Conference napalm::guitar

    Welcome to guitar notes file.  I have been playing classical and
    flamenco guitar for 15 years.  I studied classical guitar with 
    Jim McGuire for number of years, we used Julio Sagreras method book.
    My favorite pieces were mostly Tarrega's music, I have also played
    pieces by some contemporary composer's too.
    I play a guitar made by Don Pohler, a very delicate instrument with
    cedar top.
    By the way, about your wrist; try not to make an angle when playing.
    In other words hold both with hardly no angle on the wirst while
    playing, that will help blood circulation.
                                              HOSSEIN BEYZAVI
    

    I usta play classical and I also have wrist problems.  Haven't been
    able to play for about 20 months.  Actually I tentatively started
    playing a month ago, but started having pain and stiffness again.
    
    I have a #10 Khono (or is it Kohno?), 1975.  It's one of the first
    made with Indian rosewood instead of Brazilian; has a nice spruce
    top.  When I was playing mainly classical, I played a lot of Bach,
    a little Dowland, lots of short lute pieces, a bit of Joplin, etc.
    My favorites just for the fun of playing were Lauro's 'Venezuelan
    Waltz #5' (or 3?), THE Dowland 'Fantasia' in E, and Ravel's 'Pavane
    for a Defunct Infant'.  I was mainly self-taught, but had some lessons
    with Charels Duncan, Lyster Bass and John Sutherland, and master
    classes with Oscar Ghiglia and Mario Abril.
    
    What's your wrist problem?  

    Bob

Nice to hear from some classical guitarists. So this notes file is
not all head-bangers and electronics technicians after all.  :') 

I especially like Baroque and Rennaisance music, but lately have been
trying to learn some more Classical and Romantic things. Been working
on: Theme and Variations on a theme of Mozart by Sor; the Mendelsohn
'Canzonetta'; Gavotte from the Bach 4th lute suite in E; and 
occasionally Scarlatti sonatas. Would like to learn more spanish 
and modern stuff too. It's difficult to keep up my playing nowadays
with work and 2 small kids but I'm still practicing. It just takes
longer to learn new things.

Play an Alvarez Yairi which I've had since 1975. It has improved
well with age and I've been really happy with it. I studied at New
England Conservatory with Robert Sullivan; graduated in 1979;
took master classes with Fred Hand, Manual Barrueco, and Carlos
Barbosa-Lima. 

I've had problems with pain in my right hand a few times over the
years; found the only thing that helped was to practice less, (no
problem with that now) and avoid doing lots of scales or exercises
with the metronome. Just play music and try to play relaxed, maybe
sight read new pieces. Nothing intense. 

I noticed you said wrists (plural) too. I had a problem when I 
first started playing classical guitar where I was pressing way 
too hard on the fretboard. I went from playing a steel string 
with heavy guage strings to a nylon string. I was pressing much 
harder than I had to.

Another Bob

    
    RE: .0
    
    What about you? Who did you study with? What kind of stuff do you
    like?
    
    Are you able to practice at all now?
    
    Would any of you be interested in gettng together some time to
    "jam". I've got lots of duets, some trios, and even a few
    quartets. 
    
    Bob

    NOT re: .0
    
    		I also studied with RP Sullivan at NEC, from 74-76,
    among others. 
    Lost interest for a while, but regained my pace. I played and still
    have a 74 Ramirez, but now my principal instrument is a Rich Bich.
    Although untraditional, I can play the music better so I do.
    I switch between Segovia and the Spanish right hand techniques,
    and use a flatpick sometimes . ( Like the opening to the Chaconne,
    I Like that with a pick. ) Hoping to get a rock band together
    and play that for a solo, I think it could open up a lot of metal
    heads to the history of the guitar before Hendrix.  )
    I can't think what's wrong with the wrist either, maybe it's just
    a symptom. 

    Bob,
    
    Sorry to take so long to reply.  I studied with several people in
    Worcester:  Jim Skinger for years.  He is now at the University
    at Binghampton.  At Clark University, I studied with David Sussman,
     Bob Sullivan's predecessor.  More recently, I study occasionally
    with Peter Clemente.  Peter is, in my opinion, a world class guitarist.
     Like you , I have a child and practicing is very difficult.
    
    The problem with my wrists is very involved.  Basically,  I have
    some congenital wrist defect that causes my tendons to be very weak.
     I had surgery on my left wrist to reconnect the big tendon;  it
    had deteriorated to almost nothing.  In my right hand, I have carpol
    tunnel syndrome and trigger finger in the middle finger.  The trigger
    finger is related to the tendon problem and causes my finger to
    get stuck.  I have to manually raise it.  According to my doctor,
    with my wrists, I never should have played an instrument as demanding
    as guitar.  Anyway, such is life.  When I was really playing a lot
    10 - 15 years ago, I always had pain in my hand but figured it was
    because my hands were weak.
    
