Are Flamenco Guitarists Better Than Classical Guitarists?

[@ingmarStrath]

Hi, Thanks for the great video. Yes, it's true that there is a lot of heated debate between classical and flamenco guitarists surrounding performances of this great concerto. I recently posted comments in response to a flamenco guitarist's video in which he was venting anger because of Narciso Yepe's criticism of Paco De Lucia's interpretation. I've included an English translation of my comments here as I feel it has relevance to what you were talking about in this video. The ideas in the comments are partly based on conversations I had with Profesor Carlos Bonell during my studies at RCM and interviews I've watched with maestro Jose Maria Gallardo Del Rey.: It is obvious that the comments of maestro Yepes were an exaggeration, perhaps in part because he was jealous or maybe the maestro felt threatened that the recordings of Paco de Lucia could potentially outsell his own. That said, it is also true that different musical traditions have different aesthetic values. What sounds good in one culture is not necessarily considered beautiful in another, and the Concierto de Aranjuez is not flamenco, it’s classical music. We must also rememember that Maestro Rodrigo was not a guitarist himself and at the time he composed this concerto, most works written by non-guitarist composers for the guitar were written for Don Andres Segovia. Segovia was extremely good at adapting the musical ideas of the composer to sound and work well on the guitar. However, because of the politics of the time, Segovia was not living in Europe when Rodrigo composed his concierto de Aranjuez and so the concerto was dedicated to another guitarist, Regino Sainz de la Maza. Sainz de la Maza was also an excellent guitarist but he was not able to convince Rodrigo of the need to modify the partitura of his concerto. So the result is that we have a superb musical work but one that in places doesn’t work very well on the guitar. (For example, in some passages the music is written in the higher register of the guitar and would have more resonance and sound better if played an octave lower). After the war when Segovia heard the concerto, he contacted Rodrigo to ask for his permission to make changes to the score so that it would sound more guitaristic. However, Rodrigo, perhaps out of pride and stubbornness, denied Segovia the permission he was seeking and so Segovia, being equally proud and stubborn, decided to never play this concerto. Other classical guitarists since have performed the concerto having made changes to the score without Rodrigo’s permission. And then came the great Paco de Lucia. Paco, like many who are not classical musicians, believed that classical musicians are oligated to play exactly what they see on the score. (This is not always true as some classical musicians do make deliberate changes to the original partitura for musical reasons.) As Paco himself was not a proficient reader of music, he employed the services of the classical guitarist Jose Maria Gallardo del Rey to teach him the exact notes of the original score so that his performance of the concerto would be true to the score, if not idiomatic of the instrument. This is a significant point in which many classical guitarists differ from Paco de Lucia’s interpretation of the concerto and is one of the reasons for the controversy presented in this video. Personally, I enjoy Paco’s version of this concerto for what it is; a wonderful flamenco interpretation by a virtuoso flamenco guitarist. I also believe that when famous musical figures like Paco de Lucia or Miles Davis perform classical music, they are promoting classical music to new audiences and they transport new ideas to the music which revitalizes the music in some way. I am a humble classical guitarist but sometimes I also love to play what might be considered flamenco on the guitar and when I do so, I hope the flamencos are not so hard on me as Narciso Yepes was with Paco de Lucia!

[@alfonsoroman8964]

tengo entendido que el concepto de Paco de Lucía aquí fué introducir técnicas de la guitarra flamenca en la interpretación de la partitura clasica original del maestro Rodrigo. Se rumorea en el mundillo de la guitarra flamenca que Paco no estuvo del todo "contento" al terminar la presentación del Concierto de Aranjuez... pero eso no sería raro de un perfeccionista extremo con sus grabaciones como lo era Paco. Siempre relajado y "cool" cuando tocaba frente al público, hasta se permitía el lujo de improvisar, no así en sus grabaciones, que se tomaba muy, muy en serio. La guitarra flamenca es técnica, rítmica y armónicamente un mundo en si misma, tiene que cumplir "3" instrumentaciones, estas son: la melodía de la voz, armonizando esta y llevando la estructura rítmica del baile "todo al mismo tiempo"... solo así es completa, como siempre demostró Paco, entre otros. Saludos de un humilde aficionado.

[@hyrulesurfer1]

I only like the Paco version. I've heard others, but he plays with raw power and emotion like no one else. It isn't just notes on a page anymore when Paco plays it.

