@Marshall Wu Damn this isn't a goddamn concert or something. This is a tribute to a great man who will be missed dearly, go take your negative opinions elsewhere
Professional classical pianist here. I don't see any problem with Ms. Keys' performance and here are the reasons: 1. This is a memorial for the late Kobe Bryant, and I understand that this was a meaningful version for him and the family, so I think this is a beautiful tribute (If he really learned this by ear, he could have had a career in music if he chose to have the proper training, by the way). 2. Classical composers were rather flexible with their own pieces or other composers' works. For example, it is believed that Chopin only played the slower part of his Ballade Op. 38 when he toured England shortly before his death due to health reasons, and this is only one example of many. 3. Ms. Keys may not have the keyboard proficiency of a professional pianist but I could hear her musical ideas and could tell she had something to say. For this occasion, I think it worked perfectly. I may not be too familiar with her genre of music but I have a huge respect for her achievements. In a nutshell, don't be dumb. She did well.
Yes, music is for the masses, including classical music. She plays the piano well and was classically trained, but chose not to be a professional classical pianist. There are many ways to be an artist and a musician, and Alicia certainly is a testament to that.
As a classical musician, I appreciate her performance so so much! It has the depth and the emotions and the interpretation that hits all the right spots. She is spectacular, and classical pieces are not meant to be played only for a close circle of people. It's for everyone.
How incredible that Alicia performed a piano piece that was specifically fitting to the wishes of Vanessa and Kobe instead of coming to the funeral service performing one of her own songs. This is a sure sign of true respect for the family, to just perform a straight piano performance of Beethoven. Very sentimental she deserves every credit for this
Yes, respect to Alicia for performing a testament to Kobe, but I hesitate to call it “a straight piano performance of Beethoven.” It’s Beethoven inspired, not Beethoven.
John B. Soltis Yeah ... if that’s true, it’s messed up. No one should get paid that much for a mediocre performance of half a piece of music. I don’t mean that as an insult, she’s just not a classical pianist, and there are many who could have played it better.
everyone keeps bashing alicia keys for “not playing it correctly” she’s playing it how kobe used to play it and they didn’t get a “professional pianist” cuz alicia knew kobe
i don't think people are bashing her for playing it kobe's way, i think she straight up messed up. and i think people are more pressed bc she claims that she's classically trained but still messed up this piece. and the fact that there's too much stuff added, like the quartet and the conductor.
glow milk I get the reason for the arrangement since it was Kobe’s but I don’t get the added strings and conductor and I don’t think it sounded that good as far as piano playing went
i also think its insane how this piece was created almost 300 years ago and its still famous and its so heart breaking to how she cried to this almost unreal
As a pianist, I can clearly see that she put her entire soul into this performance. The way her body moves instinctively with the music, her facial expressions, the way she closes her eyes and just feels the music. You could hear and feel the emotion in this piece. Gorgeous and wonderful job to Alicia Keys and beautiful tribute to Kobe.
@@ennuiii Anyone can compose with Fl studio or Cubase. Not everyone can compose with Avid Sibelius. If you wanna know the difference, google it. And this " performance" was the first 18 bars of the piece repeated twice. Which is not THE MOONLIGHT SONATA. As the title says. So your " True musician" is a big fat liar. Unlike me.
@RondaSim Wow, how hateful & spiteful you are. Discusting, I am sure she played this very much to the Beethovens liking. With passion and meaning for her friend. Well done to Elisha and the composer.
@@Ally-StaffyLover " Wow, how hateful & spiteful you are" - who the f are you to say what I am? Nobody. "I am sure she played this very much to the Beethovens liking" - he is death, you f dummy, how do you know? Ha. You don't. " With passion and meaning for her friend." - do you know that only Orthodox Christians have a chance to go to heaven? Obviously not. Read a little, dumbi. " Well done to Elisha and the composer." - The composer is great. The " Elisha" [you spelled it wrong, dumbi] plaid the first 18 measures of the piece twice. Which should not be called " Moonlight sonata", but " Impression of the " Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia op.27 #2" by someone who does not know how to play piano. The end of your stupidity.
I can't believe Kobe actually learned to play this by ear. Then again remembering the Mamba's crazy work ethic and intelligence I'm not surprised too.😄
This was a song written by Beethoven for a student to learn to play..it just happens to be very romantic as well..But compared to most Beethoven piano works, this song is very easy. I'll give kobe some credit since he was a newby. :)
I love how now there are (finally)some NEW fans i think of the GREAT Beethoven.Most don't even know this song til' Alicia Keys played it beautifully perfectly at Kobe and Gianna's beautiful memorial. Not a dry eye in sight...
That can be debatable. He most likely learned to read the music score or at least a tablature. It's almost impossible to play piano by ear because it's a harmonic instrument with up to 4 individual voicings at the same time. The ear takes up to a decade of training to master this without reading a music score.
Have y’all seen the video the raw one he can barely play and skips the majority. In an official production they use a professional track and use a pros hands instead of his 😂
Sorry, but she actually messed up pretty bad. She and the accompanists covered the mistake pretty well, but if you knew this piece, you would know how badly she messed it up. If this was Vanessa's favorite piece, that must have been kind of jarring to hear.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I get that there may be technical flaws. I thought it was a moving piece played with emotion. Those of you gifted enough to be able to play this flawlessly - kudos - I still give Keyes props for performing well enough in front of an emotional crowd. If and when she is asked to play at Carnegie Hall and labels herself a concert pianist then will I hold her to a higher bar - but candidly will have to listen to Paderewski, Horowitz, or others to see if and how they played it.
An absolutely stunning performance. I don’t think I have ever seen her look so beautiful. The pressure had to be tremendous. Well done. RIP Kobe Bryant…💔💔❤️❤️
As a classical musician, I think that Alicia played beautifully. Yes, this isn’t the full 1st movement, but what matters is that she played in honour of Kobe. So please stop going at her because she didn’t play the full 1st movement.
this is refreshing to see. I don't really think the conductor is necessary. It is a quintet. Quintets rarely have one. Unless it is a bigger ensemble. Alicia is capable of leading with piano.
It was an unnecessary act of show-off. The aplausses and greeting at the end too. This was not a symphony, it was a memorial service. Bad taste always endures
They could’ve faced the strings so that they could see the pianist and she could give them cues when needed. Conductor was def unnecessary but it didn’t ruin anything.
@@adia_ashido706 Could've but then it's the discretion of the pianist to conduct or not. Need is a strong word in this idea. Because with that logic, what if AK wanted to just play and follow? I mean the sheet music is on her stand. What if she just wanted to play as good as possible and follow and not worry so much about what they're doing?
But the 'Moonlight' Sonata is both beautiful and perfect for beginners. The first movement - the most famous section - is also the most straightforward to play. For an advanced pianist, the sonata may be very easy (though still probably not enough to be called "one of the easiest pieces of classical music"). For an average student, though, the third movement is quite difficult. 2:43 [Classic FM; Piano Street]
“Life is like a piano. The white keys represent happiness and the black shows sadness. But as you go through life’s journey, remember that the black keys also make music.” edit: to people who put race into this: I'm black and know that you all have issues it's just a key on a fricking piano. to people who argue if black keys are sadness: I play the piano too and it's just a quote take a chill pill
I could feel the emotion she put into this and it literally brought me to tears I was never a fan of kobe not that I hated the man it just wasn't my thing but may he rest in peace along with his daughter
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
@@bayleehoward3394 I wonder the same thing, most likely due to the popularity and influence he had on other people. But, it still pains me to see the imbalanced sorrow shared in the community. May all their souls rest in peace.
Georges Cancan My grandfather smoked his whole life and got lung cancer. I swore I would never smoke a cigarette. For all of my life, I've adhered to this, and planned to spend the rest of my life not smoking. However, after reading your post, I see that I shouldn't have bothered, because your post just gave me cancer anyway.
@@brainmind4070 she is playing at a funeral... and your negative comment doesn’t take away she is a classically trained pianist. Not many Afro America celebrities can say that.
Kevin Wright dude if she’s a classically trained pianist she won’t go up on stage with sheet music. Give me a break, the first mvt of this beautiful masterpiece isn’t difficult for classical trained musicians. And for her mistake, that‘s okay because we all make them.
Kobe was my one of my heroes. And this song is my all time favorites. I was told I could never play it as never play piano so I went home taught myself and came back and played my own version of the song. Just like Kobe did for his wife, I did for my long lost love that wasn’t in my life yet…The song cuts deep for me.