    I play in an early music group in Worcester which is great because
    it keeps me playing and is not too demanding.  Also, great fun to
    be in an ensemble.  The proble is with solo play.  I play(ed) most
    of the pieces that you listed - some pieces better than others.
    Now, I have been playing some Dowland, Sanz, Mudarra, Lauro, some
    Spanish pieces and a very few modern things.  the problem is that
    I have a new guitar an Hiradi #7 (sp?) that I love but more and
    more cannot play because it seems to be just too big for me.  My
    hands are stiff and so I can't make stretches.  also the tension
    is high.  I've tried low tension strings but don't like the sound.
     The guitar has a very bright sound which I love.  So I think what
    I'm going to do is to keep it for ensemble work but have a smaller
    guitar with maybe a flatter neck made for me.  I know that my playing
    days are numbered but I think that this might prolong them a bit.
    
    This is my story.  Nice to hear from you.  If you know anyone who
    might have ideas about a guitar maker, let me know.
    
    Joan
    

After playing all other varieties of guitar music for the past 20 years I
have recently ventured into the world of classical guitar.  Having an
overwhelming desire to learn Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring I first bought an
arrangement, learned it, then bought a classical guitar (an Alvarez) and now
am taking lessons from Dale Miller here in the Springs.

So far we have gone through short pieces by Carcassi, Sor, Tarrega, and Bach.
I also talked him into teaching me the Muzurka Choros by Villa-Lobos.  I have
been able to pick up, on the average, a new piece a week but have to admit
that some of the stuff is quite challenging even in it's simplicity.  Adelita
is the piece that I have found to be the toughest, so far.  The appoggiaturas
throughout have forced me to be more cognitive about my left hand.  Also, the
study in A minor by Carcassi is fraught with difficulty if for no other reason
than a block I seem to have around committing it to memory.

I'm currently working on the Bach Prelude for Lute (BMV 999); what a 'gas'
that one is to play.  Baroque fireworks.  In searching out recordings of the
various pieces I have been learning I found two for this Prelude:  one by
Segovia and the other by a German guitarist whose name is not clear in my
memory yet - something like Goran Schollser?  Outside of the tempo the biggest
difference of these recordings is that Segovia plays it on a six string in the
key of D minor while Schollser plays it on a 10 string guitar in C minor using 
a Lute tuning.  Both performances are exquisite.

There is, also, a note in Citizen::Classical_Music (#153) regarding classical
guitar.  Keypad 7 adds the conference.

=ken

    >  Having an Overwhelming desire to learn "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"
    
    That piece has the same effect on me.  I had to learn it.
    
    I just picked up a book of Bach transcriptions that has all my
    favorites (it's called "Fingerstyle Bach").
    
    	db

    By the way, any of you "trained" classical guitar players in
    the Massachusetts/NH area interested in giving me a little coaching.
    
    I'm a semi-decent finger-picker (country, rag-time, "Travis picking",
    etc.) but I find that while I can "hit" the notes, the transitions
    between notes just isn't very smooth.
    
    I suspect that it is because my fingerstyle just doesn't lend itself
    well to classical.  For one thing, I tend to use mostly my thumb
    and first two fingers, occasionally my ring finger, and almost never
    use the pinky.
    
    I think it would help me greatly just to have a trained player show
    me the problems with my style and to get an idea what the proper
    way is.
    
    	Dave Blickstein

    yo dave;
    let me give you a couple of ideas.
    It is considered bad to use the 4rth finger of the plucking hand.
    When , in the stopping hand, you have a note to play on the 3rd
    finger: if  1 and 2 aren't stopping anything, stop the string
    with 1,2 and 3 on frets -3, -2 and the note. This distributes load
    and lets you get real fast with hardly any work.
    
                              -Andrew

RE: RE: RE: RE: (respect)

I was at NEC from 76 to 79. Were you a full time student there?
I really loved that place. It was nothing but music from morning
to night for 3 years. But then, thrown out into the real world.

Joan,
Sorry to hear about your hand problems. That does sound serious.
It great that you can play in an ensemble though. I know what 
you mean about the high-tension bright sound. I like that myself. 
Hang in there. Don't know much about guitar makers, 
my Alvarez was bought off the rack.

