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I love how the last instrument had sentimental value. It was a better instrument, but I think the sentimentality of it, made the playing so much better. I felt every note in my heart.

Rays reaction to his teachers violin was bittersweet. His memories of him and then realized that he passed. Yeah can really bring out the feels.

Really loved this video. It has to be emotional playing your teacher's instrument. We're all so grateful to Mr. Rosand for helping to shape you into the amazing violinist you are.

OMG I literally snorted from laughter when you wondered aloud if the Vuillaume still smelled like cigars!! I took lessons from Mr. Rosand in the early 2000s and after he chucked my shoulder rest out the window, he gave me a sponge from his violin case that smelled - you guessed it - like cigars! XD I miss him too!

It’s actually so amazing how the 450k violin immediately sounded 5 tiers higher than the 40k violins.

Ray's mood and editing on this video is top notch. Easily my favorite ray chen upload. Also, looks like ray's about to start a gofundme to retrieve and own his sensei's violin. That violin has been waiting for him for who knows how long.

It would be fitting if Ray Chen acquired Aaron Rosand's Vuillaume violin. It would complete a circle started many years before. Mr. Rosand had also owned a Guarneri del Gesu violin previously owned by Polish violinist Paul Kochanski who died of cancer in 1934. Rosand bought it in the late 1950s from Kochanski's widow after he lost the use of a Stradivarius when he decided to get married. His benefactor didn’t want him to marry. He sold his Guarneri del Gesu violin in 2009 to a Russian businessman for ten million dollars, donating 1.5 million dollars to his alma mater, the Curtis Institute, where he had taught since the early 1980s. I found Ray's comment about not using a shoulder rest amusing, because Aaron Rosand did not like shoulder rests. I watched Ray’s 2009 performance of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concert at the Queen Elisabeth Competition and it looks like he isn't using a shoulder rest there either. One summer in the early 1970s I participated in a youth orchestra program where I sat in the second violin section. For me the high point was the week when we accompanied Aaron Rosand in the Beethoven Violin Concerto. He was clean shaven at the time but wore his hair pulled back in a pony tail. Many girls in the orchestra loved that. I remember in one of our rehearsals Mr. Rosand stood on the conductor's platform and provided guidance to the string section. After his performance in the concert, he played the last of the 24 Paganini caprices as an encore. In the months that followed I bought every record he made that was in the inventory of the record store I frequented. (This was long before I discovered the Schwann record catalog.) It would be 30 years before he released a recording of the Beethoven concerto which also included the Brahms Violin Concerto.

Omg. When he asks if he can borrow his late teacher's violin, his little earnest and eager face when he says "wow~" Too adorable. So heartwarming. Ray reminds me a lot of my old teacher and mentor who has passed. I can just imagine how special that moment was for him, seeing his mentor's violin. :')

I can't even imagine what it would be to bump into a violin that once belonged to one's late teacher.

We not gonna talk about how you just casually have Fred from Antiques Roadshow on your show? The dude is a wealth of knowledge on musical instruments. So happy to see him on your channel.

Watching you experience nostalgia over Mr Rosand's violin was genuinely touching. Must've been quite the experience, and thank you for documenting it for us.

Aww ❤🥰 The excitement of when Ray had his teacher’s violin. When he smelled it and it smelt like him. When it sounded like him. That is the purest thing ever.

The top two that I sincerely loved the sound they produced was the "1905 Hill" from Great Britain for $40K and the "1862 J.B. Vuillaume" from France for $450K. (Rest in eternal love & peace, Aaron Rosand 💐🕊🎻) Older violins tend to have a more mature sound or tone to it. 😇👂 It's like listening to a gifted 10 year old singer compared to a seasoned 60 year old professional artist. You can tell the difference in their voices. Thank you, Ray & Frederick W. Oster, for your valuable time and sharing such beautiful options to consider at different times in one's journey as a violinist. Ok. Please stay healthy & be encouraged. Take care. 🤗🤗

*LOVED the French violin.* Sounds amazing and the price is sane, just $3500.