@@ThePhreakass given that it's a funeral and that they're playing an emotional song, any tears here have a much higher chance to be genuine than fake, but ok, don't let these things stop you
I chose not to perform for my late brother's service - I wouldn't have gotten through it... I did choose to perform at my mom's service, and I barely got through it - it was all a fog... Alicia is a consummate pro - what a great performance.
imuawarriors It actually wasn't a good performance. About 2/3 of the piece is missing, and they just repeated the first passage of this movement. Also, I think Ms. Keys must have small hands because she was struggling with those ninths. You would flunk out of music school if this is how you performed Beethoven.
@@Pollo.a.la.crema. Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I played a piece for my best friend at her ceremony, indeed it was all a blur. I don’t remember how I played it with all those tears and emotions. But yet it is the most beautiful thing that I did for someone and most honorable.
Alicia Keys is so beautiful! Inside and out. She also did a beautiful job here. Can’t imagine the pressure of everyone watching and listening intently …just waiting for her to mess up.
@shrapnil moonlight sonata mvt. I really isn’t technically difficult, the notes are as easy as they sound, however articulating the piece correctly is what separates the amateur from the pro, needless to say Alicia performed it flawlessly
Because Kobe dedicated this exact same song and mastered this song with just an earpiece so he could of played this song to her. Plus Kobe also loved Beethoven. I understand why she is distraught and why she can't cope with the pain of losing Kobe and her daughter.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I'm a professional pianist. And I just want to say: Beautiful Performance! How dare can people send negavitity here while this performance is a dedication and an homage to Kobe Bryant?! Just because something is correct, does NOT mean it is beautiful. In this situation, it is not the "correctness" we have to focus on. Instead, we focus on compassion, empathy, love and the pain that his family is going through. So please, for the sake of kindness and compassion, pray for his family and remember his legacy.
I wish I had a dollar for every classical musician -- both orchestral and opera singer -- who has told me personally that expressivity is just as important, if not more so, than technical perfection. I can play the notes on the piano. I can't make them into music, because I don't have that gift, and no amount of lessons or training is going to give me that gift. My gift lies elsewhere.
Yup. I'm a professional musician and I can appreciate the intent behind this performance. Some people need to chill out. They're the ones who will destroy classical music by being so elitist and snobby.
I don't know how many people on here actually *know* Beethoven, but I can say Im sure Kobe could relate to Beethoven. Before I even heard that Kobe liked this song, I always felt Kobe had the heart and passion of some of the greats like Beethoven. Both men spent their lives looking up to their idols. To Kobe, that was Jordan. To Beethoven, it was Mozart. Its scary how much Kobe copied Jordan and how much Beethoven himself studied and copied Mozart. Both had to learn from the master, and both had extreme heart, dedication, and passion. Both of them strive endlessly to surpass their idol, and both of them had huge shoes to fill. I'm pretty sure, Kobe saw himself in the great Beethoven. Their lives were very similar in the fact they both wanted to get out of the shadows of their idol and have their own legacy. RIP Kobe
Amazing comment you made me cry so hard because it's true on every word you said in comparisons to Beethoven and him and Mozart and Jordan. Bravo sir 😭
Beethoven was not really in the shadow of Mozart. Also by the time Beethoven was in his prime Mozart had already died. In addition to that Mozart was extremely under appreciated for his time so it’s not that close.
THIS is what playing with emotion looks and sounds like! And not just Alicia, but all of the musicians and the conductor. You all moved me to tears. And what beautiful music. And what beautiful people, Kobe and Vanessa. I'm so sorry for her loss. Kobe and those who passed away will never be forgotten. Love to all of them, forever.
One of the worst versions of this extrodinarily beautiful piece I've ever heard. And the theatrics of the "conductor" were pitiful. A sonata is written for a SOLO instrument yet these idiots apparently think Beethoven got it wrong and added others to it. Please stay in your own lanes and leave the classics to real musicians who play and interpret what the composer actually wrote. Beethoven's legacy is still around almost 200 years after his death. These guys will be lucky to be remembered next week.
Exceptional!!! What can't this beautiful lady do? She acts, raps, dances and sings (wonderfully I must add), and now she's a classical pianist. Bravo! Wow.
music is cosmic, therefore all of it is timeless. Classical or not. Just depends on how exposed human beings are to the many colors of human mausicality and form irrespective of location, and tradition.
Ugh... the moment Vanessa dropped her head at the 1:53 mark just shattered my heart for her. You can just see the sadness, loneliness, and pain in her expression. What a devastating loss most of us will never comprehend.
@@chloe102 i meant privately. and he was a basketballer which is a sport. he wasnt a rapper that directly helped people s lives. noone showed him this support when he was alive
@@niccolomachiavelli8763 Dude, shut up. Many people look up to basketball players and idolize them. I knew many people who wore jerseys and shirts with him, and said that he was their favorite influence before he even died. He will probably have a bigger influence than you ever will.
This was so heartfelt at Kobe's funeral. Just absolutely beautiful played by Alicia. She was so into this moment. I could feel the song at this moment in a different way that I ever have. RIP all that died in the helicopter crash. Thanks Alicia for this beautiful job on this song.
@@justaman9564 Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I agree. The first movement is so haunting and that 3rd movement is a masterpiece. Honestly don't know what Beethoven was thinking when he wrote that 2nd movement though. It's not bad, but It just seems kind of out of place between two dark pieces of music. The 2nd movement is the black sheep of that piece of music.
@@camaro25 I equate the second movement as the flower between the two storms. As for me, I can't decide which movement I like better between the first and third. The first is relativerly easy to play, but the third requires years of piano study.
Devastating. His poor sweet wife. No words. Basketball was my first love and Beethoven was my second. I still turn to both for comfort. What a poignant performance. Prayers to all the devastated survivors. Too painful.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
Georges Cancan Why are you replying to everything with this? You’re not making a profound point. You come across as someone who thinks he is better than others. This is a man’s death, the piece was simplified as it was homage to the way Kobe played it, other than that it was wonderfully played. Shame on you.
@@stubbypepperroni2357 Respect the work of the ingenious composer! The vulgarity that we see and hear here has no right to exist! This is shame, this is shame!
It's so respectful of you to mentioned everyone who perished on that helicopter, not just Kobe and Gig, because he was famous. Those other families must have felt invisible, as the world mourned Kobe and his little girl. Bless all the souls who were lost and those left to mourn them.
@@josebohorquez2633 nope...it's called performing... If you legit think she played that whole song (minus the parts they cut) with no emotion, then you are just deliberately trying to hate on her. It looks like it's probably hard technically for her to play, but you can also see the facial strain on the downbeats of the most potent chords that IMO every musician can relate to. When a chord just hits you at your depths... This is coming from a guy that honestly can't name a single Alicia Keys song. I'm no fanboy haha
This is supposed to be played as Kobe played it to his wife (his performance is on YT) Kobe also passed away the day of this performance which means Alicia didn't rehearse this at all but instead was just familiar with his version and played it in tribute to him and his family.
One of the first pieces I learnt to play on the piano. I had the pleasure of learning on a grand piano at my highschool. Still my favourite piece of piano music. Beethoven and Alicia keys are musical geniuses.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I recommend listening to Czerny Op.692 Etude 19 Ballade and Czerny Op.756 Etude 3 Ballade 2, many will bring back memories of the good times they lived with a loved one who now rests in peace
@Robbiesixy Thank you very much for answering, almost nobody does. My goal is to share the music of Czerny that is almost forgotten, subscribe to my channel if you want to see more piano videos
It’s months later but I’m reading these comments and I’m really confused as to why it matters what movement she played or if she’s trained or not? It’s a funeral for Christ sakes and they wanted somebody they knew what instead of a stranger to play a piece Kobe knew. This is not the place to bicker about her playing if y’all wanna do that go listen to and actual performance of the sonata and let this woman honor her friend the way she wants.
There's a rule when playing classical music and that is to respect the original composer by following whatever he wrote on the sheet. Your interpretation can be different but essentially every classical piece is played the same.
What a unique and classical artist Alicia is. Ms. Keys is a national treasure in my book. There is no one out there like her. Thank you so much Alicia for sharing he beauty, warmth and love of you profound inner talents with us. They are always splendid.
Well it's a string quartet and a piano. To get the rubato correct, they needed a conductor. They'd be all over the place on their own.
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@@ddieter603 first off, the strings are unneccessary. And has any string quartet, anywhere, ever needed a 'conductor'? No...ofc not. Further, the guy looked like a circus act...totally ridiculous. This was a nice gesture, no doubt...but it was also heavy on the theatrics.