Peter Clemente did the Villa-Lobos guitar concerto with
the Hudson (mass) symphony pro-musica last year. He was
excellent. Does he teach in the worchester area?

Ken,
Take a look at the Fred Noad series of books, Rennaisance guitar,
Baroque guitar, Classical guitar, and Romantic guitar. Each is
divided into three sections - easy, intermediate, and advanced.
There's lots of good pieces in them all.

Dave,
I'd be happy to give you whatever help I could in classical
technique. I live in Lunenburg and work in Concord. Send me
mail. 

Bob

    
    Bob,
    Peter has a studio on Portland St. in Worcester.  Sorry that I don't
    know the phone number but it's Clemente Studio.  I believe that
    he also teaches in Boston call the studio and talk with him.  He's
    real approachable.
    
    Joan
    

    re 1020.11
    I was a full time student at NEC during the 75-76 school year,
    at berklee for the 74-75 year. I took lessons with RPS during the
    time I was at Bezerklee, and also had lessons on classical guitar
    there at the same time. These two guys didn't get along, and were
    totally different in approach and repetoire. Since I had almost
    no lessons before I went to Berklee, I did whatever either one wanted.
    Now I do what I want. I'm surprised nobody complains when I say
    I blow parts of the chaconne off with a pick. But relieved in a
    way. I don't suppose you do much tapping on the board with your
    plucking hand either, but that really speeds up the scaler parts
    before the arpeggios. I memorised that thing in 2 months, niether
    teacher wanted me to work on it, but it was the best thing I've
    done on it. I felt out of place at NEC and Bezerklee, and can imagine
    the cold stares I'd get if I played this way back then. But maybe
    I did.

I started at NEC the year after. 76-77. We used to have workshops
occasionally with classical guitarists from Berklee. They seemed
to do it more as a sideline to Jazz though. 

I have to admit I raised my eyebrows a bit at using a pick on the
Chaconne. How do you match the tone between the pick and the fingers?
Sounds like you have the right attitude though; the result is what
counts.

I've never been able to do any tapping on the classical guitar. It
always sounds too weak to me. Never spent much time on it though.
My action is too high I think. 

Bob

    At Berklee, Bill Levitt is devoted to the use of a pick. 
    (I love to use my fingers).   He compiled an excellent anthology, 
    something to the nature of Classical Studies for Pick Study Guitar. 
    
    I wonder what happened to mine. 
                    
     
    

    
    RE: -1
    
    Oh yeah, its Classical Studies for Pick Style Guitar.  Some nice
    pieces in there.  I liked Allegro, Exerpt from perpetual motion,
    a Sarabande the best.  Some of the Bach stuff was nice as well.
    
    Buck

    
    Does anyone have the sheet music to Preludio (in E major) by F.
    Moreno-Torroba?

    RE: 16 and 17
    
    For fun and frolic with a pick look at the Bach Six sonatas for
    solo violin. Especially the Allegro from sonata #3 in A minor,
    or the Double (presto) from sonata #2 in B minor.  

    I'm not a classical player - but just thought I'de refer you to
    my note #1116 - about wrist problems - which I have too - real
    pain in the ^%$#  er.. wrist..
    
    see ya
    roy

I have been playing classical guitar for a little over a year now, and since I
never played a stringed instrument before, it is very slow going.  Right now
I am learning Greensleeves (from the Leona Boyd 'Miniatures' book), Bourre in
Em by Bach, and some simple Renaissance pieces from the Noad book.  This is 
a very rewarding experience for me - one of my goals is to play for local 
meetings of the SCA and for the Colorado Renaissance festival.  Hope that isn't
too far away.

For those of you here in Colo. Springs, there is a local classical guitar 
society that meets on the first Monday of every month.  Meetings alternate
between here and Pueblo.  We have a theme for each meeting, which is played
during the first half, and then open up the meeting to anything during the
second half.  Anyone can play, and it is entirely voluntary.  If you are 
interested, contace me or Phil Roettjer.

/Mike

    I'll be at the 1989 DECJAM on Sat., July 29, 1989 playing the 
    Bach Chaconne on an Electric guitar. Transcription partly by Segovia,
    and the rest is mine.  Will return with schedualed time as it becomes
    available.
    Andrew

>    I'll be at the 1989 DECJAM on Sat., July 29, 1989 playing the 
>    Bach Chaconne on an Electric guitar. Transcription partly by Segovia,
>    and the rest is mine.  Will return with schedualed time as it becomes
>    available.
>    Andrew

...which reminds me...John Williams has been playing electric (fusion?) for 
several years.  I wonder if he ever plays classical pieces on it?