[@marco-kf9tr]

Me too. And I say it as a classical guitarist.

[@makemusichere]

❤

[@anhthiensaigon]

It's not that Flamenco Guitarists ar Better Than Classical Guitarists, it's Paco better than everyone else 😂

[@ericknudten7272]

Yup..thats pretty much it.

[@cengizerberk6941]

For Paco's interpretation of Aranjuez , Rodrigo himself said " it was the best interpretation I had ever heard" .

[@JoelSalazarM]

That's not true. He said it was 'one of the most interesting interpretations he has ever heard'.

[@annaxyyxanna]

@@JoelSalazarM Paco is way above all other classical players because of his ability to improvise.

[@JoelSalazarM]

@@annaxyyxanna many classically trained guitar players improvise. There are improvisation tournaments in music conservatories. It is much harder to improvise in a classical style than in Flamenco, where someone like Paco only plays the same old scales up and down as fast as he can over a simple harmony. Also, many classically trained guitar players play Jazz, featuring much more advanced improvisation challenges than Flamenco. Most importantly, we are discussing Aranjuez, and Paco didn't improvise a single note here.

[@annaxyyxanna]

@@JoelSalazarM Improvisation is a gift and cannot be taught. Improvisation and composition are two sides of the same coin. When you create music spontaneously, you are improvising. Stop giving me lections. I play guitar since 50 years and i studied musicology.

[@JoelSalazarM]

​@@annaxyyxanna LOL. Why are you upset? Where did you study musicology? You don't sound like someone who did. I would expect someone who studied musicology to know about improvisation techniques. Also, I would expect them to know that most of the best music schools in the World offer improvisation courses, including Flamenco improvisation courses in Spain.

[@Mangoré1885]

Im a classical guitarist, and it’s obvious that flamenco players have on average more technical facility than classical players. I would recommend learning both styles to help with your technique. Since dabbling in flamenco my right hand is even more precise and it’s a lot easier to do arpeggios and picado.

[@johnroberts1141]

I started with classical guitar, but the approach and the literature turned me off. When I moved to flamenco, and bought a flamenco guitar with very low action, I knew that I had found my home.

[@JoelSalazarM]

Define "technical facility". i mean, of course, Flamenco players play faster scales and rasgueados than most classically trained guitar players, but, do they play three or four-part baroque counterpoint with more facility? Have you seen an acclaimed Flamenco guitar player try Yamashita's Pictures at an Exhibition transcription or Paganini's caprices? They require a kind of "technical facility" that I have never seen in Paco or any other famous Flamenco player.

[@jeradjenkins2110]

@@JoelSalazarMI think you definitely have a point and shouldn’t take anything away from classical guitarists. The way I think about it is if you take two guitarists at the highest level, one flamenco and one classical, I believe the flamenco guitarist would have an easier time learning and playing to a decent degree the high level classical piece, even something 4 part counterpoint from Bach for example. While I believe that the classical player would have a harder time with the high level flamenco. This is all conjecture of course and I love both.

[@alfonsoroman8964]

@@JoelSalazarM Well, apart from the fact that this is not about comparing or belittling Paganini's genius, we don't hear him interpret popular Andalusian music either... let's imagine the maestro Paganini interpreting something like this: Paco de Lucia - Tarantas kzbin.info/www/bejne/rH-UqH2Ap76bgcU ..or this one: Paco de Lucia - Reflejo de luna (Granaina) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJWupXR5eJl4rLc ... Paco de Lucía - Doblan Campanas (Rondeñas) kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoW5o35sgst9jq8 ... In my humble opinion, melody and counterpoint together at their best, serving and relying on popular music.

[@JoelSalazarM]

@@alfonsoroman8964 I love Tarantas. I am very familiar with the Flamenco repertoire, I played a lot during my formative years. Beautiful and fast as it is, it is very simple music, as most folk/popular music. The most difficult counterpoints in Flamenco are on a midschool level in baroque music. Go on and listen to Yamashita's version of Pictures at an Exhibition if you are after flashy music. He plays with two fingers what Paco plays with 4, and he plays other parts with the other 3 at the same time. No need to compete, as there's really no competition.

[@seankasabuske1986]

While I've never heard a performance of this piece that I didn't like, I find myself always returning to Narciso Yepes' recording using his ten-string guitar. I find it irresistible!