With all respect, when we are all dust and forgotten, even the guy who was so amazing at playing basketball will be long forgotten, they will still play and listen to this piece of music. THAT is immortality.
Kobe Bryant is literally the definition of influential and legendary that he is cemented in history for years to come, just as this song would be. He is far from ever being forgotten lmao
Lovely. I recalled my first year as a piano major, and my teacher assigned me this piece in partial fulfillment for the Classical piece for my end-of-the-semester exam. I saw other students play much more difficult Beethoven sonatas, so I was reluctant to practice this one. Why? Well, at that time, I kept telling myself "But everybody plays this piece.". It was the foolish version of me trying to be different. A week later, I finished the entire sonata, but before our lesson started on that Monday, I asked why I was playing something everybody knows already. My teacher said "I didn't give this to you because everybody plays it. I gave this to you so that you could tell a story." She was already implying that she knew my grandmother, who was at her time, an accomplished pianist as well. My grandmother would always play this when she came for a visit. It's a valuable piece of music. It's timeless. I don't think classically-trained people should feel bad or borderline disgusted by this version. I think Beethoven would be, rather, happy that his music still resonates in the modern generations. Imagine if Beethoven's Sonata wasn't even played at all, after he died. (formal name: Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27). There are people like Georgii Cherkin and Hauser Cello who continue to spread classical music in their own way. These two artists I mentioned have two things in common. First, they're both classically-trained. Second, they both arranged Beethoven's beloved piano sonata differently, yet it still positively affects the common listener. I mean, it's okay to have standards, and I completely understand that. However, insulting this version, which is Kobe's version being played by Alicia Keys, is out of the question. Okay, that aside. Honestly, my only complaint is why they didn't give Alicia Keys a piano that'll do justice to her touch. Okay fine, two complaints. The second one is how the piano's true sound is hindered by the case/lid being closed. When you play the piano with an open lid, there is this full and elegant ringing sound, and that's perfect for a piece of music like this.
I tweeted her and thanked her from my soul for this. I sat in my truck and wept in a parking lot. I wept for them, I wept for Alicia, and I wept for human genius.
@@newyorkny533 Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
This is one of the most beautiful compositions of all time. So moving. I so respect Alicia Keys. She’s not like the rest - she’s such a profound musical talent and did justice to this piece. I got weepy.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I recommend listening to Czerny Op.692 Etude 19 Ballade and Czerny Op.756 Etude 3 Ballade 2, many will bring back memories of the good times they lived with a loved one who now rests in peace
Georges Cancan you have replied with this on almost every comment... this was not meant to honor Beethoven, it was meant to honor someone who lost their life. Regardless of the rendition or the amount they played of this sonata, they did what was fitting for the memorial, and I’m sure that is something Beethoven would be proud of. People honoring his work and making it so that it can be used in a fitting way at such a sad time. Kobe was a fan of this sonata... I’m sure they knew this was not the textbook “correct” way to perform this, but it fit the situation. That is all that matters. I too am an avid lover of classical music, and I see no reason as to why this should be looked down upon. It was beautiful for that memorial.
I had tears in my eyes for Beyonce and Christina’s performances.. I wept while watching this. No words need to be sung to show the pain felt while playing this.
Even though it's not the full piece of the 1st movement. It's still very pretty and hauntingly beautiful. I played this version when my grandmother passed away the day after Christmas. It was her favorite sonata but I liked this one better.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
First, this says a lot about the person and artistic taste of Kobe. I can only imagine how emotional it was for family and friends to hear this deeply moving sonata at the service. Kobe was a class act.
I've been playing the piano for 25 years (classical education) and I'm happy to see her airing some of this piece. The addition of strings might seem scandalous to some, but I quite liked it. It's not overdone. I'm not afraid for the original, string-less piece. I would have liked to see the whole movement, but I can accept this as simply a different piece of music based on Beethoven. The discussions here are fascinating. Does Alicia Keys deserve glowing praise for her technical execution? Why do we even ask that? Is this about her? It shouldn't be. Music (like politics) loses some of its healing powers when we practice it as a competitive sport. Awe and empathy get lost in the heat of battle and artistic ambition can offer a strong disguise for conceit and cruelty, as evidenced in some of the comments here. When that happens, we end up looking down on non-trained pianists and envying our superiors to nervous breakdown.
Americans learn music in school, they have an incredibly high standard of education... Not surprising. More surprising to see s third world country Mexican doing this by ear, eating only bean burritos as lunch... That's impressive.
Wretchskull No, the third movement is definitely by far the most difficult of the three movements. You don't even realize how difficult playing the third movement well is until you try to learn the whole thing. Playing it WELL is quite difficult. And when I say playing it well, I'm not even talking about just hitting the right notes at the right time. I'm taking about dynamics, voicing, basically playing it in a way that is compelling and expressive. It is quite the challenge.
This song Just speaks to your soul it makes you cry just by listening to it being played, so I couldn't even imagine all of the emotions that we're going through Vanessa listen to Alicia play. This family is still in my prayers. Personally, as a verry amateur pianist, I am going to learn that song before I die if I don't do anything else.
The utter hatred in this comment section is appalling... Reminder that this is a FUNERAL, not a Juilliard recital, & therefore your criticisms of her rendition, the quintet, the conductor, and the passages omitted from this piece are irrelevant. Also, you cannot speak for Ludwig himself, whether or not he would love or hate this rendition is irrelevant, for he is very much dead.
It takes professional pianists months, sometimes years to perfect the 3mvt, if Alicia was a beginner, learning it would be absolutely insane, nearly impossible.
I think the conductor did help as with performances such as these they don’t have much time to rehearse they may have so rehearsed maybe once or twice so he probably helped with timing and keeping all the players in sync
@@rondasimcasualgaming8822 If Kobe Bryant learned a page of Moonlight Sonata it IS a big deal. I can play half of the first movement, still learning but I have practiced for hours just to do that. Probably take me another month to learn the rest if I stick with it.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I've always had such great admiration for Alicia Keys' musical talent and singing voice. What a beautiful tribute to Kobe and Vanessa. ✝ This is one of the most beautiful of Beethoven's pieces, "Moonlight Sonata. Alicia playing piano, played it "Stunningly and Exquisitely.
Learning that this was Kobe and Vanessa favorite musical pieces truly broke my heart because its mine as well. I never cried listen to this beautiful piece in the past, but now thats all I can do when I hear it.
I am an admittedly meh pianist with a music degree. I'm sorry but... That was breathtaking. Anyone criticizing that doesn't have a clue about music or the context. She played that beautifully. Absolutely beautifully.
@@Keonahawk24 Based on her playing Moonlight Sonata? Come on. This piece is actually easy to play., especially compared to other Beethoven's compositions.
@@MrSidney9 I hope you're not assuming that it's the only piece she knows how to play. Yes Moonlight Sonata is quite easy BUT that was Kobe's favorite classical piece, hence her playing it as a tribute. She's also vocally gifted so yes, she's a true musician in my book.
Not only is that song a much more difficult than it may seem song to play, I can’t imagine how emotionally difficult that was to play, on top of it. In a dramatized version in my head, Alicia plays furiously, through streaming tears and each note cuts into you like a knife. Beautifully played and an incredible tribute to a clearly very well loved man. Rest in Paradise, Kobe.
As a musician (mainly violinist) I can say this is one of the most passionate performances I've seen. It's not the whole I movement because this is the "version" Kobe learned! Beautiful tribute
Wow, so not only did Alica do outstanding preforming this timeless masterpiece but lets put this moment into context: Alicia Keys played this on her opening song "Piano & I" for her first album Song in A Minor (absolute classic in itself) back in 2001. Fast forward all the way to 2020 she is prefoming the whole Moonlight Sonata for Kobe and GiGi's memorial after a sudden tragedy when she used to play it for him during thier leisure. I commend her for not breaking down while playing such a masterful and somber piece.
This is one of my favorite classical pieces that I've loved since I was a small kid introduced to music in 4th grade,,in addition Alicia did such a beautiful job and it brought tears to my eyes..
Solid. This piece isn't easy to perform. One can't hide mistakes. When I first heard Alicia's play, I thought her timing was slightly off. I was wrong. She nailed it. God bless the memories of Kobe. God bless his family and all who loved him.