Bob

    Wrong! The DECJAM is on July 23, Sunday. At this time, it is unclear
    if the people running the PA's for the rock bands ( since this is
    basicly a DECBAND festival ) can set up for the inter-set acts, of
    which I wanted to be one.
    
    I heard also John Williams plays electric, ( Also cello ) but
    don't know if he does classical stuff on it.  Those super-long
    ( I think too long ) nails  would probably get whittled down real
    quick.   
    
    I haven't got a wah wah yet, I just don't know if I really want all
    that signal processing junk, but realize it may be just a matter of
    time before I get something odd...
    
    Andrew

re: < Note 1020.24 by VLNVAX::ALECLAIRE >

>    I heard also John Williams plays electric, ( Also cello ) but
>    don't know if he does classical stuff on it.  Those super-long
>    ( I think too long ) nails  would probably get whittled down real
>    quick.   
    

I've never hear JW play electric, but I read several years ago he was playing 
with a fusion band called "Sky".  He claimed, in an interview, that he has 
less nail wear on the electric - probably because he doesn't have to play 
hard.  

Bob

    No Chaconne at the DECJAM this summer, the sound people don't want to
    set up for it.
    Sorry. 

    Actually there was (modern) classical guitar at a DECjam.
    
    I've played two pieces written for classical guitar at DECjams
    but they were both modern pieces written by rock guitarists who
    also fool around on classical guitars.  Although one of them
    I played on an electric, although playing classical style (something
    I now know is a mistake).
    
    I'd love to play "Jesu" during one of the breaks.  I never seem to
    get bored of playing that no matter how many times I play it.
    
    	db

    If memory serves me correctly, Buck also did a piece (on electric) with
    a classical guitar intro at the first DECjam.
    
    It might well be that some aspect of the classical guitar was
    has been represented at most of the DECjams!  But of course, it
    would nice to have "real" classical guitar and "real" classical
    guitar music.
    
    	db

    I sympathize with the sound people...doing sound for 8 bands is a
    nightmare in itself, but doing sound for 8 bands plus 7
    fill-in-the-middle bands???  I wouldn't touch that gig with a 100 foot
    pole! 
    -
    
    Maybe next time you should just reserve your own slot, or, get in
    a jam band...its a lot safer that way.

    I do not. You want to put on a good show, someone is willing to fill a
    15 miunute slot with music that's been famous for 300 years, all he
    needs is 120V ac grounded plug and he's to much of a pain;
    so you let people sit in the breeze playing with the butterflys
    because you don't want him in thw way. No dude, there's more to it,
    that dosen't make any sense.

    re -2
    I  play real classical guitar music on a real electric, as mentioned
    in this note before. 
    

    I sorta agree with Buck.
    
    The problem is that during set changes it just works out that
    
    	1) You need control of the stage
    
    	2) You need to be able to make tests without worrying
    	   about interfering with someones playing
    
    I know this doesn't seem intuitive, but it really is true.  It's
    just one of those situations where you have to keep things simple
    and limit the number of things going on when you have to do your
    work.
    
    What I don't understand was that it was my impression that they
    were already having folks play in between sets.  I don't accept
    that a classical guitar is gonna introduce any more problems than
    anything else.

    re -2
    
    Hey, I don't want to start a flames/rathole here, but unfortunatly when
    there are two bands playing back-back, there is more to it to letting
    someone "sit in" between bands then you think.  Think of it from the
    sound mans point of view:  the sound guys usually have to re-adjust the
    micing for the next band, and if someone is performing they are in the
    way.  Also, the next band needs space and time to set up their stuff
    for performance, also a hindrence when a performer is onstage.  Also,
    the sound man needs to be attentive to the mixing console when someone
    is playing...mixers don't mix by themselves, and there's always the
    chance the mains/mon. with get away (feedback)...how can the sound guy
    break down one band and set up the next with someone playing in
    between?  Not such an easy task for him...maybe for the performer,
    but.......
    

    Yea, Buck , guess you're right. I'll play some other time.
    Oh well.

    Now on to Happier Topics!
    
    I read a few times in some notesfiles how some people Boil steel
    strings. I tries it before using a set, and am sold.
    The boiling cleans the strings very well, and I could see and smell
    the old and gunk on unboiled strings that I overlooked before.
    
    The I tried boiling a set of Augustine Blue classical guiutar strings,
    half thinking it might work, and 1/2 expecting it to ruin them.
    
    I shook when the strings went in, Dunk!
    Will it ruin them?
    
