The latest recording by classical guitarist John Williams "From a Bird" features 14 of his own guitar compositions, together with 5 tracks of his own arrangements of traditional Irish tunes.
Three of these tracks are Carolan favourites; Carolan's Concerto, Si Bheag Si Mhor, and Fanny Power. Perhaps more suprisingly is the inclusion of a set of Reels The Bottom of the Punchbowl/The Swallow's Tail/Marquis Of Tullybardine and the jig Jackson's Morning Brush (4 part O'Neill version).
Whilst the inclusion of these tunes may be of some interest, the CD is probably best suited to fans of John Williams (amongst whom I count myself).
Great and all as he is as a classical guitarist I can't imagine him doing jigs and reels but look forward to checking it out. The O'Carolan stuff is more suited to his approach I would think.
If it's anything like his use of the electric guitar in Sky, I wouldn't bother, really.
The man is very good at what he became famous for, and should stick to that.
"The Bottom of the Punchbowl/The Swallow's Tail/Marquis Of Tullybardine"
Only the middle one of those is Irish (In fact, I am not sure about the Irish origins of that one - it is in the Highland piping repertoire as well).
"Jackson's Morning Brush (4 part O'Neill version)"
....which suggests that he learned it straight out of the book, I'd be interested to hear what he does with jigs and reels.
Often when classical musicians arrange traditional tunes, fans of the traditional style don't like the result. I think it's a mistake to listen for the "trad. style aesthetics" in listening to such a recording. The player is adopting a melody to express himself in his chosen musical language, in this case, classical guitar. If he makes good classical guitar music of it, then he has succeeded.
Let's take it from here:
Jackson's Morning Brush (4 part O'Neill version)"
....which suggests that he learned it straight out of the book, not from sitting in sessions.
Not to belittle Mr. Williams' work - he's perfectly entitled to draw inspiration from traditional tunes, Irish or otherwise, and write arrangements of them, if he so wishes - but he'd be deluded if he believed that, in doing so, he was playing *traditional music*. I'm sure he's a wiser man than that.
I'd be interested to hear what he does with jigs and reels, although I don't expect to be gripped with an irresistible urge to dance a set. What's to say his music won't contain some ideas that could serve as inspiration to guitarists more firmly rooted in traditional music?
Classical composers and performers having been using traditional folk tunes since time immemorial. Most of the time they use the folk music as a basis for something they're doing in their own genre or musical language, and then the result is often quite acceptable, as Dan pointed out. What I don't like is a musician, or group of musicians, playing the dots of traditional music straight as if it were classical music; then you end up with something that is not "classical" and certainly not traditional - at best it's probably pop.
Whenever style A crosses over into style B, there are style A folks who feel that their music has been cheapened, their very birthright stolen, and on the other side, style B folks who feel that their music has been enriched by an exotic spice. Is there anyone who has not experienced both sides of this?
This isn't Mr. Williams' first foray into trad music. He did an album somem years back featuring trad material. He plays whatever pleases him and that's just fine.
Yes, my apologies for wholesale branding these tunes as traditional Irish. In my defence, I was merely quoting the sleeve notes, which also clearly states these as being Williams' own arrangements.
For those about to rush out to purchase the CD, I should point out that these tunes are quite brief, having a total playing time of little over 10 minutes.
The playing is in solo classical style, and thankfully nothing like Sky. John's compositional skills have also improved considerably since some of his attempts back in the early 70's ("Modesty forbids me" anyone?).
Of related interest to classical players is the news in Classical Guitar magazine that Williams has just launched a website where he will be putting his own compositions & transcriptions for FREE download (as scores). Unfortunately, the website address is as yet undisclosed.
I'm with llig - the piece he's referring to is on Bela Fleck's (Grammy winning fwiw) album "Perpetual Motion". The Beethoven piece is the centrepiece of the album. Fantastic.
Bela thanks John in particular in the liner notes for helping him with technique. Just shows to go you're never too good to learn something or say thanks.
btw, the follow up album to this with Edgar Meyer called "Music for Two" is in many ways the better album for whoever's interested in this sort of thing.
John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
The latest recording by classical guitarist John Williams "From a Bird" features 14 of his own guitar compositions, together with 5 tracks of his own arrangements of traditional Irish tunes.
Three of these tracks are Carolan favourites; Carolan's Concerto, Si Bheag Si Mhor, and Fanny Power. Perhaps more suprisingly is the inclusion of a set of Reels The Bottom of the Punchbowl/The Swallow's Tail/Marquis Of Tullybardine and the jig Jackson's Morning Brush (4 part O'Neill version).
Whilst the inclusion of these tunes may be of some interest, the CD is probably best suited to fans of John Williams (amongst whom I count myself).