Thats why she didn't perform the whole movement, and had the score in front of her. Any 2nd year serious student can play the fraction of the piece with music to read. Upside...it isn't rap.
this is what real performers and talents looks like. probably 20 years ago we heard her sing well, and sit at the piano, but nobody knew that she can play piano very well actually.
when you're scrolling through the comment section looking for the piano elitists criticizing the performance, but all you see are comments about looking for the piano elitists criticizing the performance.
Absolutely beautiful performance. Brava Alicia 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 May Kobe’s soul rest in peace and rise in glory. And may all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Incredible to see pop musicians still performing classical music.
Willy J Ain't it? Just goes to show how timeless classical music can be. Immortal beloved .
Bery refreshing isn’t it
@Marshall Wu If you've nothing nice to say, keep it to yourself. This is a goddamn funeral, not a Juilliard recital.
@Marshall Wu Damn this isn't a goddamn concert or something. This is a tribute to a great man who will be missed dearly, go take your negative opinions elsewhere
@@teofrastobombasto she played it in Kobe's way, because Kobe learned it to play for his wife. Not the original ver.
As Beethoven once said " To play a wrong note is insignificant. To play without passion is inexcusable" Alicia had the passion here.
@@Kronus971 it's extremely difficult to play it in the right way even if it's a slow piece. Definitely not for s beginner
@@Kronus971 It seems that playing the piano comes much more easily to you than either modesty or humility. Thats a pity!
@@ciderpress6656 leave him alone, hes a musical powerhouse, apparently
@@Kronus971 doesn't matter if you hit all the right notes, it matters how you play it
Good thing Beethoven was deaf. He would have dug his own grave if he had to listen to this.
Professional classical pianist here. I don't see any problem with Ms. Keys' performance and here are the reasons:
1. This is a memorial for the late Kobe Bryant, and I understand that this was a meaningful version for him and the family, so I think this is a beautiful tribute (If he really learned this by ear, he could have had a career in music if he chose to have the proper training, by the way).
2. Classical composers were rather flexible with their own pieces or other composers' works. For example, it is believed that Chopin only played the slower part of his Ballade Op. 38 when he toured England shortly before his death due to health reasons, and this is only one example of many.
3. Ms. Keys may not have the keyboard proficiency of a professional pianist but I could hear her musical ideas and could tell she had something to say. For this occasion, I think it worked perfectly. I may not be too familiar with her genre of music but I have a huge respect for her achievements.
In a nutshell, don't be dumb. She did well.
Wow a reasonable, empathic person! Didn't think they made these anymore..
Yes, music is for the masses, including classical music. She plays the piano well and was classically trained, but chose not to be a professional classical pianist. There are many ways to be an artist and a musician, and Alicia certainly is a testament to that.
😂 nobody ask you to rate her performance
@@SUGAR_XYLER but 200+ people liked what he wrote. Including me
I still feel like it would’ve been better if she practiced 40 hours more
As a classical musician, I appreciate her performance so so much! It has the depth and the emotions and the interpretation that hits all the right spots. She is spectacular, and classical pieces are not meant to be played only for a close circle of people. It's for everyone.
How incredible that Alicia performed a piano piece that was specifically fitting to the wishes of Vanessa and Kobe instead of coming to the funeral service performing one of her own songs. This is a sure sign of true respect for the family, to just perform a straight piano performance of Beethoven. Very sentimental she deserves every credit for this
Dressed for the wrong occasion though.
Yes, respect to Alicia for performing a testament to Kobe, but I hesitate to call it “a straight piano performance of Beethoven.” It’s Beethoven inspired, not Beethoven.
RIP Kobe ... but she try to hard to play sad :( and i dont mean the Piano
She still got paid for the gig. 1.2 mill.
John B. Soltis Yeah ... if that’s true, it’s messed up. No one should get paid that much for a mediocre performance of half a piece of music. I don’t mean that as an insult, she’s just not a classical pianist, and there are many who could have played it better.
everyone keeps bashing alicia keys for “not playing it correctly” she’s playing it how kobe used to play it and they didn’t get a “professional pianist” cuz alicia knew kobe
i don't think people are bashing her for playing it kobe's way, i think she straight up messed up. and i think people are more pressed bc she claims that she's classically trained but still messed up this piece. and the fact that there's too much stuff added, like the quartet and the conductor.
To be honest, it was kind of a lame performance. At least get a professional to play in front of millions.
@@bunnysenpaimon6742 it's a funeral service, it's not about playing the piece flawlessly, but paying a tribute
glow milk I get the reason for the arrangement since it was Kobe’s but I don’t get the added strings and conductor and I don’t think it sounded that good as far as piano playing went
Alicia is a professional pianist
i also think its insane how this piece was created almost 300 years ago and its still famous and its so heart breaking to how she cried to this almost unreal
The person who created this was also deaf. Let that sink in.
Only classical music can be so timeless
Every single time I hear this piece my tears come out.. this is by far the best music ever created
Great music/art will always transcends time.
No it was 200 years ago dummy
As a pianist, I can clearly see that she put her entire soul into this performance. The way her body moves instinctively with the music, her facial expressions, the way she closes her eyes and just feels the music. You could hear and feel the emotion in this piece. Gorgeous and wonderful job to Alicia Keys and beautiful tribute to Kobe.
if you are pianist and like this than you are not piano player at all. Liar.
I believe she composes her own works! She's a tried and true musician, one of the best voices ever and a great player too
@@ennuiii Anyone can compose with Fl studio or Cubase. Not everyone can compose with Avid Sibelius. If you wanna know the difference, google it. And this " performance" was the first 18 bars of the piece repeated twice. Which is not THE MOONLIGHT SONATA. As the title says. So your " True musician" is a big fat liar. Unlike me.
@RondaSim Wow, how hateful & spiteful you are. Discusting, I am sure she played this very much to the Beethovens liking. With passion and meaning for her friend. Well done to Elisha and the composer.
@@Ally-StaffyLover " Wow, how hateful & spiteful you are" - who the f are you to say what I am? Nobody.
"I am sure she played this very much to the Beethovens liking" - he is death, you f dummy, how do you know? Ha. You don't.
" With passion and meaning for her friend." - do you know that only Orthodox Christians have a chance to go to heaven? Obviously not. Read a little, dumbi.
" Well done to Elisha and the composer." - The composer is great. The " Elisha" [you spelled it wrong, dumbi] plaid the first 18 measures of the piece twice. Which should not be called " Moonlight sonata", but " Impression of the " Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia op.27 #2" by someone who does not know how to play piano.
The end of your stupidity.
I can't believe Kobe actually learned to play this by ear. Then again remembering the Mamba's crazy work ethic and intelligence I'm not surprised too.😄
He work tirelessly day and night mastering this song for Vanessa knowing she loved this song. What an amazing human being.
This was a song written by Beethoven for a student to learn to play..it just happens to be very romantic as well..But compared to most Beethoven piano works, this song is very easy. I'll give kobe some credit since he was a newby. :)
I love how now there are (finally)some NEW fans i think of the GREAT Beethoven.Most don't even know this song til' Alicia Keys played it beautifully perfectly at Kobe and Gianna's beautiful memorial. Not a dry eye in sight...
That can be debatable. He most likely learned to read the music score or at least a tablature. It's almost impossible to play piano by ear because it's a harmonic instrument with up to 4 individual voicings at the same time. The ear takes up to a decade of training to master this without reading a music score.
Have y’all seen the video the raw one he can barely play and skips the majority. In an official production they use a professional track and use a pros hands instead of his 😂
Alicia Keyes has been and always will be class. A loving and brilliant musical tribute to Kobe Bryant.
This was kobes and Vanessa's song, Kobe mastered this beautiful song with just an earpiece no instructor no paper just an earpiece.
Kitsch! Kitsch! Kitsch! Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu ...!!!
Sorry, but she actually messed up pretty bad. She and the accompanists covered the mistake pretty well, but if you knew this piece, you would know how badly she messed it up. If this was Vanessa's favorite piece, that must have been kind of jarring to hear.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I get that there may be technical flaws. I thought it was a moving piece played with emotion. Those of you gifted enough to be able to play this flawlessly - kudos - I still give Keyes props for performing well enough in front of an emotional crowd. If and when she is asked to play at Carnegie Hall and labels herself a concert pianist then will I hold her to a higher bar - but candidly will have to listen to Paderewski, Horowitz, or others to see if and how they played it.
She's got the right surname for a pianist!
lol
Lol
Lol
Good pun
haha
An absolutely stunning performance. I don’t think I have ever seen her look so beautiful. The pressure had to be tremendous. Well done.
