Hotel Mark

“A Dream In The Forest”, guitar work in tremelo by Agustin Barrios Mangore, one of the most beautiful pieces written for the guitar, in my view, played here by David Russell, a masterful rendition.

For those who enjoy music downloads one site I sometimes use is Legal Sounds. The music choice is wide ranging, and far cheaper to download than iTunes.

It works like a cell phone pay as you go service, you have to pay up front around $25, but for that you can get loads of music from only $0.09. Anyone interested, I suggest checking out their artist list to see if there’s enough you like first.

Happy hunting

It is my pleasure to welcome internationally acclaimed guitarist Neil Smith to my website. Neil has taught classical guitar and given masterclasses all over the world. His book “Have Guitar Will Travel” features musical stories from the last century, on the road with a professional guitarist as he tours the globe. Details from the musician’s website; www.guitaristuk.com

Neil was kind enough to take time out from his busy schedule to allow me to interview him recently..

Neil, where did you study guitar, and who was your early tutors?

“I took up electric guitar self-taught @ 13 then I copied Chet Atkins by ear and others. I took up classical guitar at 21 and had lessons with many tutors; Michael Strutt, Bryan Lester, Adele Kramer, Julian Byzantine, John Duarte and theory with the pianist Robert Marsh. I then got a scholarship to study with Diaz and Brouwer in Canada in 1975.”

Who do you regard as your main musical influences?

“Segovia was an initial influence but, because I had had such a wide ‘tutorial’ base, I couldn’t simply stay with one icon or style. So I took an interest in Brouwer long, long before most people in the UK and also Barrios and importantly, those Eastern composers like Rak, Koshkin, Panin and so on. I felt that British writers already had good representation with the already ‘famous’ players and anyway; WHO says I have to play exactly what someone else likes?”

What pieces have you commissioned, or have had written/dedicated to you?

“I have had works written for me and for my Duo with John Turner (Recorders) by Stepan Rak, Michael Berkeley, John Golland, John Duarte, Michael Ball, Nicholas Marshall, Alan Bullard, Yasuo Kuwahara, Eric Hudes and quite a few more. One piece that I missed out on slightly was the superb Sonata Mongoliana by Rak which he intended to give as a present to me, but before he arrived in the UK, he premiered it at The Kremlin and it was dedicated to someone there. I nonetheless took it across the globe later and I played it for Julian Bream and Leo Brouwer at a dinner we had together and they certainly seemed impressed with it.”

Who do you feel are the guitars most outstanding contributors, in terms of composition for the instrument?

“I’m not always impressed by works written by non-players; some people find these fascinating. I’m afraid that I don’t. The reason being that someone like Brouwer or Rak has a natural ‘feel’ for the range and effective contrapuntal voicing of a guitar whereas a composer may have no idea and think that it is like a keyboard. For example, one ‘writer’ simply drew out a guitar neck full of notes and then sent me a piece with FOUR-part counterpoint above the 12th fret! This is not composition; it could never be played and was useless. In classical terms I admire the greats like Sor (his easy Studies are wonderful) Giuliani, Aguado and even good Carcassi. Dowland, Holborne, Milano and Molinaro are my Lute favourites and of course Bach and Weiss and Scarlatti I feel are probably among the greatest.”

Teaching the classical guitar has come a long way since the early Segovia years. Do you feel there is an particular aspect of guitar technique that is particularly misunderstood by students, even players? By that, I mean in your experience, do you think many young guitarists don’t give enough attention to sight reading for example, or scales..

“I think sight reading has improved in colleges somewhat over the years and this is due to an increase in the amount of Ensemble in use. A good number of guitarists I meet are not always good at Chords both in terms of notation-shape and also of progressions. In a sense it can be hard to teach someone who cannot refer to a general progression or voicing and some players, even after long years are lax with scales. One class I gave abroad was on V-Lobos Prelude 1; the player was a Graduate and he got lost. When I asked him to think of
an E natural-minor scale, he simply stared at me and had no ammunition…how would a player like that cope out there in the guitar world?”

I guess what I’m really asking about is modern teaching standards.. Are students these days coming to you for first time better educated, better prepared technically than 15 years ago for example?

“Higher level students (like those I teach/examine at the Royal Northern College of Music) do seem to have an awareness of good repertoire and use it and I think this is certainly different to my students days. I think too that there is a more open view of what can be played on the guitar, an acceptance of the guitar in mainstream music. This view was validated when I went to Russia to teach, examine and play. In the former Revolutionary days, all instruments were considered on their own merit and allowed to attempt available works. This continued into the new Federation and, unlike in the West, they still have special music schools for young persons and therefore produce some remarkable early results.”