Burst out laughter when Ray Ray called his dad saying 嘿把拔你有沒有錢😂😂😂😂 Really nice video - fun and informative!

But my technique doesn't need a $$$$$$ violin😂😂😂

The musician part of my brain appreciates the variety of samples and your player's "gut" but the academic part of my brain (I'm an audiologist specializing in musicians and severe hearing loss) wishes you played the same 6 or 8 bars on each instrument covering all strings, positions and dynamic levels.

I love what you said at 12:00 when the color of your violin affects the way you play a little.I I have a hard time with that too and when I play a really dark violin like a spruce top, I makes me think I’m playing with more dark, deep and beautiful tone, especially one the G and D strings. Also, amazing video btw, really helpful!

That’s impressive being able to play so well without a shoulder rest!

You make every kind of violin sound like a 10 millon dollar violin!!!!!❤❤❤ It doesn’t matter which violin you choose since you just toooooo good!!!!😊😊

I had a friend who was a wonderful instrument repairman. He said about 80% of the effect of a fine instrument was on the performer, 20% on the audience.

Fred couldn't put that $69 violin down fast enough. 🙂

My opinion is that it is not the objective quality or the price range of an instrument that makes it better but the skill of its player and the attitude that the player has towards the instrument. Ray played better on his teacher's violin, but he also played better on the English made 30.000 violin that he fancied from the moment he took it in his hands. The one with the carved design. I think that any skillful and relatively experienced violinist can play with any kind of instrument and make it sound good. The point is to love what you do and put some heart and soul on whatever you do.

Really great video Ray. I haven't played the violin in years but I found this really interesting. Should also help alot of folks wanting to buy a new violin. Keep the great content coming. It really helps me get through the week !! Thank you🙂

This will be so perfect. I’m currently looking to purchase a violin. Thank you in advance for your advice!

damn but seeing ray get all emotional over that violin was heartwarming

this video was very well cut lol had so much fun watching

You crack me up Ray! Thanks so much for sharing your joy and expertise. 😁

Nice video, Ray. I’m glad you got to play your late teachers violin. I heard the emotion in that play it was touching. ❤

As a hobbyist I dream of getting to play on one of these 35-50k violins. Will probably treat myself to a 10k one in a few years, but I love trying instruments! Thanks for the video!

Dude your actually like my favorite ever. not only are you heavily talented, but your also incredibly hilarious and always puts a smile on my face when i see your very entertaining videos. Keep doing you man.

This was a beautiful and emotional video.Thank you both!

It is amazing watching you play with such passion melts my heart

The last one is so powerful! It’s the first time I’ve heard such a powerful sound from a violin.

Love it Ray! Your teacher's violin, wow that sounds amazing even on my macbook, all of those options are pretty good, interesting that some of the more modern ones are carrying a higher price tag, I own a couple of late 1800's and an unlabeled French violin which I love, they all have different tone's and character

Great advice! Invaluable experience! Thanks a million 🤗

I relate so much to the nostalgia of being able to play on your professor’s violin. Glad they’ll lend it some time. 🙌🏽👏🏽

I visited Fred oster’s shop in Philadelphia a month ago, and the place was an experience to remember. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever stepped foot in, and Fred is a treasure of a man and so are his kitties

We all know Ray DESERVES that four-fifty!