    Left them in for about 4 or 5 minutes, stirring and worrying...
    and out popped the  cleanest best sounding strings
    my old Ramirez ever had! The silver looked White, and sounded
    Excellent!!
    
    I'll do it again, too.
    

>    The I tried boiling a set of Augustine Blue classical guiutar strings,
>    half thinking it might work, and 1/2 expecting it to ruin them.


Did you boil new or used strings?

    new
    

    did it make any difference on the first second and third strings??
    
    jt

	Hello,

	I've been playing classical guitar for about a year now and I'm
	now at the stage of looking around to buy a new guitar. The one
	that I've got at the moment isn't that bad, but I bought it over
	10 years ago second-hand.  It lay in a cupboard for years and its 
	as bit scratched and bashed.

	Its easy for people to say 'got play one and if you like the 
	sound of it buy it!' but those of us with cloth-ears just end up
	at a salesmans mercy.

	Can someone tell me what I should look for in a guitar, and what
	makes to keep an eye out for.  I'm not sure what the price to
	performance ratio is like, but what sort of guitar can I expect
	for about �200.  Also where is my nearest good guitar stockist.
	(I'm in Newbury, Berkshire).

	Alan.

I have been playing classic and other sorts of guitar music for 20+ years,
I havn't got much official education though, most of it is self-taught and
learned from friends; of course, I've got a lot of problems with bad habits!
But it seems I slowly correct every detail as time passes by...the next
thing I have to correct, is that I move my right hand fingers too much,
this slowing down my tecnique and giving me less control. If anybody know
how to make some good exercises, feel free to give your advice!

My guitar is a '77 Rodriguez, build by R. Moreno. A very fine Madrid guitar,
has a 'big' sound. I play the common things (Sor, Carcassi, Giuliani, Bach),
but also pieces by english guitarist John Renbourn; my special, favourite
piece is 'Moonlight Serenade' by Beethoven. Wonderful to play it on guitar!

My weak point is, as you can guess, my tecnique, but this is still getting
better. My strong point is (at least my friends say so!), that after all
these years of playing, I'm able to put a lot of emotion into what I play,
and maybe I focus more on the latter than trying to get a better tecnique...

Those of you who have wrist problems, maybe you are SW engineers like me?
I myself had the same problems, and one day I was told *NOT* to lay my arms
on the table to reach the keyboard; this prevents blood circulation on the
underside of the arms while hammering the keyboard...IMPORTANT: Move the
keyboard to the edge of the table! After a few days, I had no more symptons,
and now I can play as much as I like! Hope this helps some of you.

Poul

    
    Hi Poul,
    
    	Regards moving the right hand fingers too much, try playng all rest
    strokes for a while, ie rest the fleshy tip of the finger on the string
    & gently stroke the finger so the nail clips the string letting the
    instrument do the work.  You won't be able to over play as the next
    string will stop you.
    
    	It will cramp your style for a while but when you start to play 
    through strokes again you should find that the movement is reduced, in 
    fact the movement should be similar to a rest stroke but the angle of the 
    hand changes slightly (wrist slightly more cocked) when playing through.
    
    	John Williams used to play with the wrist very cocked & fingers
    almost straight but it caused a gangleon to form on his wrist so he
    changed to the flatter style that Bream uses (more like a lutenist
    would play), this is the style I adopted on the advice of my tutor
    as I was getting stiffening in my wrist.
    
    	Have fun....
    
    Cheers
    		Pete.

Hi Pete,

Thankyou, very nice advice on the rest_stroke tecnique...tried it some years
ago, but ran out of patience...guess it's time for another try!

Poul

    
    Has any one got a spare copy of Chaconne,   I've tried every publishing
    house I can find in the UK & NOBODY carries (only a couple a places
    even heard of it!).  Xerox would be fine also if your morals allow
    (mine do cos the composers long gone!)
    
    Loc RDL 3/B Reading UK.
    
    Cheers
    		Pete.

Hi Pete,

Just give me an address, and I'll send you a copy!

Poul

    
    
    	My Digital mail address is.
    
    	Pete Evans RDL 3/B
    	Queens House
    	Reading United Kingdom.
    
    	Much appreciated, many thanks.
    
    	Pete.

    A fellow DECcie in the office has a Takamine Hirade (nylon-string) 
    classical that she is interested in playing amplified.  This is an area
    (one of many) I know nothing about, but that never stopped me.  ;7)
    
    The obvious first choice would be a microphone (which one?) played
    through a PA amp (which one?).  This is for home/personal use. 
    
