Emily Bear, age 13, performing Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue", December 24th, 2014, with Performance Santa Fe Orchestra conducted by Joe Illick. Video by Simply Cinema.
That;s also what was written by big names in music als Quincy Jones, Zuill Bailey, Jou Illick and others in the Quotes. This Quotes are alls at the full description of this video - 5 Year Old Professional Concert Pianist
I'm wondering how many time it took for her to learn Rhapsody in Blue. She's amazing, and you're right, she's feeling the music with so much facility, like the melodies and rhythms are flooding her. I know the tempo here is not exactly what it should, but the way she's playing it is so beautiful, I'm really impressed.
I will quote my mom who has been playing and teaching piano for 70 years, "I don't believe I have ever heard anyone play Rhapsody in Blue as beautiful as she did." The Santa Fe Orchestra is brilliant as well.
Beautiful piano piece, and so lovely played. Music from heaven... what an amazing gift. Loved the orchestra, oh my, what skilled musicians. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart❤❤❤
@@rullysiswanto4583I saw the documentary years ago and I thought to myself please God, keep her away from a certain Quincey and damn if the next thing I saw was her with him. What a gift God gave her!
Phil, I'm going to guess you are NOT a musician yourself. To learn a work like this, you cannot need sheet music at performance time -- you know it by heart. I've been a symphony season ticket holder for 30+ years. NEVER has a piano concerto ever been performed using sheet music by the pianist.
Still...a 20 minute piece....at her age? Its beyondAMAZING....YES....BORN GIFTED...Grandma explained their musical genes go back Many generations.....And,both her siblings gave musical talents😊
You are correct! The best musicians have phenomenal memories, to go along with their musical abilities! One famous pianist replaced another, memorized an unfamiliar long piece during a train ride and performed it flawlessly. They are that special!
Considering her age at this performance, I thought her playing would be more concerned technical accuracy but was totally blown away with how she plays with so much passion and interpretation. Amazing
Sean Cook I can't play 2 minutes of music without sheets, her brain works in ways I cannot even begin to understand. She is the Einstein of the music world.
My Grand Daughter said ,it the same way as with exams ,you memorise it .Kyoto SHS orchestra do it while dancing along the streets . ( they are on you tube too)
As a clarinet player, Rhapsody in Blue has always held a special place in my heart, for obvious reasons. I've listened to many interpretations of the piece and young Emily's is among my favorite. I especially love the little Mona Lisa smile that occasionally escapes while she's playing. It's adorable.
that little smile is how you can tell that she is playing parts she wrote and scored her improvisations there are others that play but not score as they play Maybe Alma Deutscher could keep up Would be fun to watch these two on the same stage collaborating I think Alma is 13 Jazz is not her thing She is more into opera but she composes and scores also
It's wonderful to see her playing one of, if not the greatest American piece of music, it's unfortunate that most kids will never "get" this greatness of this Gershwin classic.
Emily Bear is a great pianist, and she understands the movement of the music. She played this piece of classical music without the sheet music. This whole concert was Amazing. The orchestra played out of this world. The conductor was fantastic. What a great performance! Absolutely beautiful and stunning!
I think she's waited her whole life to play this piece. This is not music, or a composition, or an arrangement, this, this is a work of art, an American Masterpiece to be preserved for generations to come. Thank you George Gershwin, and thank you Ms. Bear for nurturing that fire that burns so passionately inside your creative spirit.
Classical musicians laugh at Grammys. Please. It's an award for popularity and mediocrity. Winning an international competition is what it's about. Not some silly Grammy that would never be awarded if the general, uneducated public didn't find it pleasing to listen to. That's a very low bar to hurdle.
@@FreshAirRules I don't know if your remarks are about the genre or the artist. But it is imo over the top snobbery. Emily Bear is a well accomplished pianist in jazz, classical, opera, boogie and anything else that is placed before her. As for those musicians that laugh at the Grammy as a mediocre ornament to be treated as no more than a doorstop, you're sadly misguided and prone to make frivolous statements about artistic endeavor. Get a grip on yourself before you carry on as spokesperson for classical musicians worldwide. It's shameful and embarrassing.
@@jamil2447 Definitely not the performer. She is great and is a testament to young talent. She also has a wonderful attitude to life and her music. This genre is a sea of mediocrity though. "Musicals" are the bottom rung of music, the lowest common denominator where people go to be cheered up generally with the most elevator bland music imaginable that is customized for the stage events. This is just my opinion of course. I do not represent other forms of music. But many, many others feel the same way. Hell will be filled with insipid Andrew Lloyd Webber wannabees where slop masquerades as music. I find it offensive that people take this rubbish seriously. It's a disgrace to music in general. Much like country or folk music. Why? Because its designed to appeal to musical simpletons and that is wrong. We should seek to uplift others, not scrape the bottom of the barrel in musical appreciation. Thankfully UA-cam is packed with mind altering abilities of musicians that have stratospheric talent and choose masterful compositions that truly transport us to another world.
@@FreshAirRules I appreciate the clarity in separating Ms Bear from your disdain for musical theatre. Our opinions however are divergent concerning musicals. An opinion I've lived with for 55 years. My wife is a loving person but claims to hate musicals. Saying they interrupt dramatic moments with silly song and dance. Yet she is a fan of Hollywood Westerns. Stating the way cowboys treated Native Americans was the truth because John Wayne never killed Indians without good reason. She obviously used history classes as nap time.
