Mm, we're definitely gonna need Ling Ling's hearing skill

- for today's episode because we have... - Yes.

the ultimate challenge of a classical connoisseur.

We will be guessing...

the violinist just by the recording.

So this...

will be a test in how well we understand

the playing styles and interpretations of great violinists.

We have 20 audio files.

Over here, we have a list.

So we know what we're listening to,

otherwise it will be very very difficult.

Yeah, see which one we can guess, right?

And the consequences of losing this challenge...

is posting on TwoSet Violin Instagram, admitting...

you love the viola.

So "hey guys, I had a change of mind."

"I really love the viola. "

"I think I'll become a violist."

- Like betraying your own kind. - I know.

First one.

Oh, I know this.

Ah yeah, I know.

- Okay, answer reveal? - Yeah.

(both) 3, 2, 1!

(both) Gitlis. Yeah!

- Yeah! Ivry Gitlis, Bach Chaconne. - Yeah, woo!

He's very like, old school, and just very... kinda rough.

It's rough, the way he breaks the chord.

- Yeah. - Oh man, that's awesome.

-That's massive! - Ooh...

Whoa...

Who is this?

Dude, I don't know!

Dude, this is insane!

Okay, okay.

Oh, I don't know.

I'm doubting myself.

It's very aggressive style of playing for sure.

Oh... okay.

Oh, I don't know.

oOohH..

Yeah, okay.

3, 2, 1.

Really?!

What do you think?

I thought Midori,

- but then I changed my mind last second. - Ohh... Let's see, let's see.

The way he speeds the bow up at the end,

- Oh, that's a Vengerov thing! - that's something Vengerov does.

You can imagine...

Damn! Okay, that's wrong.

So I'll just put a cross next to it.

Number 3.

Oh!

Alright.

Okay.

- Yeah. - We got it.

3, 2, 1.

Podger, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.

Who is Rachel Podger?

Alright, number 4.

It's so good.

Okay.

Is this the 4th, dude?

Yes.

Okay.

Okay, I think it's- I think I know.

I don't know. It's risky.

I feel like it's an old... violinist.

You know, I don't know.

But mine, I'm just gonna go with my gut feeling.

3, 2, 1.

Both are very good violinists though.

S**t! I thought Szryeng!

- Szeryng! So silky and- - I was like Szeryng or Oistrakh.

We-

We're not worthy of hardness.

This is so offensive.

Okay.

3, 2, 1.

(both) Kavakos.

Yeah...

- If we had heard that earlier... - Yeah, would've...

Yeah.

Oh.

Whoa, it sounds very old.

Yeah.

Are you looking at all the grey photos?

- Do you want to discuss? - I'm thinking Heifetz,

- Yeah, I was thinking- - but I don't wanna call it wrong

because that's a big bomber.

- Yeah, cos it's so insulting to guess Heifetz wrong. - Yeah.

My initial thought was Heifetz, then Menuhin, then Stern.

- Yes, exactly! - Yeah, yeah!

Stern is too...

Nah, okay, Heifetz.

Heifetz.

Mutual discussion about that one. 3, 2, 1!

IT WAS STERN!!

Stern!

Stern...

Part of me was just saying

"it just might be Stern."

It sounded sticky.

- Yeah, he never leaves the- - It means Stern sounds sticky.

No, the pieces are also...

they trick you.

- Cos you associate Wieniawski with Heifetz. - Exactly!

- You don't associate Wieniawski with Stern. - Oh, okay. Oh...

Alright, alright, I see what game we're playing now.

Let's do this. Next one.

You know, it's so bad that part of me thought

"it sounded just a little bit not good enough for Heifetz."

- I was thinking that as well. - You thought that as well?

That's why I considered.

- I thought Heifetz would've sounded a bit more clean. - Because it wasn't as clear.

- Yeah, clean, clean. - It sounded- yeah...

We should've trusted our instincts!

Whoa, this is hard. This is hard.

Very hard.

Alright, I think I know.

I mean I don't know, but I've just given up.

- Yeah, you've just given up! - Yeah. This is so hard to tell.

That was a very just kinda standard,

- tasteful interpretation. - But I'm trying to go by articulation,

the sound, the phrasing.

Would Ray play it like that?

Hahahahahaha!!

There's Gidon Kremer as well.

Ooh...

He's a Bach guy...

Oh, look at the way Perlman's looking at you.

Ahahaha, yeah!

It could be him as well, he's like

"Hehe!"

"It's me all along."

Alright, what does the playing style remind you?

Ooh...

- Yeah, I thought Hilary. I think Hilary. - I think Hilary Hahn.

- I think Hilary. - Yeah, okay.

(both) YEAH!!

I got Hilary, yes!