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by Rick Payman
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Great and all as he is as a classical guitarist I can't imagine him doing jigs and reels but look forward to checking it out. The O'Carolan stuff is more suited to his approach I would think.
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by Donough
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
I'm curious about how he would handle these tunes. Thanks for the "heads up" (as we say in this bizarre electronic dialect).
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by DaveL35
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Guitar? Classical? Whatever next? The violin?
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by McDermott
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM and STM
The Bottom Of The Punchbowl is Scottish and so, I should imagine, is the Marquis of Tullybardine.
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by nicholas
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
If it's anything like his use of the electric guitar in Sky, I wouldn't bother, really.
The man is very good at what he became famous for, and should stick to that.
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
"The Bottom of the Punchbowl/The Swallow's Tail/Marquis Of Tullybardine"
Only the middle one of those is Irish (In fact, I am not sure about the Irish origins of that one - it is in the Highland piping repertoire as well).
"Jackson's Morning Brush (4 part O'Neill version)"
....which suggests that he learned it straight out of the book, I'd be interested to hear what he does with jigs and reels.
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Often when classical musicians arrange traditional tunes, fans of the traditional style don't like the result. I think it's a mistake to listen for the "trad. style aesthetics" in listening to such a recording. The player is adopting a melody to express himself in his chosen musical language, in this case, classical guitar. If he makes good classical guitar music of it, then he has succeeded.
http://www.danmozell.com
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by Dan Mozell
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Sorry - my last post went a bit pear shaped.
Let's take it from here:
Jackson's Morning Brush (4 part O'Neill version)"
....which suggests that he learned it straight out of the book, not from sitting in sessions.
Not to belittle Mr. Williams' work - he's perfectly entitled to draw inspiration from traditional tunes, Irish or otherwise, and write arrangements of them, if he so wishes - but he'd be deluded if he believed that, in doing so, he was playing *traditional music*. I'm sure he's a wiser man than that.
I'd be interested to hear what he does with jigs and reels, although I don't expect to be gripped with an irresistible urge to dance a set. What's to say his music won't contain some ideas that could serve as inspiration to guitarists more firmly rooted in traditional music?
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Dan - That's more or less what I was trying to say, only better put.
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Classical composers and performers having been using traditional folk tunes since time immemorial. Most of the time they use the folk music as a basis for something they're doing in their own genre or musical language, and then the result is often quite acceptable, as Dan pointed out. What I don't like is a musician, or group of musicians, playing the dots of traditional music straight as if it were classical music; then you end up with something that is not "classical" and certainly not traditional - at best it's probably pop.
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by Trevor Jennings
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Anyone ever hear Bela Fleck and John Williams do Beethoven's piano piece: variations In C On "God Save The King"?
It's bloody brilliant. If you are really really good, you can transcend anything
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by ...
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Whenever style A crosses over into style B, there are style A folks who feel that their music has been cheapened, their very birthright stolen, and on the other side, style B folks who feel that their music has been enriched by an exotic spice. Is there anyone who has not experienced both sides of this?
This isn't Mr. Williams' first foray into trad music. He did an album somem years back featuring trad material. He plays whatever pleases him and that's just fine.
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by Bob himself
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Never heard it llig, but I'm pretty sure that Bela would improve anything that John ever attempted. I've been transcended.. as Van would say.
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by strayaway
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
Yes, my apologies for wholesale branding these tunes as traditional Irish. In my defence, I was merely quoting the sleeve notes, which also clearly states these as being Williams' own arrangements.
For those about to rush out to purchase the CD, I should point out that these tunes are quite brief, having a total playing time of little over 10 minutes.
The playing is in solo classical style, and thankfully nothing like Sky. John's compositional skills have also improved considerably since some of his attempts back in the early 70's ("Modesty forbids me" anyone?).
Of related interest to classical players is the news in Classical Guitar magazine that Williams has just launched a website where he will be putting his own compositions & transcriptions for FREE download (as scores). Unfortunately, the website address is as yet undisclosed.
# Posted on March 23rd 2009 by Rick Payman
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
I'm with llig - the piece he's referring to is on Bela Fleck's (Grammy winning fwiw) album "Perpetual Motion". The Beethoven piece is the centrepiece of the album. Fantastic.
Bela thanks John in particular in the liner notes for helping him with technique. Just shows to go you're never too good to learn something or say thanks.
btw, the follow up album to this with Edgar Meyer called "Music for Two" is in many ways the better album for whoever's interested in this sort of thing.
Okay back to jigs 'n reels!
# Posted on March 24th 2009 by octogreg
Re: John Williams (The Guitarist) plays ITM
The site is now up
http://www.johnwilliamsguitarnotes.com/
You can hear sample of the aforementioned (I)TM tracks here
http://www.johnwilliamsguitarnotes.com/from-a-bird/from-a-bird.html
# Posted on April 12th 2009 by Rick Payman