I love this orchestra. I grew up in New York State, The land of Bernstein and the New York sound, as well as John Williams and the Boston Pops. But I have moved West to the Mojave Desert in Southern California. Santa Fe is an Artist's Community, THE artist's Community actually. This Orchestra is a reflection of those artists. Emily was a guest performer with them. Someday Steinway will build a piano with her name on it. This George Gershwin piece is almost 20 minutes long and this young lady played the entire performance with no sheet music!
Over the decades I had tired of hearing the dozens of performances that made the piece seem mediocre. What a treat this was! Stunning pianist, with such mature interpretations and technically perfect. The best orchestra I have heard do this. Beautiful balance. And kudos to the talented recording engineer, without whom we might not appreciate the perfection.
I swear, as Emily’s fingers kissed the keys, I saw the piano kiss her back. This is such wonderful rendition of one of the most beautiful songs ever written. We love you EB.
That is just beyond amazing. Fun too watching the members of the orchestra leaning over to watch her play as well. Shows how much Emily amazes them also.
There is nothing about her that isn't as humble, as close to perfection as possible, and an example of PURE ELEGANCE. Beautiful, extremely talented and that killer, killer GRIN. In later videos, she develops her singing voice (also elegant and perfect). As much as I don't condone nobility, she should be the Queen of something somewhere. Unbelievable and wonderful.
In my humble opinion Rhapsody In Blue is a breathtaking masterpiece that has few equals. And this wonderful young woman is a delight to watch. If this video lasted 40 minutes- or 4 hours I'd still watch it
Dazzling! That's big city music performed by a grand orchestra and a very sophisticated-looking 13 year-old soloist. Emily, you're emerging as a national treasure, and I wish you well. Keep your head, don't burn the candle at both ends, and the world will be your oyster. I am grateful to have discovered you through UA-cam, so early in your lifetime.
I continue to believe that she was given this talent prior to coming to this place we call earth.She had pleased God and He sent her here to us that we might enjoy her gift.May God preserve her talent as she maturers into adulthood.
+dexter2433 astonishing, her level of memory and performance skills border on the miraculous, she is a precious wonder for the music world and all of us.
+dexter2433 Playing from memory is pretty much a standard for solo performers now. I'm not trying to diminish her skill or anything since her technical skill is still incredible.
See my remark above. She has but to hear a piece once and can reproduce it. There may be others in the world at this moment who can do the same but perhaps they were not born to a household of musicians and containing a piano.
All treats, Alma Deutscher, Lola Astenova greats, and without music in front of them.. Listen to Lola's Rhapsody in Blue, you will be amazed as you were with Emily
She is totally amazing.. I remember seeing her play as a tiny tot…. She had it all together then….. she more than has it now….. just fantastic…. She is a lovely humble girl, from a wonderful, encouraging family. Her grandmother was the first person to notice her talent at age two or three! Keep at the keys, Emily. Oh…… of course, please keep composing…. It all comes easily for you, a pure gift from above.
This composition, performance and the talent of Emily Bear makes me so proud to be an American. I feel so much emotion as this masterpiece is played so well. George Gershwin had the ability to reach into the very soul of the American populace and display the best part of us all. My soul wants to soar as I listen to this piece of Americana.
It' so awesome to catch the recording of a concert I attended on UA-cam! I was there, and the recording evokes the same feelings of great admiration for this magnificent young pianist who gave a remarkable performance. For someone this young to have the capacity to own this piece with her signature maturity and talent was quite sometching to have witnessed.
Oh my Lord, that is absolutely gorgeous. Emily has come a long way since that first appearance at 6 years old on Ellen. A stunning performance from a beautiful young lady and a superb orchestra.
If I remember correctly, I heard this piece for the first time in a video named Fantasia by Disney. That one was definitely an abridged version. This rendition is simply superb. Wish Emily all the best and may she bring us joy for years to come.
Bravo Emily! As a lover of Gershwin, and have heard Rhapsody in Blue so many, many times before, you my dear, are fantastic! You hit every note and I felt the beauty that only Gershwin can write. Thank you so much!
Yuja Wang version is so much better. World class pianist and Orchestra, makes for a vast difference in the quality of the performance. Yuja Wang: Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue ua-cam.com/video/9CTp2Nk9OxI/v-deo.html
After reading many comments, I find that what has perhaps been not noticed by anyone : Emily is playing this fantastic piece without even looking at a musical score card! Very evolved soul, indeed.
Ganiteshwar Miglani Pianists playing classical concertos - and R in B would classify - always play from memory - except in very exceptional (like last minute circumstances). Most have them have 20 to 30 (or more) concertos memorized. One lady - playing a Mozart Concerto heard the Orchestra play the wrong introduction. She motioned the Conductor who stopped. There had been some mix up! After a few moments- on stage - to gather herself, she then played the concerto the Orchestra had the music for.
Emily Bear was asked during one of the interviews she had gone through, she said she was only two of three years she begun to play with the piano keys. So, her playing start early and developed her skill and have the keen ear for melody. The interacting of her playing and the orchestra around her. Emily is an amazing and humble person. She accomplished so much at a young age. She received so many awards, then she appeared at so many concerts like at the age of 13 in this very complex piece made by George Gershwin sometime in 1924! Emily Bear, I think is an amazingly gifted person and a very humble person! Don't forget to thank God for your gift, dear young lady!👍🙏🙏🙏🎹🎶🎵🌹👍🌸💮🌷❤️🇨🇦
Emily, you are a remarkable young lady that possesses an almost "otherworldly" talent!! You were very, very young when you began to play and compose professionally.....a natural-born virtuoso and with quite the big career already in full swing and sure to continue to many decades to come!!! This is a phenomenal performance of my favorite Gershwin tune!!! BRAVO!!!