What advice can you offer for young players to overcome performance nerves?

“Nerves are not simply a young problem. Readers may like to check out an article in Classical Guitar… Face the Music (out 2008) to assist with this. One thing to remember is that quite possibly, you are the best prepared person in the building that night to play the music; other people may ‘think’ they can do it then and there…but I bet they cannot. Therefore you are entitled to go on stage and play and give your honest opinion, not in words, but in Music. I think it is wise to develop programmes with a differing focal point than any other. For example, I always used to begin each half with early music, not slamming all the early music in Part One. And it has always worked wherever I play, my own plan to settle me down.
I may say that I have played complete programmes of one composer (Albeniz, V-Lobos, Ponce, etc) for an anniversary and it is not easy. The same way, many young players think they should commence with Bach; with experience, this can work but, normally a player would need time to settle and need lots of experience over the fences before risking that. One quite famous player I know will not play anything ‘on stage’ until he has played it well for two years. Extreme maybe, but it does settle the nerves issue. Another player I know goes on with a policy of ‘editing’ as he goes along, especially in his own material. Was it not Hummel who said he was ok playing his own pieces, but playing works by other composers made him nervous. And John Duarte told me about a man he met who had actually seen Albeniz in concert; apparently Albeniz reduced the amount of notes in his own items. This goes for the Jazz/Rock/Pop world too; no-one sounds exactly like their discs and they change things. Is that nerves, incompetence or development?”

Which guitar projects are you currently working on? (Recordings ect)

“I have already a number of CD projects listed below and because I tend to go for a single style on a CD, you can find that the listed CDs approximate Spanish music, Latin-American music, Italian music, British music and so on. My next CD I hope to call Eastern Express and will look into music from Poland eastwards to Siberia…some of it not recorded ever. And I also plan a rather Celtic-style album too with the Neil Gow’s Shadow on it, one of my Celtic discoveries.”

Thank you very much, Neil, for taking time out to answer my questions, and for your outstanding contribution to the guitar.

Neil Smith CD listing;

LA DANZA Spanish dances from www.guitaristuk.com
VIRTUOSO Italian music from www.guitarcds.net
VISTA DEL SUR Latin-Am music from HLM, Holland
HAT BOX Recorder + Guitar British modern music from www.dimusic.co.uk

Scores;

Scores…..
Six Dances by Michael Praetorius Lathkill Music, UK
Niel Gow’s Shadow (Celtic-Anon) Lathkill Music, UK.

Playing music in public creates dread in some musicians. No matter how good ones playing might be, performance nerves can destroy many a public recital, and there’s nothing more frustrating than the feeling of not being able to prove how you can really play.

An interesting aspect of performance nerves which comes up in discussion at times is the so called “Sound of silence”…The thing is, when one sits down to play, it is easy to be lulled into “listening” to the silence which invades the arena, creating in the mind the only sounds thereafter will come from your instrument, if you are playing solo. I read of a guitar student who saw his tutor play Albeniz in concert, and beforehand he was literally shaking with nerves, you could see his hands trembling. How then, thought the student, will it be possible for the player to perform the delicate finger movements needed to pull off the technically difficult Albeniz? Yet, the concert went well, the player/tutor played very well, with hardly a fluff, and with trembling hands beforehand..

How then, do some people overcome this fear, and others never find any effective answers? The most effective method, it sounds so obvious really, is practice to the point where your finger movements become automatic. Imagine yourself in a concert situation while you are practicing, perhaps even record yourself as often as possible. This can create an awareness of people listening to you. The ultimate aim being to be able to play as though it means nothing, with not a care in the world, but same time, it must mean everything. To marry the two elements, requires work and practice to the point of autonomy in playing, leaving room to shape and polish the interpretation and music.

 But to overcome performance nerves, your technique must be rock solid. It is technique you rely upon, when starting off playing, if this is not solid, or you are playing something you are likely to fluff when playing at home, mistakes will multiply for sure when in public. David Russell advices us to think of technique as “building blocks”, getting the foundations correct, and build up from there.

If all else fails, guitarist John Williams has this advice regarding performance nerves, quotation from a radio interview; “I get nervous only when I am playing something new, or in public for the first time. Until one has played it, you do not know the exact pitfalls, but I believe confidence (or lack of it) is the root of all nerves. I would say this, if you are the kind of person who absolutely dreads playing in public, DON’T play solo, play in an ensemble”. John’s went on to explain his point about getting to simply enjoy making music with other players, and this gives less time to allow feelings of dread playing in public to build up.