I have a 1918 J.B. Collin-Mezin & Sons myself. For a factory instrument it's surprisingly valuable (although the R Weichold Dresden bow it came with was an even bigger surprise) but I do think the price of these instruments has far more to do with age and provenance. The original owner of mine was a violin teacher and orchestra player. She left it to her nephew who loved the violin. When that nephew was an old man who'd had a stroke and could no longer play, he advertised it for sale. As a teenager I didn't have a whole heap of money but after hearing me play, he sold it to me for a fraction of what it was worth. He said none of his children were ever interested in playing. He hated the thought of it just rotting away in a cupboard so he thought if he sold it, it would likely go to someone who would actually play it and that was far more important to him. I've had it for over 20 years and it now has so many good memories that when I can no longer play, I too will give it away to someone who will treasure it as much as all the previous owners. Just one observation though. As a playing instrument... that G string... I don't know what the real story is but anything above 3rd pos is like an atomic super wedgie it's that butt-clenchingly painful. Luthiers, teachers, they've all scratched their heads because other than that it's a fine instrument. I still can't afford to drop that kind of money on a violin though so I just kept adjusting til it didn't chaff so bad. Ray my question is, can you get away with paying a lot less than 3k if you go for some modern, workhorse, factory instrument that doesn't come with any history? Nobody is paying 10k for a Standard American Fender that just rolled off the production line and that's considered a perfectly respectable instrument for any gig. What would the violin equivalent of that instrument be?

Ray has such an incredible, open, and beautiful vibrato... a true chefs kiss.

The violin on 5:56 is my favorite! It’s so beautiful sounding! That’s a sound that I am looking for! 🎻💕

Awww, that was so fascinating. I wish I could be locked in this shop for a while and trying out these violins. Must say I have a favorite but only with my little speaker. Might be completely different in person. The second Mittenwald was great but the Hill was superb. Fell immediately in love…😍. Thanks for the video!

I love that Ray plays my favorite song when trying each one of them❤🎶🎵

Loved the video. Such wonderful instruments. I noticed that he kept coming back to Tchaikovsky, one of my favorite violin concertos

Hi, Mr. Ray Chen, The tonic app that you’ve developed will be useful for my violin practice. I’m gonna download your app to practice my violin with that app. Thank you, Mr. Ray. I also love to watch your videos.

I just want to say that I LITERALLY CANNOT WAIT until the 4th of November when you'll be here in Glasgow performing Sibelius's violin concerto. My ticket has already been bought.

Wow, what a touching and serendipitous moment with Aaron Rosand's Vuilliaume - unplayed until now. And it smells like him.❤ How wonderful for you, Mr. Chen. Good vid, too.

Very informative and pleasure to listen to. I honestly felt like a couple of the 3500 dollar instruments offered a very good value in terms of the quality of the sound. But Ray would make most non-Amazon violins sounds pretty great obviously.

Yesterday I was wondering how to choose a violin. Today you make a video about it. It's a sign

Love the video! Even though I don't play violin I found it very informative - wish we could be in the room to hear the differences live! Would love to see a video of your personal violin collection and how you received them / the process of being loaned (if you're allowed to share)

Ray Chen ROCKS! The hand patch on the $45k 1960 USA violin looks like it needs varnish to protect it from hand perspiration. Ask Olaf!

Just came here to say that editing is on point, props :)

Hi Ray, Thank you. I think for most, selecting musical instruments rests to some degree the amount of experience you have, which enables you to appreciate when something special comes along. For me playing different pianos prior to purchasing, helps find one that to my ear sounds right, it's very much personal, and what makes you feel good. Great post.

Fun and interesting video. If you do something like this again, wear a blindfold and have someone hand you various instruments of all price ranges in no particular order. It would be interesting to see what you like, with out you knowing what it is, in advance 😊

Just found you through twomoo and couldn’t stop watching your content. Reminds me of my Nodame Cantabile days. 😂

Sentimentality aside, I loved the moment when you had the realization that the Vuillaume still smelled like Mr. Rosand's cigars! I actually bust out laughing. And the sound quality was just insane.

God these violins sound so beautiful. All so unique. It definitely makes me want to keep learning.

This is my favorite Ray’s chapter. As a senior violin lover, I shopped around in eBay garage sale and spent a few hundreds for a skeleton of Stradivarius label violin and dumped my $1200 Scott Cao. With E string not satisfactory, I spent $10,000 online for a new violin then returned due to struggling to get used to it. I brought my Stradivarius labeled to violin shop compared to 6-7k level, could not tell too much difference. Still looking… this video clearly shows price vs sound ❤

Thank you Ray!!!