I continue to watch this incredible performance and still CAN'T imagine how Emily has MEMORIZED that whole complicated song by heart! Almost 20 minutes and not one cotton-picking mistake! WOW...And getting around the fact that she's only 13 in this video, blows my mind!
[general5104] You forgot to mention where Emily added her own improvisations which she often does with those pieces of Jazz that she has composed even.
Move your slider to the 11 minute mark. Emily is doing some of her own riffs in this section for the next minute. If you don't believe me, play Leonard Bernstein's version and compare it to hers. Anyway, watch the elderly lady violinist with the long grey hair watching Emily. She smiles because she knows what Emily is doing and then she keeps watching to see what she will do next. I just love that part.
That and the other musicians studying her with smiles on their countenances... Truly touching. True artists recognizing a true artist. And the riffs and little flourishes here and there? Purists may scoff, but I found them endearing. If I were not familiar with note for note, I would have never guessed George Gershwin didn't pen them in the original. Beyond genius. I betcha George, Oscar Levant, and even Paul Whiteman are smiling as they hear this. I truly hope they can hear it.
You can hear the song in your head when you play. You Know the song so we'll that it translates into your fingers even without looking at the keys. It's a gift. She is amazing.
Really what an awesome orchestra. Emily successfully pulled all into producing one harmonious music. Such inner strength she has... God bless you Emily...
I have heard Rhapsody In Blue many times but I think I heard this young genus play all the notes that Gershwin wrote not just most of them..what a gift she has..may she play and play forever to the benefit all classical music lovers..go Emily!
Wow!!! Every time I come back to this performance, I am as mesmerised as I was the first time. Emily is an incredibly talented young lady. For anyone who has only just discovered her, check out her own compositions, they are something else. :)
satinbarbi She is an amazing pianist, but is nowhere near as great as Mozart. Mozart, Bach, and all the other pianists like them are on a different level.
Simply fantastic! But then, by the age of thirteen, she had had so many years to practice, with more than a decade to build up to this. ;-) [I've had 70 years, and couldn't begin to approach this!] Brava!!! Fred
Stanley sent me here. He said you're the Best. By golly I think he was right. Beautiful Emily. This is my favorite song of all time.. Absolutely Love Rhapsody in Blue.
Really fine playing and sound from the 13-year old Ms. Emily Bear. She has grown and blossomed since first hearing her play as a young girl on television.
I’ve seen and heard this elegant work of art over twenty times and am convinced that this is a recurring dream-it cannot be real. Please, God, keep your finger on Rhapsody Replay. Real or imagined, your exquisite angel Emily Bear is one of your finest creations ever. Thank you, God. Thank you, Emily!
I just happened to be watching Ellen videos when the video came up of a 6 year old Emily, and I must say she is an astonishing artist 🤩..... now all I’m watching for the next hour are videos of her playing because i happen to love jazz, and classical songs....
Not only does Emily play this piece exquisitely, she also puts her own unique signature and style into the music. There are many adults who have played this piece who don't have Emily's depth of understanding to do that and pull it off so brilliantly!
This girl is an AMAZING pianist!!! So eloquent is her expression on the keys. So calm and composed. I just LOVE to see kids doing so well in music. Emily made me cry watching/witnessing this performance. Absolutely WONDERFUL!!!!
Thank you, Emily for the magnificent ride you gave me with this piece. I look forward to the brilliant compositions your future will inevitably give to us. At 65, I consider myself lucky to know that I'll get to listen to you for the rest of my life. You're a lovely young lady in every respect.
Had the privilege of seeing her debue on Ellen's show . O my word . An amazing talented , superb professional A God given talent , of entertainment . Congratulations Emily . So love to see you excel . ❣️
Listening to this Rhapsody in Blue by Emily takes me back to an era a time in my life.Every piece of this masterpiece is so,beautiful.Live is 10X better.
EGADS !! I thought Oscar Levant's rendition was good until I heard Emily Bear. She is fabulous. One of the best presentations of this piece I have ever heard !
The exact meaning of words is my passion. For me, the words "purely elegant" encompasses people such as Audrey Hepburn, Tom Hanks, Adam Gyorgy, to name a few. These are people who don't pretend, don't strive to be "popular" and don't try to exhibit qualities they lack. They just ARE what they ARE, sharing the gift of their living among us, and sharing their talents for us to enjoy and appreciate. Emily Bear is truly on my list of "purely elegant" people.
+Dale Marshall Dale I am 92 years old and I just wish I could put into words what you have so elegently put, shere beauty personifide. The Rhapsody in Blue is totally one off. But given by Emily Bear is a total fantisy, God bless. George
Ah, Dale, so well said. You might say the same if you could watch my wife behind her throwing wheel and producing or reproducing a piece of pottery. People like that so absolutely astound me!
I'd love to see some of your wife's work. I come from coastal Maine and there are at least 2 local pottery concerns that turn out truly remarkable pieces. It amazes me what can be done with clay, glass, etc.
Amazing and mesmerizing performance by Emily Bear. You are so gifted & understand the music beyond your years at this age Emily. I watch you play this tGeorge Gershwin piece(my fav) almost daily. Your finger work is lovely and the whole musical piece played by you is outstanding. Love, love the orchestra as well. Blessings in your talent for yrs to come Emily. Thank you!