RIP Kobe Bryant…💔💔❤️❤️
As a classical musician, I think that Alicia played beautifully. Yes, this isn’t the full 1st movement, but what matters is that she played in honour of Kobe. So please stop going at her because she didn’t play the full 1st movement.
It’s because she played Kobe’s version of the song.
@@may-kr1bp Unfortunately, she didn't play the whole piece muffled.
Jonathan Hertsch It was for Kobe though and that was the point😀
@@may-kr1bp Oh... My comment was not related to yours now sry.
Jonathan Hertsch oh ok np
this is refreshing to see. I don't really think the conductor is necessary. It is a quintet. Quintets rarely have one. Unless it is a bigger ensemble. Alicia is capable of leading with piano.
It was an unnecessary act of show-off. The aplausses and greeting at the end too. This was not a symphony, it was a memorial service. Bad taste always endures
The sound is probably a world's different than a recital hall. I can see why they'd decide to go for a conductor.
David Cipriano I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY-
They could’ve faced the strings so that they could see the pianist and she could give them cues when needed. Conductor was def unnecessary but it didn’t ruin anything.
@@adia_ashido706 Could've but then it's the discretion of the pianist to conduct or not. Need is a strong word in this idea. Because with that logic, what if AK wanted to just play and follow? I mean the sheet music is on her stand. What if she just wanted to play as good as possible and follow and not worry so much about what they're doing?
I’m here in heaven teaching Kobe the rest of the sonata 🎵
Teach him well
Lol
Reading this gave me chills
fuck...damn. you can't just do that to us without warning. i need a minute to process. chills
Wtf Ahahahaha
I love a well-rounded artist, she writes, composes, sings and also plays classical music, wow!!!!
But the 'Moonlight' Sonata is both beautiful and perfect for beginners. The first movement - the most famous section - is also the most straightforward to play.
For an advanced pianist, the sonata may be very easy (though still probably not enough to be called "one of the easiest pieces of classical music"). For an average student, though, the third movement is quite difficult. 2:43 [Classic FM; Piano Street]
“Life is like a piano. The white keys represent happiness and the black shows sadness. But as you go through life’s journey, remember that the black keys also make music.”
edit:
to people who put race into this: I'm black and know that you all have issues it's just a key on a fricking piano.
to people who argue if black keys are sadness: I play the piano too and it's just a quote take a chill pill
Oooh you musn't say that. Someone will call you a racist.
@@PenzancePete 😂
So, is this how The Black Keys got their name?
Thank you . I shall try to use that quote in my life from now on. It allows me to make sense of the pain that has run through me for decades.
The alicia keys are great too
I could feel the emotion she put into this and it literally brought me to tears I was never a fan of kobe not that I hated the man it just wasn't my thing but may he rest in peace along with his daughter
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
Georges Cancan are you like... good?
@@bayleehoward3394 I wonder the same thing, most likely due to the popularity and influence he had on other people. But, it still pains me to see the imbalanced sorrow shared in the community. May all their souls rest in peace.
Georges Cancan
My grandfather smoked his whole life and got lung cancer. I swore I would never smoke a cigarette. For all of my life, I've adhered to this, and planned to spend the rest of my life not smoking. However, after reading your post, I see that I shouldn't have bothered, because your post just gave me cancer anyway.
@@bayleehoward3394 The same reason nobody mentions the other thousands of people that died that day. Why do you idiots not comprehend that?
A classical trained artist. She deserves far more credit then people give her
nop
She screwed up. I winced when she did. She covered her mistake okay, but that was not Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata First Movement.
@@brainmind4070 she is playing at a funeral... and your negative comment doesn’t take away she is a classically trained pianist. Not many Afro America celebrities can say that.
not classically trained you can tell, and if she was shed play the 3rd movement
Kevin Wright dude if she’s a classically trained pianist she won’t go up on stage with sheet music. Give me a break, the first mvt of this beautiful masterpiece isn’t difficult for classical trained musicians. And for her mistake, that‘s okay because we all make them.
Kobe was my one of my heroes. And this song is my all time favorites. I was told I could never play it as never play piano so I went home taught myself and came back and played my own version of the song. Just like Kobe did for his wife, I did for my long lost love that wasn’t in my life yet…The song cuts deep for me.
I wish you the best.
I have a friend from Malaysia. She's met him. Be careful whom you choose to be your hero.
Best wishes king
You can tell she's hurting through the music. Beautifully played
yes her life will never be the same again
Crocodile tears lol nice piece though
@@ThePhreakass given that it's a funeral and that they're playing an emotional song, any tears here have a much higher chance to be genuine than fake, but ok, don't let these things stop you
Uncomfortable chair
@@agentwrench Yeah, nobody ever pretended to cry at a funeral gg bro
Can’t believe that there are actually people who go out of their way to dislike a video. Especially for a memorial service.
Yeah i dont know whats wrong with the negative people
Probably because its not a played on a Steinway
i disliked the video
@@UtopiaBettaThanAstro Why?
Because they are rude
I chose not to perform for my late brother's service - I wouldn't have gotten through it... I did choose to perform at my mom's service, and I barely got through it - it was all a fog... Alicia is a consummate pro - what a great performance.
imuawarriors It actually wasn't a good performance. About 2/3 of the piece is missing, and they just repeated the first passage of this movement. Also, I think Ms. Keys must have small hands because she was struggling with those ninths.
You would flunk out of music school if this is how you performed Beethoven.
Brain Mind dude fuck you this was a tribute not a performance for your senior thesis tf gtoh
@@Pollo.a.la.crema. Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I played a piece for my best friend at her ceremony, indeed it was all a blur. I don’t remember how I played it with all those tears and emotions. But yet it is the most beautiful thing that I did for someone and most honorable.
@@brainmind4070 what was even worse to me was the super fast tempo and lack of dynamics, the tempo was smudged at a lot.
Alicia Keys is so beautiful! Inside and out. She also did a beautiful job here. Can’t imagine the pressure of everyone watching and listening intently …just waiting for her to mess up.
A professional musician has been in performance so many times any sense of nervousness is replaced by KNOWING you won't screw up.
she's real
😂😂😂😂
@shrapnil moonlight sonata mvt. I really isn’t technically difficult, the notes are as easy as they sound, however articulating the piece correctly is what separates the amateur from the pro, needless to say Alicia performed it flawlessly
Why would they be waiting for her to mess up? She is a world class pianist.
Poor Vanessa, when she looked down I lost it 😭
proudmommy88 broke my heart 😞 she couldn’t stop crying after that 😢
Because Kobe dedicated this exact same song and mastered this song with just an earpiece so he could of played this song to her. Plus Kobe also loved Beethoven. I understand why she is distraught and why she can't cope with the pain of losing Kobe and her daughter.
Kitsch!!! Kitsch!!! Kitsch!!! Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu,,,!!!
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
You don’t know her?
How she’s playing this as a mother, as a wife…..It’s truly heart wrenching and beautiful at the same time. This piece is absolutely timeless.
that's why they call it pop music. will always be popular
Too fast
@@kuzanaokiji2718 Fast is better
Omg so sad that people die! 😭 It's not like we KNOW we will die huh
@@arizonacolour8793 I feel sorry for your mother and your father, as I now know how you will react at their death bed.
I'm a professional pianist. And I just want to say: Beautiful Performance! How dare can people send negavitity here while this performance is a dedication and an homage to Kobe Bryant?! Just because something is correct, does NOT mean it is beautiful. In this situation, it is not the "correctness" we have to focus on. Instead, we focus on compassion, empathy, love and the pain that his family is going through. So please, for the sake of kindness and compassion, pray for his family and remember his legacy.
Well said
I wish I had a dollar for every classical musician -- both orchestral and opera singer -- who has told me personally that expressivity is just as important, if not more so, than technical perfection.
I can play the notes on the piano. I can't make them into music, because I don't have that gift, and no amount of lessons or training is going to give me that gift. My gift lies elsewhere.
I don't think the women who were sexually abused and another raped would feel the same about Bryant as others.
@@JR-px5rd wrong place to say that, and wrong time
Performance was good but this is not Beethoven’s moonlight sonata
She put her heart and soul in that joint! Beautifully done!
In that joint have some fucking respect and assimilate. Beethoven isn’t a joint…it’s a masterpiece. Sick of you hanger ons
this comment section is so negative. this was a memorial. have some respect.
Yup. I'm a professional musician and I can appreciate the intent behind this performance. Some people need to chill out. They're the ones who will destroy classical music by being so elitist and snobby.
Your comment is negative, so take your own advice.
@@chaiTV irrelevant.
