Classical has lost me to 3chords and a story

whvick · #1 10-06-2019, 03:32 PM

Years ago I dabbled in classical, but as time went on it was easier to strum a flat top and play praise, folk, and bluegrass songs.
Last night I went to a classical quartet concert at a local college. I had visions of the enjoyment I had at going to hear Andres Segovia play 50 years ago.
The four young men were very good, and I do respect the work it takes to gain their expertise. However, I did not find myself swept away as 50 years ago. Instead, I critiqued them too much, and was particularly annoyed that they were constantly tuning their guitars.
When Tommy Emanuel came to one of these concerts it was a packed crowd. Last night there were barely 50 people. Times change, people change.
I am enjoying my three chords and a song. It is all good fun.
(To the true classical guitarists who read this, please do not take it as an insult, I do respect your craft. I just guess the hillbilly in me has finally won out)
Whvick

SpruceTop · #2 10-06-2019, 03:46 PM

Three chords and something folks can sing and tap their feet to is something to cherish. I admire the skill and artistry of classical guitar players but like many folks, I have to be in the mood and moment to listen to them.

TRose · #3 10-06-2019, 04:07 PM

Three cheers for everyone being themselves, listening to their inner voice, and living honesty.
There are some classical pieces I find achingly beautiful, uplifting, and spell binding ( and those are the pieces i have or want to learn )and some pieces leave me flat. The same can be said, for me, concerning pretty much all genres of guitar music and playing. But let’s all find what we love, what moves us, and share it with enthusiasm. It’s all good.
Cheers!

MHC · #4 10-06-2019, 04:13 PM

Yeah. I understand the impulse.... but really, there should be room for all of it. The guitar is an extraordinary instrument. It’s capable Of containing so many styles, cultures, moods, and musical traditions.

I love classical guitar, I love jazz guitar, I love blues guitar, I love country songs, I love rock and roll, I love folk (from the US to Africa) — I am not “lost” to one because of the popularity of another.

There is a place for Julian Lage, Ana Vidovich, Bryan Sutton, John Prine, Neil Young, Jason Isbell, Steve Baughman, Sarah Jaroz, Molly Tuttle, Derek Trucks, Chris Smither, Jason Vieaux, Bill Frisell, Christone Ingram, and, yes, Tommy Emmanuel on my playlist!

Doesn’t matter how many people in the audience.

Man, we are so lucky to have access to all of this amazing music.

SpruceTop · #5 10-06-2019, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MHC

Yeah. I understand the impulse.... but really, there should be room for all of it. The guitar is an extraordinary instrument. It’s capable Of containing so many styles, cultures, moods, and musical traditions.

I love classical guitar, I love jazz guitar, I love blues guitar, I love country songs, I love rock and roll, I love folk (from the US to Africa) — I am not “lost” to one because of the popularity of another.

There is a place for Julian Lage, Ana Vidovich, Bryan Sutton, John Prine, Neil Young, Jason Isbell, Steve Baughman, Sarah Jaroz, Molly Tuttle, Derek Trucks, Chris Smither, Jason Vieaux, Christone Ingram, and, yes, Tommy Emmanuel on my playlist!

Doesn’t matter how many people in the audience.

Man, we are so lucky to have access to all of this amazing music.

+1! It's All Good Music!

whvick · #6 10-06-2019, 05:03 PM

And a question. What is the chance that they were using a lot of alternate tunings? Is so I think it would be better to group those prices together, rather than to constantly be looking at the headstock.

rick-slo · #7 10-06-2019, 05:25 PM

Thanks for sharing. I'll be sure to file that away somewhere.

fitness1 · #8 10-06-2019, 05:42 PM

There is an awful lot of territory between the two genres you speak of - and a heck of a lot of great music and incredible songwriters.

That's where I live most of the time

Glennwillow · #9 10-06-2019, 06:03 PM

We like what we like. And when it's your music and you are playing for yourself, you should play what you like, or why bother?

Classical forms of anything -- music as just one example -- take more time to understand and appreciate. Digging into a Shakespeerian sonnet can be very rewarding but it's hard work, too. The same is true for classical guitar. The music can be very rewarding but it can also require more work to appreciate.

People also tend to like what they grew up with, music they are comfortable with. I grew up in Cleveland, the home of rock-n-roll. I had no experience with country music, for example, so consequently I find it hard to relate to. But I also grew up with classical music, big band, show tunes, and jazz singers because of my dad's record collection. And I bought my own Segovia records as a high school student because I wanted to know what somebody really good could do with a guitar. So this music makes sense to me.

We are very fortunate to have access to so much good music that appeals to each of us. It's one good thing about the AGF -- I have learned a great deal about all kinds of music I would never have known about.

- Glenn

bufflehead · #10 10-06-2019, 06:08 PM

Were these student musicians giving a recital? The OP makes an interesting point about being annoyed that they were constantly tuning their guitars. That can be the result of nervousness as much as anything else. It would be a shame to judge the entire discipline of classical guitar on the basis of a single uninspiring performance of four young men who have developed great technical skills without yet having figured out how to present the music in performance.

guitar george · #11 10-06-2019, 06:21 PM

Maybe if they played like these guys, you would think differently about "classical" music.

whvick · #12 10-06-2019, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitar george

Maybe if they played like these guys, you would think differently about "classical" music.

50 years ago I worked on the second piece...never sounded like that. [emoji19][emoji6]
I trust that those are substitute guitars being planted in the sand.
And yes, something was mentioned about graduate students, however the concert series presented them as professionals.
And the difference in presentation is huge. These videos are a little over the top, but it does keep your attention, and these are superior musicians.
Again, I give much respect to classical musicians. This is more an introspection as to where I am now.

whvick · #13 10-06-2019, 06:46 PM

I just had a great time playing and singing children’s folk songs with 4 visiting grandkids.
I know where I am at this point in life. “keeping it simple!”

FrankHS · #14 10-06-2019, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Three chords and something folks can sing and tap their feet to is something to cherish. I admire the skill and artistry of classical guitar players but like many folks, I have to be in the mood and moment to listen to them.

I get and accept that. However, today, in order to appreciate 3 chords and foot-tappy music, *I* have to "Be in the mood and moment to listen to them." !

One relevent difference between the two genres, which OP somehow did not acknowlege, is that his experience from 50 years ago was ONE GUITAR played by the Andres Segovia, compared with a guitar trio (or was it a quartet?) 50 years later, which doesnt have a hope in Hades regarding "How amazing and beautiful was that?" Although the classical repertoire is my main interest today, guitar trios and quartets are simply ho-hum music, so I move along, nothing to gawk about. The trick is to make one guitar seem like two or three, and for that, I get endorphines dropping from either classical repertoire by any of the great classical players, or from TE playing the foot-tapping kind, or from Chet.

whvick · #15 10-06-2019, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankHS

I get and accept that. However, today, in order to appreciate 3 chords and foot-tappy music, *I* have to "Be in the mood and moment to listen to them." !

One relevent difference between the two genres, which OP somehow did not acknowlege, is that his experience from 50 years ago was ONE GUITAR played by the Andres Segovia, compared with a guitar trio (or was it a quartet?) 50 years later, which doesnt have a hope in Hades regarding "How amazing and beautiful was that?" Although the classical repertoire is my main interest today, guitar trios and quartets are simply ho-hum music, so I move along, nothing to gawk about. The trick is to make one guitar seem like two or three, and for that, I get endorphines dropping from either classical repertoire by any of the great classical players, or from TE playing the foot-tapping kind, or from Chet.

Very good point. I thought that exactly during the concert.