Rhapsody in Blue is one of my favorite compositions. Dear Emily, this far and away the best version of it I've heard to date. I believe George Gershwin would have loved it also!
Emily, I hope you see this one day. what a lovely incredible talent you have. Not only does your God given talent shine brilliantly but one can also feel the love and devotion of your family supporting you. what amazing siblings and parents you have to have to accomplish this. and this work is so complex. Gershwin is complex. I like your performance best next to Gershwin himself. I love how you claim this piece for yourself and feel it and love it. And run with abandon. Keep learning, enjoying, progressing. what a future you have! But remember to be the young girl you are and stay close to your family at all costs. And I am I'll continue to listen with joy what comes available to me. You certainly are a talent unlike any I have witnessed!
Beautiful performance. A perfect marriage of soloist and orchestra. What a pity that the UA-cam philistines inserted three ads in this performance and lost the video.
Every time is like hearing it the first time. Wow! I can put my headphones on, do some deep breathing and I am able to escape physical pain and just be free. Thank you!😊
Definitely the very best version of this classic I have ever heard, and I have heard many! Congrats to Emily, the director and his orchestra and the recording team!
Oh, Emily, I've been following your performances since you were a little kid. Your feeling for jazz is extraordinary. Your "touch" gives splendor to your interpretations. I'm not surprised that you have become spectacular. You are an icon to my students. You rock, Emily!
Hello, Emily. Nice! Everytime I heard that piece, I think of United Airlines. Never have I flown on United before, but I have seen its commercials. Thank you for sharing.
Emily doesn't just memorize music. She understands it. This is what sets her so far apart from others.
That;s also what was written by big names in music als Quincy Jones, Zuill Bailey, Jou Illick and others in the Quotes. This Quotes are alls at the full description of this video - 5 Year Old Professional Concert Pianist
Ms. Bear also feels it and enjoys the heck out of performing. It's been a long while but this is more up tempo isn't it?
It's actually fairly DOWN-tempo. And is more than two minutes longer than usual.
galanie
I'm wondering how many time it took for her to learn Rhapsody in Blue. She's amazing, and you're right, she's feeling the music with so much facility, like the melodies and rhythms are flooding her.
I know the tempo here is not exactly what it should, but the way she's playing it is so beautiful, I'm really impressed.
I am 76 years old and when I grow up I hope to be like Emily.
Yes
I will quote my mom who has been playing and teaching piano for 70 years, "I don't believe I have ever heard anyone play Rhapsody in Blue as beautiful as she did." The Santa Fe Orchestra is brilliant as well.
Proftrain I 100% agree with your mom!
I am speechless❤😊
Beautiful piano piece, and so lovely played. Music from heaven... what an amazing gift. Loved the orchestra, oh my, what skilled musicians. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart❤❤❤
Praise God for the beautiful gift that Emily has been given and we are blessed to hear!
Wonderful
She has definitely fulfilled the promise we all saw in her when she was 6. She has matured into a great talent.
Fantastic
@@rullysiswanto4583I saw the documentary years ago and I thought to myself please God, keep her away from a certain Quincey and damn if the next thing I saw was her with him. What a gift God gave her!
The fact that she played this without any sheet music in front of her, absolutely staggers the mind! She is an amazing young lady!! WOW!
To play it like that, you have to have practiced enough to be able to play it in your sleep...
Phil, I'm going to guess you are NOT a musician yourself. To learn a work like this, you cannot need sheet music at performance time -- you know it by heart.
I've been a symphony season ticket holder for 30+ years. NEVER has a piano concerto ever been performed using sheet music by the pianist.
Still...a 20 minute piece....at her age? Its beyondAMAZING....YES....BORN GIFTED...Grandma explained their musical genes go back Many generations.....And,both her siblings gave musical talents😊
@@big8x102 8:16
You are correct! The best musicians have phenomenal memories, to go along with their musical abilities! One famous pianist replaced another, memorized an unfamiliar long piece during a train ride and performed it flawlessly. They are that special!
Considering her age at this performance, I thought her playing would be more concerned technical accuracy but was totally blown away with how she plays with so much passion and interpretation. Amazing
Her playing is effortless. Hard to believe.
I could not agree more, @johnfowler6189.
Utterly fantastic. What a wonderful young lady. Look her up. She is about 20 now and has been nominated for a GRAMMY.
she won the Grammy and later also an Emmy (LA region) for a docu score
Amazing
How do you play an incredibly complex, 20 minute long piece of music with no sheet music and make no mistakes? She is astonishing.
Sean Cook I can't play 2 minutes of music without sheets, her brain works in ways I cannot even begin to understand. She is the Einstein of the music world.
Let's not over do it...
My Grand Daughter said ,it the same way as with exams ,you memorise it .Kyoto SHS orchestra do it while dancing along the streets . ( they are on you tube too)
Sean Cook Gershwin didn’t have his cadenza written down for the premiere, either.
You play it so often you just end up memorizing it. Muscle memory is a real thing.
As a clarinet player, Rhapsody in Blue has always held a special place in my heart, for obvious reasons. I've listened to many interpretations of the piece and young Emily's is among my favorite. I especially love the little Mona Lisa smile that occasionally escapes while she's playing. It's adorable.
that little smile is how you can tell that she is playing parts she wrote and scored her improvisations there are others that play but not score as they play Maybe Alma Deutscher could keep up Would be fun to watch these two on the same stage collaborating I think Alma is 13 Jazz is not her thing She is more into opera but she composes and scores also
mark brecher That would be a really interesting collaboration....
