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Has anyone listened to Play Bach series of Jacques Loussier? A fusion of jazz and classical music. But to me this is how flamenco version of Air on G should sound. Played on piano. When you transcribe it for guitar and play it on guitar... There would be a lot of thumb work and picado. Anyone thoughts? Which one do you like more?
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Air on G flamenco version? (in reply to devilhand)
quote:
ORIGINAL: devilhand
It's good. But I prefer the piano version. Sometimes I think musical forms in flamenco might have been written and played originally on piano.
“Think” whatever you want, as you often do. The facts are that neither Bach, nor the earliest Flamenco music was realized for piano, rather for the HARPSICHORD. The earliest scored Fandango with proper copla is by Felix Maximo Lopez, for harpsichord, circa 1800 (copla at 1 minute). What I personally think is that Flamenco is older than Bach even, and realized at first for the Vihuela and/or guitar, based on vocal music (Flemish style polyphony aka “cante”). To my ear, Maximo lopez is imitating arpeggiated right hand figures of the flamenco guitarists. I doubt that gitano guitarists would have tried to play harpsichord music by ear. The earliest classical guitar music that might use these figures appears some 40 years later (and again, more likely imitating the flamenco players).
Here is the best version of the “Air”, this is not for debate, case closed.
EDIT: I always felt weird about the “G string” thing with this piece, because it is very unlike Bach to compose with this type of indication. Turns out, it is a much later Romantic arrangement of the piece:
RE: Air on G flamenco version? (in reply to devilhand)
Yes indeed the harpsichord is a plucked instrument with an action that really plucks the string with a feather quill. Think of what PdL could have with one.
Posts: 1956
Joined: Dec. 2 2006
From: Budapest, now in Southampton
RE: Air on G flamenco version? (in reply to devilhand)
You're missing the point - it's music, you're supposed to listen, rather than watch if he's doing anything flashy with his right hand. Pat Metheny played with a pick most of his life, and his goal is not to show off, but to interpret a pretty song he likes, his own way. That said, while for flamenco guitarists this would technically be easy, there's not a single unclean note there and perfectly does he intends. Now, I really would love to see you play something easy in any genre, you seem to be such a critic, ****ting on legends all the time.
RE: Air on G flamenco version? (in reply to xirdneH_imiJ)
It's no surprise you read a post like this on a flamenco forum. After all, flamenco guitarists right hand technique is the most developed. As for Pat Metheny I don't know much about him. So I can't say if he's a legend or not.
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