    What other options are there for removable or installed pickups that
    could be played through a regular guitar amplifier?  What different
    types are there, how do they work (she is an M.E.), and what are the
    advantages/disadvantages of each?
    
    Thanks,
    \Gary

    In terms of a mike and PA, there are tons of options.  Alot depends on
    the budget.
    
    Trace Elliot has an amp specifically designed for acoustic guitar.
    It has both 1/4" phone jacks (for pickups) and XLR inputs for mikes.
    There are a couple of different versions (power and features), but
    they are big bucks.
    
    As far as pickups, Takamine makes good ones.  They are available as
    options on the Hirades.  A dealer could probably order one and
    retrofit, but I personally wouldn't want a pickup in MY Hirade
    (I guess I'm a bit of purist there), unless it was specifically
    a stage guitar.  
    
    Acoustic guitar has had a couple of articles on amplifying acoustics,
    and the issue of amplifying a classical.  I'll see if I can find them,
    and send them your way. 
    
    Jim

    
         Last Saturday night I traveled a whole 5 minutes
    accross town to see The Thayer Symphony Orchestra, 
    featuring Peter Clemente on Classical Guitar, perform
    at Atlantic Union College in Lancaster, Mass.
         Fortunately, I snagged two 3rd row/center tickets
    from a PR photo-guy who had to take-off before the show
    even started (my heart was bleeding. Ya right!)  At any
    rate, this show was superb.  Peter Clemente, who received
    his Master's Degree in the art, resides, teaches, and 
    performs at several colleges accross the state.  And the
    Thayer Symphony Orchestra was outstanding in their own.
         Has anyone else had the chance to see this man play
    the guitar?
    
    Kev --
    (I'll get back with the program he did that night.  I can't
     quite recall it now)
    

    Peter is an awesome player. He's a nice guy too. His father and my
    father are good friends and played together for years. We hung out
    quite a bit growing up...
    
    -b

    I saw him do the Villa-Lobos concerto with the Symphony Pro-musica
    (Hudson/Leominster) at Hudson High school a few years ago. He did a great 
    job on that.
    
    So, what was the program he did at Thayer? Was it Rodrigo?
    
    Bob

    > Was it Rodrigo?
    
    Yes, he did Rodrigo's Aranjuez. 
    
    
    BTW, did anyone happen to catch Christopher Parkening
    in Worcester recently?
    
    Kev --
      

    
    There's a fairly new compilation CD-thing out by Julian Bream  
    consisting of (get ready...) 28 CDs!!!!  Quite a collection!!
    
    Kev --
     
    

    
    I read that Worcester, Mass. will be hosting Julian Bream for
    a concert celebrating his 50th performing year sometime in the
    early spring of '97.
    
    Excellent.
    Kev --
    

    A while back I played an Augustino LoPrinzi classical at a small shop. 
    I really liked it, and it appeared to be an excellent value.  I didn't
    buy it then, but it has really been bugging me, so I went back and 
    bought it this weekend (it was still there-- usually when this happens,
    I go back and the guitar in question is gone).
    
    Solid Indian rosewood sides and back and a spruce top that is to die
    for... (the most cross grain I've ever seen).  Mr. LoPrinzi recently
    re-entered the classical guitar market (he built classicals, then went
    to steel strings, and now is building classicals again), and this
    guitar was a prototype he built that was used by the proprieter of the
    shop where I bought it (acting as LoPrinzi's dealer rep) to get dealers
    to carry his classicals.  
    
    The production models go for $2,700 -- I got the prototype for $1,500.
    It doesn't have a mark on it (although the case looks a little rough).
    It sounds great now, and I'm sure it will get better once it has been
    played.
    
    I had taken my Hirade as a potential trade (and for sound comparison
    purposes), but decided to keep the Hirade.   The Hirade is a second
    that I got a great deal on.  It gives me a second instrument when I
    don't want to risk the LoPrinzi, and also gives me a cedar top, which I
    do like for some things (generally I prefer spruce).  Also, if my 2
    year old son continues with his interest in guitars, the Hirade could
    be a very good instrument for him to learn on. (Although he already has
    his eyes on the LoPrinzi -- I let him hold the Hirade while I was
    playing the LoPrinzi and he told me "No.  Daddy old 'tar.  James new
    'tar!")
    
    Jim (digging out his classical books and working on Bach again)

    
    First off, Julian Bream is playing Mechanics Hall Worcester, MA
    sunday Apr. 20 at 4:00pm.  AND, get this, rumor has it he'll be
    retiring after this final gig in WORCESTER.  Wow, you know it'll
    be special.
    