Guitarist Karin Schaupp  is an expert on stage fright, having written her Master’s thesis on the subject, and she says that musicians “have very little training in the pitfalls of performance”. Her research into sports psychology revealed the methods athletes use to overcome performance anxiety. Relaxation, imagery, and switching negative thinking are some of the techniques that come into play. Schaupp also recommends exploring the reasons why we perform; for her it’s a matter of “giving to the audience, rather than worrying about what she can get from the audience”.

I play in less stressful situations these days. Recently a works colleague of mine told me he gets very nervous playing in public. I replied I used to but I came to realise I’m going to mess up anyway, so why worry, and try to enjoy it I guess humor works best with many things, even music

Tags: Music, performance anxiety, classical guitar

Last week I played in public for the first time in nearly five years. Considering my rustiness, it went okay I THINK

I have always found it a problem, what piece exactly to begin with. Although I try to include some tremolo works in any performence, I dare NOT play these until my right hand is fully warmed up. So, for the record, my reportoire on the day was as follows;

Romance, Barrios Villiancico De Navidad, Reis Eterna Saudade, Tarrega Capricho Arabe, Recuerdos De La Alhambra, Myers Cavatina.

The venue was quite informal, so you will note these pieces are romantic in nature. Next performence I aim to include more classical guitar arrangements of Songs, such as Vincent, If I Fell, Something, and Killing Me Softly. On the classical front, Barrios Julia Florida, Piazzola Verano Porteno, Brower Cancion Del Cuna, Cardoso Milonga come into the reckoning. Also, I am working on some pieces by Peo Kindgren, who’s recently released CD, reviewed on this site, has been a great success, selling out at Amazon within two days of going into stock! In fact, they are having to print many more copies! Congrats to you, Peo…

I think at this point I’d like to do restaurant work again. The interim period has given me much time for reflection, and my personal experiences I hope will help to create a different musical perspective. If anyone has any tips on how they warm up before playing in public, or what pieces to play to begin with, please let me know…

Enjoying making music again

We are all familiar with the annoying Mobile Phone ringtone, perhaps the most commonly used one. You know, the one which goes dada DA da, dada DA da, dada DA da dee   Not everyone knows  that this little tune was composed by this man on the right here, Spanish classical guitarist Fransisco Tarrega, and it’s an extract from his piece Gran Vals..What? So it’s HIS fault..Well, perhaps not fair to blame the composer himself, it’s what other people did to his tune that’s to blame!

Tarrega was the first guitarist composer to use Torres guitars, and he revolutionised the guitars repertoire and technique, with a multitude of original studies and compositions. His best known work is the evergreen classic Memories of the Alhambra, tremelo study, this is my recording of it.

If like me, you are tired of the same old mobile ringing, and are looking for something more original, you can try Free Ringtones They have a variety of ringtones to choose from, in many genres, including Country, R&B, Rock, Pop. These are available for download, depending on your area.

Also is the intriguing Polyphonic Ringtones Or if Dance is more your thing Dance Ringtones Take a look and have fun.

I have always found it a wonder the way a guitar can “vocalise” in different accents. If you listen to John Williams, for example, playing the famous Memories of the Alhambra, it will sound immaculate, the rippling tremolo melody flawlessly executed, but it will not “sound Spanish” in the same way as Spanish virtuoso Pepe Romero

Carlos Perez brings out the Latin American accent, while listening to him it is easy to experience the Latin American Rhythms and colour. Vladimir Mikulka’s guitar has the more harsh Balkan accent, more austere perhaps, but not without it’s own whimsical beauty.

A classic case in point is Julian Bream, who I think plays Albeniz and Granados second to none. Yet, it is like a classical rendition of Idiomatic Spanish music.

What is it about the six strings of the guitar that can “vocalise” so effectively? Is it the instrument itself or the player, or both? I think the latter. Of all the musical instruments, there are only very few which the sound is made by direct contact between the fingers and instrument. The Harp is one, the Guitar the other. Mandolin and the Lute also come to mind in same way. With Piano, for example, the sound comes from hammering on the strings, as such the Piano is considered a percussive instrument. Violin, and Cello, mostly the sound comes from the bow.

