John Williams reflects on Segovia

[Paikon]

Originally Posted by jmat

Well, the below are not the Cannon Ball Rag:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ipTcSYzprA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIF-rXVVN5U

Yes, its not Cannon Ball Rag but then again middle class students of classical guitar can play like this...nothing exceptional here.

[lodi_55]

Originally Posted by Paikon

Yes, its not Cannon Ball Rag but then again middle class students of classical guitar can play like this...nothing exceptional here.

"Middle class students"

and

"Nothing exceptional here"... Exactly the kind of attitude that leaves people thinking classical players are snobs.

[Paikon]

Originally Posted by lodi_55

"Middle class students"

and

"Nothing exceptional here"... Exactly the kind of attitude that leaves people thinking classical players are snobs.

Reality my friend not snobbery My former teacher played a Vivaldi concert when he was 13 and he is unknown.

[Portland Bill]

This is Classical Guitar!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLmiTDEWm7k

[Wendell123]

Originally Posted by Portland Bill

This is Classical Guitar!


]

Bill, that was a wonderful video you shared,, and that guitar sounded like a harpsichord,,
BUT you miss the point,,,~Chester B. Atkins never claimed to be a Classical guitar player,, There were classical pieces which he loved the melody of, learned to play, and performed, along with country , pop, jazz and electric and nylon string,, Chet was a hero of the guitar,,, not Joe Pass, not Julian Bream, although he admired all of them.. Chet was Chet.. no pretense, he never pretended to be anyone else.

W

[Portland Bill]

Originally Posted by Wendell123

Bill, the was a wonderful video you shared,, and that guitar sounded like a harpsichord,,
BUT you miss the point,,,~Chester B. Atkins never claimed to be a Classical guitar player,, There were classical pieces which he loved the melody of, learned to play, and performed, along with country , pop, jazz and electric and nylon string,, Chet was a hero of the guitar,,, not Joe Pass, not Julian Bream, although he admired all of them.. Chet was Chet.. no pretense, he never pretended to be anyone else.

W

I wouldn't disagree with you at all

[Dave T]

Originally Posted by lodi_55

"Middle class students"

and

"Nothing exceptional here"... Exactly the kind of attitude that leaves people thinking classical players are snobs.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make in my earlier post. I love classical guitars and the music made by classical players but the "reality" is so condescending it makes me want to put the classical CDs in the back of the cabinet and listen to Jerry Reed or Tommy E.

Dave

[Wendell123]

We have all heard Classical Gas played a million times , by a million fine players,,, here is Chet Playing it,, and in the middle interjecting a few classical pieces,,, still pop playing ,but what fun!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRtvALWlKK4

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by Portland Bill

Chet didn't play Classical Guitar he played a Classical Guitar with simple arrangements of a few easy to play standards.

So Bill, the piece in my title for this post is one that Chet Atkins played and recorded with what is surprisingly good technique for a non-classical player. The point I was making is not that Chet Atkins was a virtuoso classical guitarist (he never claimed to be one) but rather that he was open to every style of music. Segovia was not, as John Williams points out, and Segovia's closed-mindedness undermined his overall impact in my opinion.
BTW - My formal musical training was entirely in the classical guitar idiom and I've been teaching, performing and composing in this idiom for nearly four decades. Your pronouncement on what is "classical guitar" is insulting and condescending to many here on the forum.

[jmat]

Originally Posted by Portland Bill

This is Classical Guitar!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLmiTDEWm7k

I always wanted to play like that however something was always missing... talent and practice may have been the culprits...

[Paikon]

Just for the fun of it
Marco Tamayo , one of the finest modern guitarists pays A Tribute to Andres Segovia On the occasion of Andrés Segovia's 120th anniversary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTKcwFxcHyA

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by Paikon

Just for the fun of it
Marco Tamayo , one of the finest modern guitarists pays A Tribute to Andres Segovia On the occasion of Andrés Segovia's 120th anniversary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTKcwFxcHyA

Stunning!!!

[Portland Bill]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

So Bill, the piece in my title for this post is one that Chet Atkins played and recorded with what is surprisingly good technique for a non-classical player. The point I was making is not that Chet Atkins was a virtuoso classical guitarist (he never claimed to be one) but rather that he was open to every style of music. Segovia was not, as John Williams points out, and Segovia's closed-mindedness undermined his overall impact in my opinion.
BTW - My formal musical training was entirely in the classical guitar idiom and I've been teaching, performing and composing in this idiom for nearly four decades. Your pronouncement on what is "classical guitar" is insulting and condescending to many here on the forum.

Its only insulting to those that are easily insulted,the difference between Atkins and Martelli is obvious for all to hear,the former is a jack of all trades master of none,and the later is an example of what can be achieved with dedication to your craft in a specific area.

The stuff that Atkins and Emmanuel churn out is what I would call easy listening.
Serious music requires effort on behalf of the listener,what your implying is that my shed in my garden is every bit as good as the Taj Mahal!!!

The clip of Atkins playing Chopin is truly dreadful in terms of technique/tone production on classical guitar,he is obviously using a thumb pick and he sounds laboured.

[Wendell123]

Originally Posted by Portland Bill

Its only insulting to those that are easily insulted,the difference between Atkins and Martelli is obvious for all to hear
The stuff that Atkins and Emmanuel churn out is what I would call easy listening.
The clip of Atkins playing Chopin is truly dreadful in terms of technique on classical guitar,he is obviously using a thumb pick and he sounds laboured.

Martelli, who i heard for the first time on your clip, is a wonderful player,
but he is no Chet Atkins,, and whats wrong with a thumbpick?
Martelli, is probably more one dimentional than Chet, although , obviously a better classical player.. Chet did bring Tommy Emmanuel to the United States, but that is the only mistake he has made...IMO
W

[Portland Bill]

Originally Posted by Wendell123

Martelli, who i heard for the first time on your clip, is a wonderful player,
but he is no Chet Atkins,, and whats wrong with a thumbpick?
Martelli, is probably more one dimentional than Chet, although , obviously a better classical player.. Chet did bring Tommy Emmanuel to the United States, but that is the only mistake he has made...IMO
W

Classical guitar players don't use thumb picks because they limit the possibilities of the right hand,they also produce an horrendous plastic tone.