    I'm a massive fan of this guy, especially his early lute repertoire.
    (has anyone ever heard him do modern works on lute..dig it!)
    
    Secondly, are tix purchased through agency or at their box office?
    
    thanks, and hope to see some ::GUITAR folks there...
    Kev --
    

I'm going to this show, a freind of mine has four
tickets..

    
    Cool..if I score tickets, I'll be in as well.
    
    Kev --
    

    purchase tix through their box office
    
    - Dave (who will also be there)

Can't wait for sunday, we're really looking forward to this..

    
    GET this...scored one single ticket.  $28 got me 2nd row, DIRECTLY
    in front of Julian...
    
    SO, when you see the joker with the mop of reddish/blondish hair
    in row 2...flag me down so we can chat about the geeter and maybe
    have a few pops after the gig somewhere...
    
    Cannot wait,
    Kev --
    

great seats..  I think we're in like the 8th or 10th row...

    
    I'm loving the 4pm showtime...slick for me, opens sunday nite up
    for other activities.
    
    Kev --
    

    
    Paper said something about the 'possible' program which included
    some work by Fernando Sor, who is without a doubt, my favorite
    composer for guitar.  I sure would have liked to have seen him
    play in his day...I'd even settle for A live glimpse of his most
    prominent student, Napolean Coste, in action..
    
    At any rate, my favorite Sor pieces include:  Marche Funebre, 
    Guitarra, and or course, his Mozart 'Magic Flute' Theme & Variations.
    
    I'll be majorly pumped if Julian cranks any one of these out.
    
    Kev --
    

    I heard he's going to break out an unplugged version of
    "Free Ride" 

    
    WOW.
    

    
    	If he encores with "Smoke on the Water" you'll really go wild, I
    	bet.
    

Actually, I'll be poised for "Free Bird"

what are the chances ???

/R

Did any noters make it to Mechanics Hall to see Julian Bream
on Sunday ?

I did ! Just amazing..  It only took about 2 minutes
of him playing his first piece, for me to realize I was in
the presence of one the finest musicians in the world..

This was without a doubt, the most eye opening performance
I've seen.  

He had complete control over every aspect of playing, his timing was 
impecible, there wasn't one note that didn't belong.  On several
occasions where a passage would require tuning changes, he'd drop 
tune the E or A string, and he did this with out ever hearing where 
the string he just detuned, was in pitch, or (most amazingly) not
even missing a beat,,  he'd just drop it, and  keep on going, when he 
needed the strings back to standard, he just put it back, again, 
all this without pause, during in the middle of the peice he was 
performing,  you have  to have seen this to beleive it..  My mouth 
was on the floor...

As the program went on, he just kept going to the next level, till
he finished the show with the Suite Elspaniol,, killed us with it.
the guy is the definition of grace, passion and fire,, 

No microphones, no amps, no gimics, no tricks,, just one guy
his two hands, and guitar.  Mechanics hall ins't a small
room either, but there wasn't a seat in the place that couldn't
hear every note that came out of him....

when he finished the afternoon, (of course, a standing ovation, 
and one encore performance) I'm not ashamed to admit, I
was in tears...   

Too bad this was his final visit to the United States...
a pure master,

/pelksta

My wife and I attended the Bream concert as wellouldn. We were both
amazed at the clarity of the notes....and the precision and speed of
the playing. My wife even commented that there were prolonged segments 
where Bream just closed his eyes and emersed himself into the music...
our friend made the comment that he was beyond technical execution;
he was now playing from emotion. That was quite evident from the variation
in tone, texture, and pace that he was able inter-weave into his playing. 

One thing that I was surprised and was curious about was that he was able to 
sustain the speed and precision of his finger picking with his fingers held 
closely together and there was very little movement of the hand.....just very 
light graceful picking. No wasted motion or energy.......where as my 
fingerpicking looks more like an octupus flailing about:-)

Jonathan

    
    Called the Minimum Movement Principle...and he is THE man.  
    Seriously, this was without a doubt the finest classical guitar
    performance I have ever seen.  Interesting program as well.
    
    Anyone catch him snap off a major chunk of thumb nail in the 
    Albeniz Suite?  Musta felt good.
    
    Loved Sor's Largo.  I've got a recording of Bream playing this
    one and I noticed slight variations (a la embellishments, ornaments, 
    etc.) that were definitely not in the recorded output.  Awesome.
    
    Kev --
    
    
    

    <Anyone catch him snap off a major chunk of thumb nail in the 
    <Albeniz Suite?  Musta felt good.

Is that what that was ????

