Audition, begin!
Wait, which Strad do you have now?
Ah, nice. I love that name.
*Playing Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Mvt. I*
Dude...
It's like milk tea to the ears.
Just sweet.
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
*Repeating opening theme*
You know when you go "dut dah-dum"?
(Eddy) There's that sound... that you make.
It's articulated but... doesn't sound pressed at all.
*Fooh...*
I feel like just based on how you played just then,
this one sounds better.
Actually, Chloe, do you wanna come listen with us?
Yeah, we should get Chloe's opinion.
We have, uh, Chloe-sensei to help us judge.
Hello!
Which one did you prefer, from Brett?
I felt like the first one was brighter.
And this one was, like, sweeter in sound.
It's both unique.
*Playing Méditation from "Thais"*
Can you play the same thing but on the 'Caterina'?
What do you reckon?
I'm not sure; I have to... listen!
Chloe says Brett needs to practice more.
*Eddy laughing*
I'm just kidding!
I didn't say that...
*Chloe giggling*
What did I say?
*Eddy and Chloe laughing*
*Repeating Méditation*
I think the first one was, like, sweeter.
Yeah. It's sweeter in sound.
Yeah, it's very, like, soprano-ish,
which I actually also really like.
There's some really nice frequencies.
I mean, they both sound amazing.
For me, the 'Regent' has a slightly more interesting sound.
Aged, red-wine kinda complexity.
(Eddy) Yeah.
Can I hear the G string?
I feel like it would be more rich in sound.
*Playing opening of Zigeunerweisen*
Why aren't you playing the run?
*Eddy and Chloe laughing*
*Brett plays the run*
*Chloe giggling*
Nice, nice!
Now, play it on the Cater—uh, 'Caterina.'
*Repeating opening part*
Yeah, this one... it projects, like, fur—
Yeah, further.
Because that one's more like, more round in sound,
and this one is like...
(Chloe) Yeah.
Yeah, I feel like that one feels more...
especially on the G string, quite powerful.
It's more of a... dispersed sound just goes "bam!"
Whereas the 'Regent' feels a bit more like
the sound comes together, it's more full,
and then it travels out, kind of feeling.
Ooh, that's a good question; what you do think?
Which one do you think he should play the Mendelssohn on?
'Cause we haven't decided, actually.
Why do you say that?
Yeah.
I know you feel like the 'Regent' doesn't suit your hand,
but we feel like you make a better sound on the 'Regent.'
(Eddy) It suits your playing. I think so, too.
It gives me more of, um...
what I would imagine like,
a real professional soloist's sound would be.
Not saying you're not a real professional soloist, but...
(Eddy) Just saying! Hahaha!
And they're both made in 1708.
And that's the craziest part: how does it sound so different?
That's true!
The wood has gone through different temperatures, and...
*Playing Sibelius Violin Concerto Mvt. II*
It brings out more depth, this one.
It brings out the depth in this second movement.
*Repeating Sibelius Mvt. II*
Yeah! That's really nice, too.
Chloe's clapping, that's how nice it is.
My god...
- Good job! - Dude, yeah.
They both sound amazing!
Like, I know what you guys mean.
The character of both is very different.
This, this one is a bit more like,
"Look at me! I'm the entertainer!"
- (Brett) Kinda like, "Waah!" - Yeah. More extroverted!
It's more extroverted, actually!
The other one is more kind of like...
"You don't understand me
until you spend enough time with me."
(Brett) It feels cozier, too.
Yeah, this one sounds like a...
like, ray of sunshine.
Whereas, the other one is like, more serene.
- Wow. - Yeah.
Mm!
Very interesting!
Once again, thank you so much to Tarisio
for loaning us these two amazing Stradivari violins,
and thank you to Esplanade
uh, for letting us use the concert hall
to test the Strads.
As a violinist, this has been, like,
a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,
and uh...
is there anything you want to say?
Yeah! It's kinda incredible to have this experience,
to spend time actually, which is really important,
with these instruments.
It's also our first time actually playing Strads in a concert hall.
Again, thanks Tarisio, and also thank you to Esplanade.
- Bye bye, gonna go practice now! - Bye bye!
Yeah, we gotta practice.