A Rachmaninov prelude, but turned into a full-on jazz workout

15 December 2016, 12:37 | Updated: 8 December 2017, 17:09

Now THIS is how you turn classical music into jazz: those crunchy chords are now even crunchier.

The Prelude in C sharp minor Op. 3 No. 2 is considered to be one of Sergei Rachmaninov’s most famous compositions, and as with any work by the great Russian composer, it is not an easy piece to master.  

However, Samer El-Eid, a Syrian pianist and composer, decided to take the piece to a whole new level by playing the complicated second section with jazz rhythms, and it’s outstanding.

Samer studied music theory in the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus, Syria, where he developed his skills as a jazz pianist. Nowadays, he is developing his own musical theories while living in the Bab-Toma borough of Old Damascus and creating impressive videos like this one.