Geeze, I wish you could be the next caretaker of your teacher's prized Vuillaume violin. Your teacher deserves to be honored.

Ray, I think you should have taken your favourite orchestra with you to the shop, to check the projection and tonal contrast of each violin you tried 😃.

I love the Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume Ray played. It belonged to Mr. Rosand. How amazing!

That was so much fun.

I just tried the tonic app and i love it thanks maestro chen 🙌

I just bought a violin recently. I would also advise to not ask what the prices are before you play them as that may skew your perception. Ask the shop to put out a selection to try within your budget and find out the prices after

10:20 that whole Tchaik excerpt was exquisite 😍

The edits in this video are amazing and really enhances the violin review! Props to the editor 👏

Thank you for video! I would love to see your expert advice on violin bows.

His humor makes my belly button pop out!!😂😂😂😂😂 Love your personality Ray!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Ray, you're so entertaining! Really enjoyed this video. 😊

Great video! I’m hoping to be able to rent a super expensive violin when I debut my violin concerto, thanks for showing some of these off…

I can feel your love when you played Mr. Rosand’s Vuillaume. I brushed into tears after the first few notes of your Tchaikovsky. It's so moving.

Thank you for playing the Schindlers List bit, it's such a gorgeous piece and not played enough :-)

Thank you for sharing. :)

Oh wow, really cool Video idea!

Playing for 18 month and I have 7/8 JTL because my hands are small. Adult leaner 51 year old. it is never too late to start.

Дякую, Рею, за чудовий огляд скрипок. Ви не перевершені 👍

Awesome video! All goes to show! You get what you pay for….. but it doesn’t hurt to be an amazing violinist like Ray Chen!

The Vuillame's sound was clearly heads and shoulders above the rest right from the first note. It's interesting listening to the instruments of different price points!

You should be playing a Vuillaume - it sounds so beautiful in your hands.

How am I just now finding your channel I’m obsessed

What is interesting and what a violin maker told me is that Italian violin are expensive because at that time violin maker in Italy doesn’t make much violin so it is like a rare Pokémon card.

Awesome sample video for my students. Bravo 🎻

"That's just fancy junk!" got me good XD.

I relate so much to the nostalgia of being able to play on your professor’s violin. Glad they’ll lend it some time.

I teared up when Ray started playing Mr. Rosand's violin with such reverence and emotion. I always enjoy watching Ray's expressions when he performs, but I absolutely felt this one. ❤

soo funniiiiii thank uuu raay

Ray, video idea: Find and interview Carol Sindell. She is possibly the only living Heifetz's student left who appears on his masterclass video.

Not counting Aaron Rosand's violin, which was undoubtedly the best I liked the 1920 german violin the best (on the left) then came the british violin as close second. All others were just too bright for me. Nice comparison I really enjoyed playing the Stradivari expert. 😅

Ray has so much charisma! He didn't learn that at Curtis.

What a fun video! I don't even play the violin (although I do wish I could have learned when I was young).

Literally felt like I came out knowing less about buying a violin than when I started the video xD Genuinely only learnt that more money = make ray more happy when he plays the violin

Glad Hank is doing well!

Love the graphics you put together...fun. Was it my ears, or was Issac Stern's violin always sounding a bit flat and muted? Also when you tested these violins were you (unknowingly) playing them differently? I agree, darker violins seem warmer. A fan from Newmarket (Onatario)

Love this upload - the sound quality is excellent although Winnie Xi will tell his little red soldiers to go after you for 辱华ing MIC violins. Also the editing is so tight and immersive with so many fitting media inserts and music effects, it felt really time well spent watching, even though there is a slight commercials feel to it. Bring more of Hank back.

I've played J.-B. Vuillaume several times, that was violin from Moscow state collection. And that, obviously, was the best sounded violin in my life. I've also played Testore, Ruggeri, Guadanini, some Strad's and Guarneri, but Vuillaume is something special! Thank you for your video!

Very interesting film.

Ray this was such a fun video to watch. And next time you're in England you're welcome to try my violin and see what you think 😂