@@bendmymind I’d love it if they were improvising on two pianos. Alma’s writing a lot of Viennese waltzes these days. And an opera for Vienna.
Everyone is on the edge of their seats wondering how the clarinet player will open things this time. Always a fresh start to the piece.
Fun
It's wonderful to see her playing one of, if not the greatest American piece of music, it's unfortunate that most kids will never "get" this greatness of this Gershwin classic.
Correct
Sad, but true. I do think Gershwin would more than approve of this.
I have a feeling that she'll go down as one of the greatest pianists of all time.
ehem........Chopin!!!!!!!!?????
Chopin, Beethoven , and the rest has nothin on this kid.
I agree one million percent.
I'm sure your mother told you two million times not to exaggerate.
Peter Brett j
Emily Bear is a great pianist, and she understands the movement of the music. She played this piece of classical music without the sheet music. This whole concert was Amazing. The orchestra played out of this world. The conductor was fantastic. What a great performance! Absolutely beautiful and stunning!
I think she's waited her whole life to play this piece. This is not music, or a composition, or an arrangement, this, this is a work of art, an American Masterpiece to be preserved for generations to come. Thank you George Gershwin, and thank you Ms. Bear for nurturing that fire that burns so passionately inside your creative spirit.
Hahahaha
@@rullysiswanto4583 Did I miss the punchline?
I have played this over and over and still am in awe of this performance. 13 years old and now a Grammy winner. Emily you are magnificent. Bravo!!!!
Great music!!
Classical musicians laugh at Grammys. Please. It's an award for popularity and mediocrity. Winning an international competition is what it's about. Not some silly Grammy that would never be awarded if the general, uneducated public didn't find it pleasing to listen to. That's a very low bar to hurdle.
@@FreshAirRules I don't know if your remarks are about the genre or the artist. But it is imo over the top snobbery. Emily Bear is a well accomplished pianist in jazz, classical, opera, boogie and anything else that is placed before her. As for those musicians that laugh at the Grammy as a mediocre ornament to be treated as no more than a doorstop, you're sadly misguided and prone to make frivolous statements about artistic endeavor. Get a grip on yourself before you carry on as spokesperson for classical musicians worldwide. It's shameful and embarrassing.
@@jamil2447 Definitely not the performer. She is great and is a testament to young talent. She also has a wonderful attitude to life and her music.
This genre is a sea of mediocrity though. "Musicals" are the bottom rung of music, the lowest common denominator where people go to be cheered up generally with the most elevator bland music imaginable that is customized for the stage events. This is just my opinion of course. I do not represent other forms of music. But many, many others feel the same way. Hell will be filled with insipid Andrew Lloyd Webber wannabees where slop masquerades as music. I find it offensive that people take this rubbish seriously. It's a disgrace to music in general. Much like country or folk music. Why? Because its designed to appeal to musical simpletons and that is wrong. We should seek to uplift others, not scrape the bottom of the barrel in musical appreciation.
Thankfully UA-cam is packed with mind altering abilities of musicians that have stratospheric talent and choose masterful compositions that truly transport us to another world.
@@FreshAirRules I appreciate the clarity in separating Ms Bear from your disdain for musical theatre. Our opinions however are divergent concerning musicals. An opinion I've lived with for 55 years. My wife is a loving person but claims to hate musicals. Saying they interrupt dramatic moments with silly song and dance. Yet she is a fan of Hollywood Westerns. Stating the way cowboys treated Native Americans was the truth because John Wayne never killed Indians without good reason. She obviously used history classes as nap time.
I love this orchestra. I grew up in New York State, The land of Bernstein and the New York sound, as well as John Williams and the Boston Pops. But I have moved West to the Mojave Desert in Southern California. Santa Fe is an Artist's Community, THE artist's Community actually. This Orchestra is a reflection of those artists. Emily was a guest performer with them. Someday Steinway will build a piano with her name on it. This George Gershwin piece is almost 20 minutes long and this young lady played the entire performance with no sheet music!
Fantastic Emily,we saw your first performance with Rockford Symphony Orchestra at the age of five.
Great
i'm sorry but this is not even human... what a talent. she's 13 years old here ... that's just nutty !!! no words... and no music ... all from memory
Over the decades I had tired of hearing the dozens of performances that made the piece seem mediocre. What a treat this was! Stunning pianist, with such mature interpretations and technically perfect. The best orchestra I have heard do this. Beautiful balance. And kudos to the talented recording engineer, without whom we might not appreciate the perfection.
My thoughts exactly, the piano and orchestra were perfectly blended, noone overpowered the other.
at 13 I was still trying to find my way to science class lol
I completely agree.
Agree
What a performance!!! and at her age, brilliant! She made Rhapsody in blue her own, amazing!
I swear, as Emily’s fingers kissed the keys, I saw the piano kiss her back. This is such wonderful rendition of one of the most beautiful songs ever written. We love you EB.
George Gershwin would be so proud of you ❤
That is just beyond amazing. Fun too watching the members of the orchestra leaning over to watch her play as well. Shows how much Emily amazes them also.
The smiles on some of their faces. Some of them must have had their entrances memorized, for how often they were watching her play. Lol
7:20 = I always think that's Yo-Yo Ma ....
You know it's been an incredible performance when you see the members of the orchestra standing and applauding.