@@amukelanibotes3432 lol
Here's my foot, don't let it kick you in the head on the way out stage left.
I don't know how many people on here actually *know* Beethoven, but I can say Im sure Kobe could relate to Beethoven. Before I even heard that Kobe liked this song, I always felt Kobe had the heart and passion of some of the greats like Beethoven. Both men spent their lives looking up to their idols. To Kobe, that was Jordan. To Beethoven, it was Mozart. Its scary how much Kobe copied Jordan and how much Beethoven himself studied and copied Mozart. Both had to learn from the master, and both had extreme heart, dedication, and passion. Both of them strive endlessly to surpass their idol, and both of them had huge shoes to fill. I'm pretty sure, Kobe saw himself in the great Beethoven. Their lives were very similar in the fact they both wanted to get out of the shadows of their idol and have their own legacy. RIP Kobe
😥❤
Amazing comment you made me cry so hard because it's true on every word you said in comparisons to Beethoven and him and Mozart and Jordan. Bravo sir 😭
@@hectorpac1470 I drew the parallel two weeks ago. I had never realized it before. I'm a Kobe fan and Beethoven fan :) Its amazing how similar it is.
This is so inaccurate wow
Beethoven was not really in the shadow of Mozart. Also by the time Beethoven was in his prime Mozart had already died. In addition to that Mozart was extremely under appreciated for his time so it’s not that close.
THIS is what playing with emotion looks and sounds like! And not just Alicia, but all of the musicians and the conductor. You all moved me to tears. And what beautiful music. And what beautiful people, Kobe and Vanessa. I'm so sorry for her loss. Kobe and those who passed away will never be forgotten. Love to all of them, forever.
Only reason she looked like that was she was struggling keeping it beethoven tight!
@@peterschissler7299 do you even know what „emotion“ means?🤔
@@MarieRog420 She played too fast and sped up in many places. I also heard no variation in dynamics. not much emotion I can hear besides the end.
@@isaacshopov1223 Maybe its because I heard sooo many bad versions, that I can’t hear these problems🤣
One of the worst versions of this extrodinarily beautiful piece I've ever heard. And the theatrics of the "conductor" were pitiful. A sonata is written for a SOLO instrument yet these idiots apparently think Beethoven got it wrong and added others to it. Please stay in your own lanes and leave the classics to real musicians who play and interpret what the composer actually wrote. Beethoven's legacy is still around almost 200 years after his death. These guys will be lucky to be remembered next week.
Exceptional!!! What can't this beautiful lady do? She acts, raps, dances and sings (wonderfully I must add), and now she's a classical pianist. Bravo! Wow.
Good to see a lot of people still appreciate classical music, it’s classical and immortal forever
Maybe one day we will rise
music is cosmic, therefore all of it is timeless. Classical or not. Just depends on how exposed human beings are to the many colors of human mausicality and form irrespective of location, and tradition.
human musicality*
Ugh... the moment Vanessa dropped her head at the 1:53 mark just shattered my heart for her. You can just see the sadness, loneliness, and pain in her expression. What a devastating loss most of us will never comprehend.
you didnt even know him stop acting as if he was of big importance 🤦♂️
@@niccolomachiavelli8763 Everyone in the nation knew who he was. He was an amazing basketball player. He definitely had great importance.
@@chloe102 i meant privately. and he was a basketballer which is a sport. he wasnt a rapper that directly helped people s lives. noone showed him this support when he was alive
@@niccolomachiavelli8763 Dude, shut up. Many people look up to basketball players and idolize them. I knew many people who wore jerseys and shirts with him, and said that he was their favorite influence before he even died. He will probably have a bigger influence than you ever will.
@@niccolomachiavelli8763 he did direct help people’s lives lol.
Reading the comments and everyone is talking about negativity but I only see positivity
If you sort by newest comments first you'll see them.
said the fox to the chicken
@@theoduval1408 what?
Press newest first
@@yuremm21 this was 6 months ago like I still care
Beethoven, one of the composers who translated emotions into music. Such a brilliant guy
This was so heartfelt at Kobe's funeral. Just absolutely beautiful played by Alicia. She was so into this moment. I could feel the song at this moment in a different way that I ever have. RIP all that died in the helicopter crash. Thanks Alicia for this beautiful job on this song.
Sonata not song
@@bowler8 You could also just say it's a "piece" or a work of music. I too really hate this trend of calling all classical music "songs".
Great sentiment, average performance, but her emotion was put into, pity it didn’t translate to the soumd
@@justaman9564 Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
@@georgescancan7503 LMAO...better get out your smelling salts
Moonlight Sonata can not, should not, and must not ever disappear.
My favorite classical music to play
It will prove its own timelessness. You will naturally pass it on if you love it.
@Commendatore 2pac Shakur will never Disappear
I agree. The first movement is so haunting and that 3rd movement is a masterpiece. Honestly don't know what Beethoven was thinking when he wrote that 2nd movement though. It's not bad, but It just seems kind of out of place between two dark pieces of music. The 2nd movement is the black sheep of that piece of music.
@@camaro25 I equate the second movement as the flower between the two storms. As for me, I can't decide which movement I like better between the first and third. The first is relativerly easy to play, but the third requires years of piano study.
Devastating. His poor sweet wife. No words. Basketball was my first love and Beethoven was my second. I still turn to both for comfort. What a poignant performance. Prayers to all the devastated survivors. Too painful.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
Georges Cancan Why are you replying to everything with this? You’re not making a profound point. You come across as someone who thinks he is better than others. This is a man’s death, the piece was simplified as it was homage to the way Kobe played it, other than that it was wonderfully played. Shame on you.
@@stubbypepperroni2357 Respect the work of the ingenious composer! The vulgarity that we see and hear here has no right to exist! This is shame, this is shame!
@@georgescancan7503 No, you should be ashamed for disrespecting the death of a man and his daughter.
@@georgescancan7503 Shut up will you, this is a tribute not a goddamn recital
This was exquisite! I can always hear her classical training in everything she plays! What special night this must have been for the Bryant family!! 🦋
IDK it seemed like she was struggling with it a little bit, and it’s not even a difficult piece.
@@Sloimer but she played with every part of her being! I didn’t infer that she was genius! Yes I’m awake in the middle of the night! Lol
@@coryd2668 I understand - sorry just difference of opinion. And yes I’m up in the middle of the night too hahaha
@@Sloimer that’s cool! Now get some sleep! 😴💤
@@coryd2668lol ok
I've heard many people playing this classical piece, but you cannot help but be moved by this performance. That is art.
who’s here one year later. you will be missed Kobe, Gigi, Payton, Sarah, Alyssa, Keri, John, Christina, and Ara. 💜💛🖤
It's so respectful of you to mentioned everyone who perished on that helicopter, not just Kobe and Gig, because he was famous. Those other families must have felt invisible, as the world mourned Kobe and his little girl. Bless all the souls who were lost and those left to mourn them.
Geez… this has to be her hardest performance, you can see the emotional strain on her. Excellent performance
It's called acting ....
Made lots of mistakes 😂
@@josebohorquez2633 nope...it's called performing... If you legit think she played that whole song (minus the parts they cut) with no emotion, then you are just deliberately trying to hate on her. It looks like it's probably hard technically for her to play, but you can also see the facial strain on the downbeats of the most potent chords that IMO every musician can relate to. When a chord just hits you at your depths...
This is coming from a guy that honestly can't name a single Alicia Keys song. I'm no fanboy haha
@@josebohorquez2633 she's playing it the way Kobe learned it by ear for his wife because this is a tribute to them
This is supposed to be played as Kobe played it to his wife (his performance is on YT) Kobe also passed away the day of this performance which means Alicia didn't rehearse this at all but instead was just familiar with his version and played it in tribute to him and his family.
One of the first pieces I learnt to play on the piano. I had the pleasure of learning on a grand piano at my highschool. Still my favourite piece of piano music. Beethoven and Alicia keys are musical geniuses.
wow, you started right away with this piece? right...
@@ibizakingI did too, played it hours a day for weeks till I got it perfect.
Bro started with moonlight sonata lmfaoooo stop capping
What a beautiful arrangement when I saw Vanessa crying I started sobbing
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I recommend listening to Czerny Op.692 Etude 19 Ballade and Czerny Op.756 Etude 3 Ballade 2, many will bring back memories of the good times they lived with a loved one who now rests in peace
@Robbiesixy Thank you very much for answering, almost nobody does. My goal is to share the music of Czerny that is almost forgotten, subscribe to my channel if you want to see more piano videos
@@georgescancan7503 Oh my God. You are the vulgarity.