Oh, we didn't insult Hilary.

Thank you.

Sounds like a girl to me.

Yeah, I think so! I'm thinking the same thing!

I thought Anne-Sophie Mutter first. I was like m...

Dude...

- Should be practicing, not doing this game. - I know.

It does sound feminine though.

It sounds feminine.

- So Midori, Janine, or Anne-Sophie. - Yeah.

It's very, just "bam!" Going through, right?

It's got a bit of Janine Jansen.

- Fi- like the... sizzle. - The fire, right?

That's what I thought.

- The last note reminds me of Anne-Sophie Mutter. - Yes!

- Alright, Anne-Sophie Mutter. Stop changing. - Anne-Sophie... Anne-Sophie!

YES!!

YES! YES!

- The last note. Woo!! - Only-

- Only Anne-Sophie would go... - Yeah... would do that.

- "BAM" on such a high note. - She's like...

- I don't really listen to Vivaldi, so I would- - No, me neither.

But look at Itzhak Perlman's face.

Looking at you.

I think I know who it is.

Alright.

3, 2, 1.

I say Gidon Kremer.

I thought Gidon Kremer or Joshua Bell, those two.

YES!! WOOHOOoOooOh!

I thought Kremer, but then the light bow strokes

- reminded me of Joshua Bell. - Woohoo!

Oh yeah- I mean, Joshua Bell was close.

No!

I lost my lead!

Yeah! We're even now.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

I think I know.

Yeah, I know.

I got it.

Dude, it's so fast.

Heifetz.

Yeah, Heifetz.

- Only Heifetz plays it that fast... - Yeah.

with every note in tune, and freaking perfect.

He's the original 15-notes-a-second, but musical, and-

- And every accuracy. - accurate.

Yeah, the OG!

There's two in my mind.

Oh... this is hard.

I've got...

- two on my mind. - Yep.

Lock yours in first?

Yeah, I've got it, yeah.

Okay, what were the two on your mind?

Ray chen,

Or?

and Joshua Bell.

I thought Ray or Janine. I chose Ray.

I chose Ray as well.

Oh...

I thought Ray or Janine!

Sorry, Janine- just kidding!

We suck!

- At least we're on the same mark. - Yeah, okay.

It's very...

gentle approach there.

Feels like they're playing in the upper half of the bow a lot.

Mm!

I've made my bet.

I've placed my bet.

Give me a second.

But I'm completely guessing.

It's just- It was like intuition.

Really?

I'm probably completely wrong.

Alright, me too.

Oh, it's gonna be so wrong.

No, dude, so off, nah.

This is the biggest guess of my life.

Alright.

Oowhoa!

Ah, I forgot about him!

I wrote James Ehnes.

Yup.

Yeah, okay.

- I thought him. I thought him. - I thought him, but you said gentle,

- so I was like "Nah... Zukerman's not gentle." - Yeah. Yeah.

Ahh! I thought him!

I thought him as well. I thought him-

I thought- I-

Yeah.

Zukerman, I thought you like to catch the string!

And who would do that?

Alright, done.

- Done? - Yeah.

What the hell?

- Who do you think? - Perlman.

Oh...

I thought Ray.

I thought Ray as well, but-

I thought Joshua Bell as well!

I thought Joshua Bell or Ray.

I swear I thought Joshua Bell or Ray.

Dude, we suck!

What?

This doesn't sound like a very professional recording though.

I might- I think I know.

Yeah, okay.

Alright, I'm gonna take a guess.

- I said Menuhin. - Same.

Imagine it's Oistrakh.

I thought so. I thought so.

- Me too. The D string, the D... - I thought so.

That D sounds Oistrakh, right?

Wow, okay, we're both sucking.

Let's keep going.

Okay, okay.

I don't know! That was so quick!

Oh, you've been listening to Mendelssohn recordings.

No, no, I just- just intuition.

I don't wanna listen too much.

Wow...

Wow...

- Alright, who do you think? - Ray.

OH!

Oh! Oh, I forgot about Ray!

No!

What did you say?

Oh... it might be Ray. I thought Ehnes.

- Yeah!! Ray Chen! Mwah, mwah! - You were right. It was Ray, it was Ray.

I was like straight up Ray.

Okay, I know.

MIDORI!! BOOOOM!

- Nine! - How did you know?

The fire sound.

- Ah dude, I think I'm just panicking. - Power- Hahaha, you're panicking, yeah.

I know.

Yeah, okay.

I thought Perlman-

You know, I'm gonna stop saying I thought.

- Dude, Perlman's smile, look, he's like... - It doesn't matter.

"HaHAhAHahaHa!"

Oh, this is hard...

- There's two people I'm thinking. - Okay, I think so.

I can visualise this...