There is nothing about her that isn't as humble, as close to perfection as possible, and an example of PURE ELEGANCE. Beautiful, extremely talented and that killer, killer GRIN. In later videos, she develops her singing voice (also elegant and perfect). As much as I don't condone nobility, she should be the Queen of something somewhere. Unbelievable and wonderful.
In my humble opinion Rhapsody In Blue is a breathtaking masterpiece that has few equals. And this wonderful young woman is a delight to watch. If this video lasted 40 minutes- or 4 hours I'd still watch it
What an incredible piece of music played by a wonderful young lady ! I could watch and listen to her forever.WOW ,
Me too....SPEECHLESS.....NO SHEET MUSIC
Dazzling! That's big city music performed by a grand orchestra and a very sophisticated-looking 13 year-old soloist. Emily, you're emerging as a national treasure, and I wish you well. Keep your head, don't burn the candle at both ends, and the world will be your oyster. I am grateful to have discovered you through UA-cam, so early in your lifetime.
I continue to believe that she was given this talent prior to coming to this place we call earth.She had pleased God and He sent her here to us that we might enjoy her gift.May God preserve her talent as she maturers into adulthood.
The greatest love in my life is music. Watching and listening to Emily is such a rare privilege.
Thank you Emily, you touch my heart.
Okay
just realized she has no music sheet performance 100% memory
+dexter2433 astonishing, her level of memory and performance skills border on the miraculous, she is a precious wonder for the music world and all of us.
+dexter2433 Playing from memory is pretty much a standard for solo performers now. I'm not trying to diminish her skill or anything since her technical skill is still incredible.
See my remark above. She has but to hear a piece once and can reproduce it. There may be others in the world at this moment who can do the same but perhaps they were not born to a household of musicians and containing a piano.
dexter2433 I believe Alma also has that gift. I’m told my great uncle (whom I never met) could go to a concert and play the music at home.
All treats, Alma Deutscher, Lola Astenova greats, and without music in front of them.. Listen to Lola's Rhapsody in Blue, you will be amazed as you were with Emily
She is totally amazing.. I remember seeing her play as a tiny tot…. She had it all together then….. she more than has it now….. just fantastic…. She is a lovely humble girl, from a wonderful, encouraging family. Her grandmother was the first person to notice her talent at age two or three! Keep at the keys, Emily. Oh…… of course, please keep composing…. It all comes easily for you, a pure gift from above.
Prodigy
This composition, performance and the talent of Emily Bear makes me so proud to be an American. I feel so much emotion as this masterpiece is played so well. George Gershwin had the ability to reach into the very soul of the American populace and display the best part of us all. My soul wants to soar as I listen to this piece of Americana.
Beautiful
What an incredible job Emily and the entire Orchestra did with Gershwin's masterpiece
tasmedic Manchester, England, and I love this!
Simply remarkable!!
This performance sent goosebumps down my spine.
Me too
It' so awesome to catch the recording of a concert I attended on UA-cam! I was there, and the recording evokes the same feelings of great admiration for this magnificent young pianist who gave a remarkable performance. For someone this young to have the capacity to own this piece with her signature maturity and talent was quite sometching to have witnessed.
She is simply awesome!
You are so lucky to have heard this in person. With that luck, you should buy several Lottery tickets!
Aren’t child prodigies just simply wonderful. I could watch her play all day.
Goosebumps!! George Gershwin at his best & Emily is just incredible playing this long composition from memory!! 👏🌻❤️
Hahahaha
Oh my Lord, that is absolutely gorgeous. Emily has come a long way since that first appearance at 6 years old on Ellen. A stunning performance from a beautiful young lady and a superb orchestra.
I am an old man who has just become an Emily Bear fan. Fantastic job on Rhapsody, Emily. You have just played a new rendition...be proud of yourself!
GoodJob
This is one of my favorites! Emily and the entire orchestra are fabulous. It brings back the old United Airlines commercials that used this piece.
Correct
I remember seeing her just budding the public's eye. She's come a long way. What great musicality and control.
Wow
This made the water come out of my eyes.
If I remember correctly, I heard this piece for the first time in a video named Fantasia by Disney. That one was definitely an abridged version. This rendition is simply superb. Wish Emily all the best and may she bring us joy for years to come.
Brilliant. I love this music. Emily plays beautifully. She is a true artist.
Bravo Emily! As a lover of Gershwin, and have heard Rhapsody in Blue so many, many times before, you my dear, are fantastic! You hit every note and I felt the beauty that only Gershwin can write. Thank you so much!
Yuja Wang version is so much better. World class pianist and Orchestra, makes for a vast difference in the quality of the performance.
Yuja Wang: Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue ua-cam.com/video/9CTp2Nk9OxI/v-deo.html
He would have been so,Pleased
After reading many comments, I find that what has perhaps been not noticed by anyone : Emily is playing this fantastic piece without even looking at a musical score card! Very evolved soul, indeed.
Ganiteshwar Miglani Pianists playing classical concertos - and R in B would classify - always play from memory - except in very exceptional (like last minute circumstances). Most have them have 20 to 30 (or more) concertos memorized. One lady - playing a Mozart Concerto heard the Orchestra play the wrong introduction. She motioned the Conductor who stopped. There had been some mix up! After a few moments- on stage - to gather herself, she then played the concerto the Orchestra had the music for.
Keith Tinkler Thank you, but it is indeed amazing for a young child to perform so beautifully and without a mistake.