'beautiful' is probably the last word I'd use to describe the arrangement.
It was abhorrent, and Alicia's playing made it worse.
It’s months later but I’m reading these comments and I’m really confused as to why it matters what movement she played or if she’s trained or not? It’s a funeral for Christ sakes and they wanted somebody they knew what instead of a stranger to play a piece Kobe knew. This is not the place to bicker about her playing if y’all wanna do that go listen to and actual performance of the sonata and let this woman honor her friend the way she wants.
Then dont broadcast it on youtube lol dumbass
Yes but she must have honor to Beethoven
Well said these idiots just want to moan about anything they can
There's a rule when playing classical music and that is to respect the original composer by following whatever he wrote on the sheet. Your interpretation can be different but essentially every classical piece is played the same.
ArvinJKA Azodi yeah, but Kobe played it differently for his wife. Keys played it the same way Kobe played it.
POV: ur looking for the mean comments everyone’s talking about
I still haven't found a single negative comment. Like wtf are people talking about
Zackie chan right.
This. Haven't found any of those comments yet
I still haven't seen one
Kinda wondering if those people just makin' it up tho.
What a unique and classical artist Alicia is. Ms. Keys is a national treasure in my book. There is no one out there like her. Thank you so much Alicia for sharing he beauty, warmth and love of you profound inner talents with us. They are always splendid.
She’s just a class act
It’s a bit strange to have a conductor there, it’s only a string quartet
Its ridiculous...
Well it's a string quartet and a piano. To get the rubato correct, they needed a conductor. They'd be all over the place on their own.
@@ddieter603 first off, the strings are unneccessary. And has any string quartet, anywhere, ever needed a 'conductor'? No...ofc not. Further, the guy looked like a circus act...totally ridiculous. This was a nice gesture, no doubt...but it was also heavy on the theatrics.
Literally conducted each beat on the last full measure like come on 😂
it was an emotional performance. they could have needed a guide just in case.
Imagine she busts out playing the 3rd movement.
That would scare me so bad
should I laugh? 😭
She’s a pop artist... I’d actually be impressed
@@dreyegon_9006 Alicia Keys is classically trained, I wouldn't be surprised
god if only
“The comment section is so hateful, she did a great job!” The comment section: “The comment section is so hateful, she did a great job!”
Yeah wtf?
Wat
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA SO TRUE
@African rose this is a joke, right?
@@dannyhelser5824 think/Hope so too
With all respect, when we are all dust and forgotten, even the guy who was so amazing at playing basketball will be long forgotten, they will still play and listen to this piece of music. THAT is immortality.
Kobe Bryant is literally the definition of influential and legendary that he is cemented in history for years to come, just as this song would be. He is far from ever being forgotten lmao
Lovely. I recalled my first year as a piano major, and my teacher assigned me this piece in partial fulfillment for the Classical piece for my end-of-the-semester exam. I saw other students play much more difficult Beethoven sonatas, so I was reluctant to practice this one. Why? Well, at that time, I kept telling myself "But everybody plays this piece.". It was the foolish version of me trying to be different. A week later, I finished the entire sonata, but before our lesson started on that Monday, I asked why I was playing something everybody knows already. My teacher said "I didn't give this to you because everybody plays it. I gave this to you so that you could tell a story." She was already implying that she knew my grandmother, who was at her time, an accomplished pianist as well. My grandmother would always play this when she came for a visit.
It's a valuable piece of music. It's timeless. I don't think classically-trained people should feel bad or borderline disgusted by this version. I think Beethoven would be, rather, happy that his music still resonates in the modern generations. Imagine if Beethoven's Sonata wasn't even played at all, after he died. (formal name: Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27). There are people like Georgii Cherkin and Hauser Cello who continue to spread classical music in their own way. These two artists I mentioned have two things in common. First, they're both classically-trained. Second, they both arranged Beethoven's beloved piano sonata differently, yet it still positively affects the common listener. I mean, it's okay to have standards, and I completely understand that. However, insulting this version, which is Kobe's version being played by Alicia Keys, is out of the question.
Okay, that aside.
Honestly, my only complaint is why they didn't give Alicia Keys a piano that'll do justice to her touch. Okay fine, two complaints. The second one is how the piano's true sound is hindered by the case/lid being closed. When you play the piano with an open lid, there is this full and elegant ringing sound, and that's perfect for a piece of music like this.
Hi
That's really touching about your grandmother. That's pretty awesome.
lol bs
@@bobbychengpianist Hi!
@@theguyfromwalgreens Thank you :)
seeing a musician emotional while they're playing is everything
Thats Alicia Keys
I tweeted her and thanked her from my soul for this. I sat in my truck and wept in a parking lot. I wept for them, I wept for Alicia, and I wept for human genius.
Stfu
Stfu
Beautiful comment, Vince. Thank you.
@@newyorkny533 Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
Stfu
This is one of the most beautiful compositions of all time. So moving. I so respect Alicia Keys. She’s not like the rest - she’s
such a profound musical talent and did justice to this piece. I got weepy.
My heart came out at this point of the ceremony
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
I recommend listening to Czerny Op.692 Etude 19 Ballade and Czerny Op.756 Etude 3 Ballade 2, many will bring back memories of the good times they lived with a loved one who now rests in peace
Georges Cancan you have replied with this on almost every comment... this was not meant to honor Beethoven, it was meant to honor someone who lost their life. Regardless of the rendition or the amount they played of this sonata, they did what was fitting for the memorial, and I’m sure that is something Beethoven would be proud of. People honoring his work and making it so that it can be used in a fitting way at such a sad time. Kobe was a fan of this sonata... I’m sure they knew this was not the textbook “correct” way to perform this, but it fit the situation. That is all that matters. I too am an avid lover of classical music, and I see no reason as to why this should be looked down upon. It was beautiful for that memorial.
Wow she played it so beautifully, even live with all of that pressure to perform. What a tribute. Respect!
I've heard children play this better
@@youtubesucks1821 Cringe
@@xij3505 I don't care what you think about the objective truth I've stated
@@youtubesucks1821 L
@@xij3505 You're the one taking the L because you don't have an ear for music
I had tears in my eyes for Beyonce and Christina’s performances.. I wept while watching this. No words need to be sung to show the pain felt while playing this.
Even though it's not the full piece of the 1st movement. It's still very pretty and hauntingly beautiful. I played this version when my grandmother passed away the day after Christmas. It was her favorite sonata but I liked this one better.
Everybody gangsta till moonlight sonata comes on. What a powerful piece of history that will never diminish. Perfect choice to me.
And boy did she do a phenomenal job. Pure perfection Alicia. Lord, bless the entire family and all who were affected.
She's actually a pretty competent pianist for a pop artist. Obviously not a concerto level.
Kitsch! Kitsch! Kitsch! Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...!!!
She didn't play the full movement, is quite the problem for us classical fanatics. I guess good effort for trying, she gave out excellent emotion.
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
Karan Patel i am not a professional musician but It’s really nOt that big of a deal for you to call people fat ugly or dumb:))
First, this says a lot about the person and artistic taste of Kobe. I can only imagine how emotional it was for family and friends to hear this deeply moving sonata at the service. Kobe was a class act.
Alicia Keys has got it all…beauty, musical talent & personality. She is indeed an icon to the music world.
She did this piece justice. Very emotional and she played with her heart. Well done lads! You did Kobe and Vanessa proud x
I've been playing the piano for 25 years (classical education) and I'm happy to see her airing some of this piece. The addition of strings might seem scandalous to some, but I quite liked it. It's not overdone. I'm not afraid for the original, string-less piece. I would have liked to see the whole movement, but I can accept this as simply a different piece of music based on Beethoven.
The discussions here are fascinating. Does Alicia Keys deserve glowing praise for her technical execution? Why do we even ask that? Is this about her? It shouldn't be. Music (like politics) loses some of its healing powers when we practice it as a competitive sport. Awe and empathy get lost in the heat of battle and artistic ambition can offer a strong disguise for conceit and cruelty, as evidenced in some of the comments here. When that happens, we end up looking down on non-trained pianists and envying our superiors to nervous breakdown.
You are a legend.
@@rex9463 Thanks :-D
Beautifully said
you put it to words
This comment needs to be seen more
Crazy how Kobe learned this song for vanessa, such a talented guy
Americans learn music in school, they have an incredibly high standard of education... Not surprising. More surprising to see s third world country Mexican doing this by ear, eating only bean burritos as lunch... That's impressive.