But I think even wind instruments such as the Flute, Clarinet and Oboe, for all their great melodic capabilities, do not quite match the Guitar’s “accents”, even though the human breath comes into play to make the notes. Listen to Bream playing Albeniz, then Romero, to get my point

Tags: classical guitar, vocals

“I Miss You”, just one track from his new CD After Silence, by Per-Olov Kindgren. Full of sentiment, and yearning…

I have the pleasure to review the new CD of Per-Olov Kindgren, an increasingly popular classical guitarist in Denmark, entitled “After Silence.” Peo states in his notes:

“It is my sincere hope that you will listen to the silence before the music, between the single notes, after the music…And even After Silence”…

Hence the first track on the CD is called “After Silence, and the closing track “Before Silence”. I interpret Peo is asking us to consider his work one piece, with the individual track parts of the whole, rather than fragmented segments.

The interpretation of silence captures the very essence of music. John Williams said the magic of the guitar is the dying away of the note. Every single note is dying, as soon as the string is plucked, leaving the note to fade into silence, only to be replaced many times by other notes, until the final note..In capturing silence, Peo strikes at the very heart of his musical being. His guitar is a part of himself, an extension of himself and his emotions. It is impossible to seperate the two, they are as one..

Every single track on this debut CD Kindgren composed himself. Playing on his superb, deeply sonorous 1987 Phillippe Jean-Mairet guitar, Peo opens the CD with “After Silence”, a charming melody above arpeggios. This track, like many others, is as though the music is telling a story, I feel as though I’m eavesdropping on an intimate conversation between the guitar and it’s artist, perhaps even a love affair between the two. Here, Peo let’s us into a glimpse of what is inside his soul, it’s never a case of simply playing the notes, everything he plays is heartfelt and expressive.

There are 23 tracks altogether. Included are some pieces Kindgren wrote as a suite “Oceans of the Moon”, which appears to be an on going work in progress. States Peo: “There are 23 Seas on the Moon, I might compose a piece for all of them!” On this CD is the suite title track “Oceans of the Moon”, and “Sea of Nectar”, as well as “Milonga De La Luna”, full of mystery, and rich in harmony. The Moon forms another subject Kindgren is able to focus on, and draw artistic inspitation from.

Other tracks include “Marie” written for his close friend, a piece conveying energy and movement, “I’ll Walk You Home” has some Jazz overtones, like a slow Jazz two step in the central part, “Over Tay Bridge” and “Newport On Tay” make up an impression of the region, with some folk influence. “A Kind of a Song” has some melodic structure in block chords, with the middle section styled with Bossa Nova.

The CD closes with two romantic tracks, the tender “I Dream of You”, finally, “Before The Silence” to restate the message of the whole album. Peo Kindgren’s music not only provides the listener with charming, intimate music, but enriches the guitar reportoire for the benifit of those who enjoy playing music on the guitar with romantic expression. His compositions are a refreshing, honest statement about who the composer is, what he loves doing, the people he meets, the places he visits and what he can convey. It’s a contribution to the guitars repertoire which I am sure will become increasingly popular, and continue to grow. A highly recommended buy.

Per-Olov Kindgren Order CD

Tags: Peo Kindgren CD, Per-Olov Kindgren, After Silence, Classical guitar

Andres Segovia, playing Montemayor from “Castillos de España” by Moreno Torroba.

Here is the legendary Segovia sound, the likes of which we will never hear again. There was a magic in his phrasing, a distinction which set Segovia’s sound apart from any other. Sometimes critisised for his liberal use of Rubato, or excessive glissando, Segovia’s interpretations were always absolutely unique.

In recent years, John Williams has been critical of Segovia, calling him a “bad teacher”, and failing to recognise latent qualities in his students playing, prefering instead to attempt to teach them to play every phrase the way he himself would play it. There’s little doubt there was bad blood between John’s Father Len and Segovia, who both differed politicly, as well as the musical direction of the upcoming John. To what extent this influences John William comments is something he himself only knows. Williams claims his critisims of Segovia is motivated by “honesty forces me to re-evaluate” Segovia’s legacy to the guitar.

It’s a trait of many guitarists that, for some reason, instead of accepting and enjoying, the tendency is to seek out and destroy. Segovia himself was “guilty” of this sort of thing, in his pursuit of guitaristic direction made him very singular minded, to the point where no other direction was feasible in his mind. By that, I mean the taking the guitar away from Flamenco and Folklodic influences, and remain strictly classical music. Virtuoso guitarist composers, Agustin Barrios in particular, caught the brunt of the Segovia predjudice, to the point where Segovia banned his class from playing Barrios music in his class.

Whatever predjudices these guitarists may have harboured, there is a place in my heart for all of them. This Segovia video has that magic element in the sound, which will remain forever.

Tags: Segovia, Classical Guitar, Moreno Torroba, John Williams, Agustin Barrios