Emily Bear was asked during one of the interviews she had gone through, she said she was only two of three years she begun to play with the piano keys. So, her playing start early and developed her skill and have the keen ear for melody. The interacting of her playing and the orchestra around her.
Emily is an amazing and humble person. She accomplished so much at a young age. She received so many awards, then she appeared at so many concerts like at the age of 13 in this very complex piece made by George Gershwin sometime in 1924! Emily Bear, I think is an amazingly gifted person and a very humble person! Don't forget to thank God for your gift, dear young lady!👍🙏🙏🙏🎹🎶🎵🌹👍🌸💮🌷❤️🇨🇦
Prodigy
Emily, you are a remarkable young lady that possesses an almost "otherworldly" talent!! You were very, very young when you began to play and compose professionally.....a natural-born virtuoso and with quite the big career already in full swing and sure to continue to many decades to come!!! This is a phenomenal performance of my favorite Gershwin tune!!! BRAVO!!!
She challenges me to be better at doing what I love. Emily is simply wondrous in the way she feels the music with her peers.
I continue to watch this incredible performance and still CAN'T imagine how Emily has MEMORIZED that whole complicated song by heart! Almost 20 minutes and not one cotton-picking mistake! WOW...And getting around the fact that she's only 13 in this video, blows my mind!
[general5104] You forgot to mention where Emily added her own improvisations which she often does with those pieces of Jazz that she has composed even.
I have always loved this piece. Emily played it with such passion. Beautiful!
Move your slider to the 11 minute mark. Emily is doing some of her own riffs in this section for the next minute. If you don't believe me, play Leonard Bernstein's version and compare it to hers. Anyway, watch the elderly lady violinist with the long grey hair watching Emily. She smiles because she knows what Emily is doing and then she keeps watching to see what she will do next. I just love that part.
I am really glad that you pointed that out. I really liked her riffs. I think cadenzas should always allow the soloist to improvise.
That and the other musicians studying her with smiles on their countenances... Truly touching. True artists recognizing a true artist.
And the riffs and little flourishes here and there? Purists may scoff, but I found them endearing. If I were not familiar with note for note, I would have never guessed George Gershwin didn't pen them in the original. Beyond genius.
I betcha George, Oscar Levant, and even Paul Whiteman are smiling as they hear this. I truly hope they can hear it.
You can hear the song in your head when you play. You Know the song so we'll that it translates into your fingers even without looking at the keys. It's a gift. She is amazing.
Every note memorized of a 20 min song dang
When you practice so much as to be able to do it, that's not a surprise :D
+highks this is youtube, buddy...modest, accurate comments aren't allowed here...😄
It's not a song. It doesn't have vocals.
It is 15 minutes on average. She took this upbeat piece a bit slowly.
Yes! She almost NEVER has music in front of her.
There were other musicians that were in rapture during your solo pieces in this performance. Well done MS. Bear!
Really what an awesome orchestra. Emily successfully pulled all into producing one harmonious music. Such inner strength she has... God bless you Emily...
I have heard Rhapsody In Blue many times but I think I heard this young genus play all the notes that Gershwin wrote not just most of them..what a gift she has..may she play and play forever to the benefit all classical music lovers..go Emily!
Emily and the Piano become one, and what a nice feeling that must be...
Wow!!! Every time I come back to this performance, I am as mesmerised as I was the first time. Emily is an incredibly talented young lady. For anyone who has only just discovered her, check out her own compositions, they are something else. :)
Indeed. Her "Into the Blue" from the album by that name is utterly haunting with echos from Ahmed Jamal, Errol Garner...
Emily Bear is one in a lifetime artist. Her compositions are sublime. Love the jazz. It is mind blowing. Can't wait to see a concert.
Lots of people can practice during years and aren't able to show such accomplishment at that age!
Emily is a prodigy!
*****
Not really... Emily is one of a kind, unparalleled!
More like the next Bach or Mozart. Her genius may even be greater than Mozart's.
satinbarbi
Agreed! Bach!!!
satinbarbi She is an amazing pianist, but is nowhere near as great as Mozart. Mozart, Bach, and all the other pianists like them are on a different level.
Lilith Grace
Very near! As accomplished as they were in their time!
Best version of it that I’ve heard! I love the improv ! WHAT A SPECIAL TALENT YOU ARE EMILY!!
Simply fantastic!
But then, by the age of thirteen, she had had so many years to practice, with more than a decade to build up to this. ;-)
[I've had 70 years, and couldn't begin to approach this!]
Brava!!!
Fred
Sheet music? Emily is a Genius that comes to this world once a generation, incredible girl now Grammy winner at the age of 21!
Stanley sent me here. He said you're the Best. By golly I think he was right. Beautiful Emily. This is my favorite song of all time.. Absolutely Love Rhapsody in Blue.
I haven't seen this in a very long time. Enjoyed it very much.
Watching 2021.
Really fine playing and sound from the 13-year old Ms. Emily Bear. She has grown and blossomed since first hearing her play as a young girl on television.
What an amazing performance. Such an incredibly complex piece. Such a musical performance. Sad to find she isnt a concert pianist now she's 20
What is she doing now?
I’ve seen and heard this elegant work of art over twenty times and am convinced that this is a recurring dream-it cannot be real. Please, God, keep your finger on Rhapsody Replay. Real or imagined, your exquisite angel Emily Bear is one of your finest creations ever. Thank you, God. Thank you, Emily!
Incredible young artist. Gifted by God, the Creator-of music and all that there is!
