John Williams reflects on Segovia

[Trevor B.]

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 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.

Never seen your shed so can't say. What I can say is this: there is serious music in every genre and Chet Atkins has inspired many people to pick up a guitar and learn to play. Some of them have then gone on to a serious study of our instrument and become very fine (and dedicated) classical players.
I simply cannot, after a lifetime of real dedication to the guitar and the arts in general, dismiss a musician's contribution because they're not purely classical players. But hey, that's just me.

[Wendell123]

Originally Posted by Portland Bill

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

Now Bill,
I totally disagree with you about thumbpick tone,, but i do agree
a thumbpick adds nothing to someone pursuing serious classical technique,
but most thumbpickers are not serious classical players,
However, to say that classical is the only serious music, is kind of narrow minded,, even to a narrow minded person like me,
When i was a small boy, my father would not allow me to take
guitar lessons, .. he would say "what do you want, to strum a guitar
like a ukelele as you ride on your horse like Gene Autry?"
So, you and I take guitar very seriously,, some do not .
I find Hendrix, Clapton, Hammitt, ,, and all distortion to be obnoxious
to my ear,, but you will find more folks here that disagree with me, than agree

W
*my father did change his mind, as he heard more instrumental playing,
but it took years.

[Portland Bill]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-c66SJPuUI


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGC1tuGiFLo


Hmmmm

[Trevor B.]

One last point here. Itzhak Perlman has played with four different Klezmer bands (Yiddish folk music) that I'm aware of and Yo Yo Ma has devoted a great deal of time and energy over the course of his career to learning and performing music from both the folk and classical traditions of cultures around the globe. These are jacks-of-all-trades, masters-of-none?????? No, they are great classical artists who have broadened their horizons, grown artistically, and most importantly, increased their humanity in the process. And, of course, they bring all this to their performances of Western Classical Music, making them fuller and richer than those from artists who approach their discipline from a limited perspective. This is, in paraphrased form, the point John Williams is making about Segovia's approach, particularly in pedagogical terms.
Finally, musical artistry is about a great deal more than finger dexterity and tone; yes, I said that. It's ultimately about expression and communication. The more tools we have at our disposal, the better our chances of successfully expressing ourselves.
On these notes (pun intended), Im tapped out on this subject.

[Paikon]

Segovia played music from all eras and from all around the world but most importantly he played the music he liked like all musicians do!!!!!

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by Paikon

Segovia played music from all eras and from all around the world but most importantly he played the music he liked like all musicians do!!!!!

And not only criticized other guitarists for playing in idioms outside the classical guitar repertoire but impeded the careers of guitarists he considered a threat such as Augustin Barrios. Regarding eras, all western classical musicians are required to play pieces from every musical period starting with the "Renaissance" right up through "Contemporary" and every period in between if they undertake accredited conservatory certification of any kind. Segovia definitely did not play in different idioms. Williams takes Segovia to task, rightly in my view, for his dogmatic intolerance of anything he didn't personally endorse. It's worth noting that John Williams tried his more than capable hands at jazz and David Russell made a recording of Celtic tunes. Artistic myopia is never a good thing in my opinion.

[Dogsnax]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

It's worth noting that John Williams tried his more than capable hands at jazz and David Russell made a recording of Celtic tunes. Artistic myopia is never a good thing in my opinion.

Hey Trevor...your entire post was very well-stated. Bravo!

I've always been a huge, huge Julian Bream fan. One of his most admirable traits has always been his love and support of other musical styles.

For example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnB8E_N6M1Q

[Paikon]

Segovia didnt record what he thought was radical but then again Williams recorded film scores and he did it badly !!!!
But of course Williams became the star of classical guitar and stuff like that.

As for Barrios, i dont know what Segovia thought of him but his music personally i dont like except of 4 or 5 pieces. Its not a bad thing not to like someones music.

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by Paikon

Segovia didnt record what he thought was radical but then again Williams recorded film scores and he did it badly !!!!
But of course Williams became the star of classical guitar and stuff like that.

As for Barrios, i dont know what Segovia thought of him but his music personally i dont like except of 4 or 5 pieces. Its not a bad thing not to like someones music.

No, but to intentionally deprive a touring artist concerts is a bad thing!!! That's what Segovia did! Regarding the John Williams recording of "Cavatina" used in the Deer hunter I don't have much of an opinion one way or the other but Williams' literal transcription and performance of the Bach Chaconne in D minor remains the benchmark for that piece as opposed to Segovia's borrowed and hackneyed, romanticized piano arrangement.

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by Dogsnax

Hey Trevor...your entire post was very well-stated. Bravo!

I've always been a huge, huge Julian Bream fan. One of his most admirable traits has always been his love and support of other musical styles.

For example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnB8E_N6M1Q

Hey Dogsnax,
Thanks for the positive response and for posting the link of Bream and Grapelli together. Their duo performance illustrates everything I was trying to say about expression and humanity. And there's no lack of virtuosity either. I like the video so much I've earmarked it to my channel.

[Paikon]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

No, but to intentionally deprive a touring artist concerts is a bad thing!!! That's what Segovia did! Regarding the John Williams recording of "Cavatina" used in the Deer hunter I don't have much of an opinion one way or the other but Williams' literal transcription and performance of the Bach Chaconne in D minor remains the benchmark for that piece as opposed to Segovia's borrowed and hackneyed, romanticized piano arrangement.

.
He recorded The Mission,,Schindler's List, The Godfather, except deer hunter

And when exactly did he deprive him concerts? Did they have an arrangement and he broke it?



As for Chaconne I respect your opinion but it is just that.

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by Paikon

.
He recorded The Mission,,Schindler's List, The Godfather, except deer hunter

And when exactly did he deprive him concerts? Did they have an arrangement and he broke it?



As for Chaconne I respect your opinion but it is just that.

Hey Paikon,
You've got the wrong John Williams re: The Mission and Schindler's List. Those film scores were recorded under the baton of the American conductor/composer John Williams, not the Australian guitar virtuoso John Williams. It is my understanding that between threats and bad-mouthing from Segovia, several European and British impresarios were discouraged from hiring Barrios. That's as much as I'm prepared to say on that subject.
As to the Chaconne from Violin Partita no.2 (BWV 1004) your right that it's just my opinion, but then again I'd rather hear what Bach actually wrote than some romantic piano players impressions.

[Paikon]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

Hey Paikon,
You've got the wrong John Williams re: The Mission and Schindler's List. Those film scores were recorded under the baton of the American conductor/composer John Williams, not the Australian guitar virtuoso John Williams. It is my understanding that between threats and bad-mouthing from Segovia, several European and British impresarios were discouraged from hiring Barrios. That's as much as I'm prepared to say on that subject.
As to the Chaconne from Violin Partita no.2 (BWV 1004) your right that it's just my opinion, but then again I'd rather hear what Bach actually wrote than some romantic piano players impressions.

The film scores were recorded with orchestra and classical guitar played by the Australian guitar virtuoso John Williams.

[Wendell123]

John Williams could play Jazz IF it was written out for him,, he sounded like improvising, but even he would tell you , his jazz is totally scored out,
no matter,

You all have probably seen this, it is John Williams playing electric guitar
with his band SKY .. and Bill,, no thumbpick!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2C7tzKGxJA

W

[Red_Label]

Originally Posted by Paikon

The film scores were recorded with orchestra and classical guitar played by the Australian guitar virtuoso John Williams.

I can find no reference to John Christopher Williams being involved in the score for "Schindler's List".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schindl...8soundtrack%29