I knew I saw/heard something,, had no clue..  with me, it would
have just been a missed not or something, I serioulsy doubted he
missed anything..

    
    It truly is an education going to such a concert isn't it?
    
    I saw him here in Reading UK a few years ago. I have a smattering of
    classical guitar records etc littering my generally middle of the road
    -> rock collection so I'm not a great classical fan. Nevertheless I
    could not afford to miss the great man when he came here. I had never
    attended a major classical guitar concert before.
    
    I sat in my seat before the performance and was rather confused that
    the only things on stage were a stool, a foot rest and a potted plant!
    "Where's the subtle ambient amplification he will need?"
    "Where's the music stand? How can he play for the proposed 2 hours with
    no music?"
    "Where's the orchestra?"
    
    How ignorant I was. I was just totally amazed that he played for two
    hours with no accompaniment, no music and no amplification, and the
    venue was big, big enough for rock concerts. Truly amazing.
    
    Richard
    
    BTW get his 'Guitar in Spain' CD. Fully digital, recorded in some
    typically Spanish/Moorish castle of similar. Turn up the volume and you
    can even hear his clothes rustling!
    
    

    RE: subtle amplification
    
    Ah-- a much debated topic among classical guitarist.  Most people are
    in one of two camps.  There are those who refuse amplification under
    all circumstances.  They feel that no mike/PA system can possibly
    capture the complete essense of the classical guitar.  The other camp
    feels that amplification allows them to concentrate more on playing
    musically (as opposed to concentrating on being loud enough to be
    heard), allowing them to do more with dynamics, etc., and that this
    advantage outweighs the disadvantages, particularly for concertos
    (where the volume of the guitar is at a serious disadvantage against
    that of an orchestra).  Most (if not all) classical guitarists prefer
    to go without amplification for solo recitals if at all possible.
    
    RE: not using music
    This is much the norm.  Parkening has been using music the
    last few years (he says he generally has the pieces memorized, and
    the music serves as a safety net that improves his confidence) and 
    it raised a few eyebrows.  In general, orchestras use music, but the 
    soloists for concertos don't...
    
    As a flip side to this, I remember reading an interview with Keith
    Jarret (the great jazz pianist that does some classical stuff too) in
    which he told about a classical collegue who attended one of his jazz
    performances (which was, of course, largely improvised) and asked him
    later "how on earth did he memorize all those notes?"  I found this
    rather surprising that in this day a professional classical musician
    wouldn't have been more knowledgeable about jazz, but as Mark Twain
    said, "we are all ignorant, just in different subjects."
    
    Other thoughs:
    I've been to concerts by Parkening, Barrueco, and several lesser known
    classical guitarists, but I've never had the opportunity to hear Bream.
    I still kick myself for not going to see Segovia when he played in
    Ann Arbor just a few months before his death (yes, his skills were
    somewhat dimished by that time, but it would have been great to
    see him play anyway).  I was very busy with a project at the time and
    never got around to getting tickets...
    
    Anyone know the luthier who made the guitar Bream is playing these
    days?  I think it is a British luthier, but can't remember the name.
    
    Jim

    Adding .73 made me think about adding a note here on who plays what in
    the classical guitar world.  Off the top of my head...
    
    Guitarist			Maker/Guitar		Wood
    Segovia (at various times)	Hauser I 		Spruce/Rosewood
    				Ramirez			Cedar?/Rosewood
    				Fleta			?/Rosewood
    Christopher Parkening	Ramirez	1A		Cedar/Rosewood
    John Williams		Smallman		?/Rosewood
    Sharon Isbin		T. Humphrey Millennium	Spruce/Rosewood
    Assad Brothers		T. Humphrey Millennium	Spruce/Rosewood
    Elliot Fisk			T. Humphrey Millennium	Spruce?/Rosewood
    				Ignacio Fleta		Spruce?/Rosewood
    David Russel		Michael Gee		
    				John Gilbert
    

    <Ah-- a much debated topic among classical guitarist.  Most people are
    <in one of two camps.  There are those who refuse amplification under
    <all circumstances.  They feel that no mike/PA system can possibly
    <capture the complete essense of the classical guitar. 

It was a discussion at the beginning between me and my
buddy Wayne.. we wondered how they would do this sound
reinforcement wise....  well, much to our ignorance, (my
wife said, probably nothing dear...,,  she's smarter than
she realizes..)

they did nothing,,,, he did it...  I was really quite surprised
(amazed was a better word) with 1: how quiet a room full of about 
300 people can get, and 2: how well he was heard...

    
    Mechanics's Hall was scary quiet.