💯
She flows it. It doesn't flow her. Absolutely stunning talent. God has really done it this time!
Wow, Emily you are just a super artist, thanks for giving me the chance to appreciate your brilliance.
I just happened to be watching Ellen videos when the video came up of a 6 year old Emily, and I must say she is an astonishing artist 🤩..... now all I’m watching for the next hour are videos of her playing because i happen to love jazz, and classical songs....
Love her phrasing. Breathed new life into an old standard.
Not only does Emily play this piece exquisitely, she also puts her own unique signature and style into the music. There are many adults who have played this piece who don't have Emily's depth of understanding to do that and pull it off so brilliantly!
Just MAGNIFICENT, Emily! I know you have wanted to perform this for a long, long time! Congratulations, Sweetie!! :) Johnnie
This girl is an AMAZING pianist!!! So eloquent is her expression on the keys. So calm and composed. I just LOVE to see kids doing so well in music. Emily made me cry watching/witnessing this performance. Absolutely WONDERFUL!!!!
Thank you, Emily for the magnificent ride you gave me with this piece. I look forward to the brilliant compositions your future will inevitably give to us. At 65, I consider myself lucky to know that I'll get to listen to you for the rest of my life. You're a lovely young lady in every respect.
She looks so beautiful in that gown. At the end watching her glide over the keys is thrilling. Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The more I listen to this performance by Emily Bear, the more I love it.
Had the privilege of seeing her debue on Ellen's show . O my word . An amazing talented , superb professional
A God given talent , of entertainment . Congratulations Emily . So love to see you excel . ❣️
I have admired your talent since I found out about you, and you are just an absolute angel from heaven!
Listening to this Rhapsody in Blue by Emily takes me back to an era a time in my life.Every piece of this masterpiece is so,beautiful.Live is 10X better.
EGADS !! I thought Oscar Levant's rendition was good until I heard Emily Bear. She is fabulous. One of the best presentations of this piece I have ever heard !
Wow, oh yeah, I'm witnessing one of the world's greatest piano players and we all will forever remember her! !
She is phenomenal……
This has just become one of my favorite arrangements of this song. Emily you played this so well you brought tears to an old mans eyes.
The exact meaning of words is my passion. For me, the words "purely elegant" encompasses people such as Audrey Hepburn, Tom Hanks, Adam Gyorgy, to name a few. These are people who don't pretend, don't strive to be "popular" and don't try to exhibit qualities they lack. They just ARE what they ARE, sharing the gift of their living among us, and sharing their talents for us to enjoy and appreciate. Emily Bear is truly on my list of "purely elegant" people.
+Dale Marshall Dale I am 92 years old and I just wish I could put into words what you have so elegently put, shere beauty personifide. The Rhapsody in Blue is totally one off. But given by Emily Bear is a total fantisy, God bless. George
Ah, Dale, so well said. You might say the same if you could watch my wife behind her throwing wheel and producing or reproducing a piece of pottery. People like that so absolutely astound me!
I'd love to see some of your wife's work. I come from coastal Maine and there are at least 2 local pottery concerns that turn out truly remarkable pieces. It amazes me what can be done with clay, glass, etc.
Dale Marshal l
Amazing and mesmerizing performance by Emily Bear. You are so gifted & understand the music beyond your years at this age Emily. I watch you play this tGeorge Gershwin piece(my fav) almost daily. Your finger work is lovely and the whole musical piece played by you is outstanding. Love, love the orchestra as well. Blessings in your talent for yrs to come Emily. Thank you!
Rhapsody in Blue is one of my favorite compositions. Dear Emily, this far and away the best version of it I've heard to date. I believe George Gershwin would have loved it also!
Gershwin would be pleased.
My annoyance is that my UA-cam feed only just now introduced this astounding talent to me.
Emily, I hope you see this one day. what a lovely incredible talent you have. Not only does your God given talent shine brilliantly but one can also feel the love and devotion of your family supporting you. what amazing siblings and parents you have to have to accomplish this. and this work is so complex. Gershwin is complex. I like your performance best next to Gershwin himself. I love how you claim this piece for yourself and feel it and love it. And run with abandon. Keep learning, enjoying, progressing. what a future you have! But remember to be the young girl you are and stay close to your family at all costs. And I am I'll continue to listen with joy what comes available to me. You certainly are a talent unlike any I have witnessed!
Beautiful performance. A perfect marriage of soloist and orchestra. What a pity that the UA-cam philistines inserted three ads in this performance and lost the video.
She has so much to share and I am her fan since the first time I have heard about her giftedness
Every time is like hearing it the first time. Wow! I can put my headphones on, do some deep breathing and I am able to escape physical pain and just be free. Thank you!😊
Pretty good version! I'd love to hear her do it again now that she's more experienced
Definitely the very best version of this classic I have ever heard, and I have heard many! Congrats to Emily, the director and his orchestra and the recording team!
Oh, Emily, I've been following your performances since you were a little kid. Your feeling for jazz is extraordinary. Your "touch" gives splendor to your interpretations. I'm not surprised that you have become spectacular. You are an icon to my students. You rock, Emily!
Hello, Emily. Nice! Everytime I heard that piece, I think of United Airlines. Never have I flown on United before, but I have seen its commercials. Thank you for sharing.
Magnificent! My fingers are cramping right now from seeing her play. She looked really enjoy performing that piece. Congratz emily :)
its a great day to be alive and witness this incredible talent
Magic, Miss Emily - come & play for us in the UK soon !
Listen to that clean playing.