John Williams reflects on Segovia

[Paikon]

I don't know what you are talking about guys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcGt9AFlIPY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s65xYoa0fc

[Bern]

Originally Posted by Paikon

I don't know what you are talking about guys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcGt9AFlIPY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s65xYoa0fc

Thanks for posting the Chaconne, Paikon...classic version !

[hifivic]

Paikon the link you included is far better than the only version that I had seen, thanks.
He wasn't at his best in this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1ICFdH7IaA

[Dave T]

Segovia did so much for the classical guitar it is unworthy for most of us to criticize him. But Williams, as both a student of Segovia and a master of guitar in his own right makes some valid points. The link provided by VictorS shows a technical brilliance that is humbling. Even thought I've heard Williams play it many times…Wow!

Dave

[Paikon]

Aniello Desiderio is the greatest player of classical music on guitar today....so what ? I m sure you will find performances where he plays awfully.

...meaning that here is no musician to my knowledge that didn't messed up at east once.

[hifivic]

Originally Posted by Paikon

Aniello Desiderio is the greatest player of classical music on guitar today....so what ? I m sure you will find many performances where he plays awfully.

...meaning that here is no musician to my knowledge that didn't messed up at east once.

LOL Paikon, you haven't seen ME play and "mess up" FAR more than once

[Paikon]

Originally Posted by VictorS

LOL Paikon, you haven't seen ME play and "mess up" FAR more than once

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH_t2mhVrGk

[RWG]

I own one CD of Segovia. It just didn't sound as nice as recordings I have by more modern players so I never bought another. However, I always assumed it was because the recording and reproduction equipment was not the same quality as modern equipment. I imagine that back in the 30s and 40s Segovia sounded great live. When he was old the equipment was better but he was probably not at his peak then.

[scottishrogue]

Originally Posted by Paikon

From my experience I will say that teachers that are not pleasing produce good students and vice versa....

I would disagree, even though I understand what you are saying. I think it would be more accurate to say that a "strict" teacher that can connect with a student will produce positive results, and a "pleasing" teacher will not get the respect, and will produce a lazy student, that has little desire to play well. An excellent teacher knows how to properly motivate a student with positive (although often critical) feedback, to be the best they can be, not out of fear, but the desire to get better and achieve success. You accomplish this by telling the student what they are doing "right" then identify those areas where you feel they should focus on to improve.

Glen

[Paikon]

Dear Glen
I think that guitarists who wanted to be taught from Segovia or other guitar monsters are already motivated and they had a goal ,to become better guitarists.

I agree though that in small classes teacher must be motivating.

[scottishrogue]

Originally Posted by Paikon

I think that guitarists who wanted to be taught from Segovia or other guitar monsters are already motivated and they had a goal, to become better guitarists.

Paikon, I quite agree with you, however, I've heard some of the "constructive feedback" he has given his students, and he goes way beyond civil discourse. It's demeaning and downright crude! If I had the chance to be studying with Segovia, I'm pretty sure he would find little to complement me about, but if I were treated that way, I would definitely FIRE his a...rs!!! If he's supposed to be helping me, and I'm paying the tab, I have enough self-respect not to put up with his inflated ego at my expense! Excellent guitarists don't automatically make excellent teachers. They often lack the patience and necessary skill sets.

Glen

[Paikon]

Its all about ambition...everybody who wanted to be somebody wanted to take lessons from Segovia , some maybe only to write it in their biography.

Steve Vai took all Frank Zappas **** because Zappa was god and Vai was nothing back then.

As Vai said later :"its a big boys game"

Merry Christmas to all!!!!!!!

PS its not fair to judge Segovia from some youtube videos of his later life.

[ZippyChip]

I bought some classical guitar records way back in the 70's when I first got interested: Segovia, Bream, and Parkening. As great as they all are, after Parkening, the others did not get much play time. Since then I have visited youtube recordings of Segovia and come away with pretty much the same feelings. He played too staccato where I did not want to hear abrupt notes and muted strings when I wanted to hear them ring. It was like...dated to me even way back then.
I am only a mid-level amateur classical guitar player so to his fans, forgive me for not loving the most influential guitar player in history.

[Wendell123]

Andres Segovia was the pioneer of the classical guitar , both in technique and adding to guitar transcriptions. In the 1950 thru 1970s Segovia was considered the "best" at classical guitar,,
On contemporary reevaluations,, Segovias playing was stodgie and lacking some feeling...,,. Andres Segovias playing has been surpassed, first by the British
ie Bream and Williams (both now retired) and all the new players coming up,
for instance Ana Vitovic,,


Wendell

[RevGeo]

As has been stated earlier, Segovia's impact on the guitar cannot be underestimated. There are few in the entire guitar pantheon who are considered true pioneers of the instrument - Hendrix, Atkins, Christian and Segovia spring to mind - and as such Segovia can be considered above reproach, for better or worse.
Williams' criticisms seem to point to Segovia as an insecure individual who found it necessary to appear in an elevated position, musically and socially; not an unusual condition among creative artists.
Being a great artist is no guarantee that one is a great human being.