It’s also a heavily cut version. All the difficulty is taken out
This portion of the movement is not incredibly difficult (1/3). With enough patience and practice, you could eventually perform it.
Wretchskull bruh not at all the first movement is the easier and the most difficult is the third movement you can check if you want
Wretchskull No, the third movement is definitely by far the most difficult of the three movements.
You don't even realize how difficult playing the third movement well is until you try to learn the whole thing. Playing it WELL is quite difficult.
And when I say playing it well, I'm not even talking about just hitting the right notes at the right time. I'm taking about dynamics, voicing, basically playing it in a way that is compelling and expressive. It is quite the challenge.
This song Just speaks to your soul it makes you cry just by listening to it being played, so I couldn't even imagine all of the emotions that we're going through Vanessa listen to Alicia play. This family is still in my prayers. Personally, as a verry amateur pianist, I am going to learn that song before I die if I don't do anything else.
The utter hatred in this comment section is appalling... Reminder that this is a FUNERAL, not a Juilliard recital, & therefore your criticisms of her rendition, the quintet, the conductor, and the passages omitted from this piece are irrelevant. Also, you cannot speak for Ludwig himself, whether or not he would love or hate this rendition is irrelevant, for he is very much dead.
A funeral with a performance that seemed more disrespectful than honoring.
Ludwig is never deas
For he was alive today because his music was played
He would have loved it because he was a deeply spiritual man
i thought she was gonna play the whole PIECE and i was kinda hyped to see her play the 3rd mvmnt but really good performance
It takes professional pianists months, sometimes years to perfect the 3mvt, if Alicia was a beginner, learning it would be absolutely insane, nearly impossible.
@@dominic2123 you can learn if y have 1year
Hahaha yes me too
Cool Kid
If u can learn it slowly, u can learn it quickly
Twoset fans will understand
Andrea Cristina Zambrano Ramírez lol I was gonna say you must watch either twoset or garbage television.
The conductor was too much.. The music is calm/peaceful (solemn), but he was like conducting a StarWars theme or a Hallelujah Chorus.
True
🤣
Andre Stanislas 😂
😂😂
I think the conductor did help as with performances such as these they don’t have much time to rehearse they may have so rehearsed maybe once or twice so he probably helped with timing and keeping all the players in sync
Fun fact: Kobe Bryant lived 1 year for every one of Mozart's symphonies. (Mozart wrote 41 symphonies, Kobe Bryant lived for 41 years.)
that's cool!
@RondaSim Casual Gaming you must be a 11yo kid, brainless and whiny
@@rondasimcasualgaming8822 If Kobe Bryant learned a page of Moonlight Sonata it IS a big deal. I can play half of the first movement, still learning but I have practiced for hours just to do that. Probably take me another month to learn the rest if I stick with it.
Wjy is this written under Alicia Keys playin Beethowen song video?
Kobe Bryant also lived 1 year for every chicken nugget I ordered at McDonalds (I ordered 41 chicken nuggets)
1:54 can't even imagine what she was feeling. Terrible.
And then there's that woman behind, dressing like that for a funeral, total disrespect.
rev what? she wasn’t even wearing anything bad
Kitsch! Kitsch! Kitsch! Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...!!!
@@reveirg9 that's Beyonce
Almighty God! Why do you let this vulgarity be born on this planet? When I saw this "masterpiece of American culture" I was ready to die of shame! Poor Beethoven! Do you make entertainment for complete idiots out of the work of the greatest composer?
This woman is so talented and has a way of influencing people through her talent.
When people are talking about real musicians criticizing her playing this song but you can’t find any of those comments
Sort by newest comments first, you'll find a lot of elitists
It's not a "song" tho
It's a piece not a song
Piece*
piece*
I've always had such great admiration for Alicia Keys' musical talent and singing voice.
What a beautiful tribute to Kobe and Vanessa. ✝
This is one of the most beautiful of Beethoven's pieces, "Moonlight Sonata.
Alicia playing piano, played it "Stunningly and Exquisitely.
Learning that this was Kobe and Vanessa favorite musical pieces truly broke my heart because its mine as well. I never cried listen to this beautiful piece in the past, but now thats all I can do when I hear it.
This is beautiful u can tell she was holding back tears R.I.P. Cody and Gianna
its kobe and gianna
@@lk5842 thx for the correction
@@Mina_Morales np
Cody?
@@lk5842 Your name is Cody!
So beautifully performed. She showed such deep emotions playing it. Well done!
I am an admittedly meh pianist with a music degree. I'm sorry but... That was breathtaking. Anyone criticizing that doesn't have a clue about music or the context. She played that beautifully. Absolutely beautifully.
I truly hope all the family members who lost their loved ones finds peace. This is so heartbreaking.
@@faisalmemon285 shut up
She’s such a true musician
?
LAPD Headquarters you don’t know what a musician is I’m assuming.
@@Keonahawk24 Based on her playing Moonlight Sonata? Come on. This piece is actually easy to play., especially compared to other Beethoven's compositions.
@@MrSidney9 I hope you're not assuming that it's the only piece she knows how to play. Yes Moonlight Sonata is quite easy BUT that was Kobe's favorite classical piece, hence her playing it as a tribute. She's also vocally gifted so yes, she's a true musician in my book.
MrSidney9 well I’m not just talking about her playing this one song. And even if I was. I think this woman is truly talented. I said what I said
Not only is that song a much more difficult than it may seem song to play, I can’t imagine how emotionally difficult that was to play, on top of it. In a dramatized version in my head, Alicia plays furiously, through streaming tears and each note cuts into you like a knife. Beautifully played and an incredible tribute to a clearly very well loved man. Rest in Paradise, Kobe.
It's not a song! It's a piece.
As a musician (mainly violinist) I can say this is one of the most passionate performances I've seen. It's not the whole I movement because this is the "version" Kobe learned! Beautiful tribute
She is such a beautiful woman, physically and emotionally and musically. I would love to see her perform live.
She is stunning live. I saw her in London about 18 years ago. She is a beautiful artist.
Such a gorgeous piece. She deff set the energy in the room.
Still can’t believe that this was a year ago
Time flies so fast, i can remember the day Kobe Bryant died...
Fr
ya ;-;
Wow, so not only did Alica do outstanding preforming this timeless masterpiece but lets put this moment into context:
Alicia Keys played this on her opening song "Piano & I" for her first album Song in A Minor (absolute classic in itself) back in 2001. Fast forward all the way to 2020 she is prefoming the whole Moonlight Sonata for Kobe and GiGi's memorial after a sudden tragedy when she used to play it for him during thier leisure. I commend her for not breaking down while playing such a masterful and somber piece.
This is one of my favorite classical pieces that I've loved since I was a small kid introduced to music in 4th grade,,in addition Alicia did such a beautiful job and it brought tears to my eyes..
I cried watching her play on tv watching Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s memorial service.
It was heartfelt performance but I was nervous for her that she will make a mistake since she was emotional.
@@EvieSings She didn't. It was perfect.
To me that was her best performance in piano.
💜💛 beautiful beautiful tribute! Perfect
Solid. This piece isn't easy to perform. One can't hide mistakes. When I first heard Alicia's play, I thought her timing was slightly off. I was wrong. She nailed it.
God bless the memories of Kobe. God bless his family and all who loved him.
Thats why she didn't perform the whole movement, and had the score in front of her. Any 2nd year serious student can play the fraction of the piece with music to read. Upside...it isn't rap.
this is what real performers and talents looks like.
probably 20 years ago we heard her sing well, and
sit at the piano, but nobody knew that she can play
piano very well actually.
Everybody knew she could play like this. Keys has been playing classical music since a little kif
Magnificent.
I need your help with this song on my piano.......
Sup Beeth
@@milktina8528 practice 😔
@Miri H i never die
@@Error404SkyeNotFound sup bro
There is so much passion in this video. Alicia, the conductor, etc. absolutely stunning. RIP Kobe and Gigi
when you're scrolling through the comment section looking for the piano elitists criticizing the performance, but all you see are comments about looking for the piano elitists criticizing the performance.
This piece never gets me. I she listened to it a million times But the way Alicia plays it gave me the most insane goose bumps.
Yessssss me too
I'd play this in high school for my church. Brings back memories of my musical ways!
There ain’t NO WAY I could’ve played through that without crying even if no lives were lost, it’s just a heavy song to me! 😞
Absolutely beautiful performance. Brava Alicia 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
May Kobe’s soul rest in peace and rise in glory. And may all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
She is a beautiful woman, playing a beautiful piece by Beethoven! So moving!