[@786itube]

It’s John Williams and Kaori Muraji for me - sublime. Excellent presentation from this fine channel

[@deborahsoule9698]

John Williams. First recording I ever heard, and my fav of them all. Refined and crystalline but with sweeping drama and aching emotion where it counts. His tempi are restrained at times to great effect.

[@SebastianDavidMusic]

I don't know if Flamenco players are better, but Paco's interpretation of Aranjuez is beyond human. There wasn't, there isn't, and there will never be a better one.

[@scotconnolly1188]

Jim Hall's is up there

[@SebastianDavidMusic]

I didn't know him, I just searched but it's a Jazz version, IMHO I think it's not comparable.

[@scotconnolly1188]

@@SebastianDavidMusic Its a worthy listen, check the lineup of personnel

[@trevorsneath4665]

de Lucia's version surprised me and is now my favourite.

[@jthaw]

Paco's performance is by far the best...although John WIlliams does quite nicely.

[@Sasanthropas]

I always enjoy your fantastic videos. Thanks.

[@eriktempelman2097]

You NEED to check out Remi Boucher's solo version. Somehow, he manages to squeeze guitar plus orchestra out of his guitar... and make it incredibly musical.

[@HarryVerey]

Manuel Barrueco Concierto de Aranjuez conducted by Placido Domingo. 1997 (EMI) Domingo also sings Rodrigo songs with Barrueco on the recording.

[@zvonimirstejskal2252]

I like how Petrit Čeku played it. But my favourite preformances of any piece change so I'll probably have many more favourites lol

[@nylonstringtheorybybradley5776]

Daniel Casares and Pedro Javier Gonzales' versions are my favourites for sure. Daniel Casares composed a wonderful concerto titled"La Luna de Alejandra" as a secondary perspective to the piece. Definitely worth a listen!

[@MiguelFerreyraGuitar]

Ángel Romero with André Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra

[@rmv9194]

Paco is not just a flamenco guitarist. Is THE flamenco guitarist.

[@yarongolany3608]

I really love this concerto, but I'm always frustrated by the low volume of the guitar compared to the rest of the orchestra. I would be grateful to anyone who can recommend a good performance where the guitar is amplified, either originally or in post-production, so I don't have to constantly adjust the volume knob, as I'm doing now. Even better would be if someone knows the recording with Paco de Lucía with the guitar amplified, something that can be easily done today with the right equipment

[@elluisito000]

I am a classically trained guitarist, a Venezuelan one to be more precise, my master's master was the great Alirio Diaz. In the Venezuelan tradition of classical guitar there isn't a clear line between academic and popular music. That is key, in my opinion, classically trained musicians from Europe and North America can sound too clean, to the point that their music becomes somehow sterile. Now look at Adam del Monte or Yacambu Costa, ask yourself why they sound the way they sound. That is my humble opinion.

[@annaxyyxanna]

@elluisito000 You hit the nail on the head. Folkore is the key to classical music and it is also the source. None other than Bela Bartok knew that and acted accordingly.

[@RubenSerranoCHEK]

Easy answer Paco most definitely ,

[@Poetrywithinme.]

As far as I know, Christopher Parkening spent some weeks talking with Joaquín Rodrigo exchanging ideas and tips to create the perfect performance/recording.

[@chubajamir3687]

I think Paco have done the Part..exceptional..❤

[@Andika-qg3wy]

Concierto de Aranjuez is such a masterpiece... I've heard almost all famous recordings there are in KZbin, from Bream, Pepe, John Williams, Pablo Sainz-Villegas... But lately, the best version I love the most is Zoran Dukic. His 2nd movement almost moved me to tears.

[@georgemixis2172]

Excellent subject to address; and some interesting points brought up! I have the recording of Christopher Parkening performing. Superb; although Paco is a standard for this piece. Thank you; very enjoyable!

[@PIPEHEAD]

Excellent video ! I have to say, Paco is better than anybody else even when you can't actually hear him .....................................

[@owenmcgee8496]

Julian Bream said once (was it in Guitarra?) that he didn't think, as an Englishman, he really knew how to play Spanish compositions. He might not have been fair to himself. I remember hearing an early Narciso Yepes recording and the way he played the Three Cornered Hat had what sounded like a flamenco-like attack, but that's not in later performances by Yepes, so it may have become a personal choice in interpretation, i.e. not to do that, which may be a typical classical approach. Recordings can make a big difference too, especially in concertos, my favourite example there being Nicanor Zabaleta doing Saint Saens' harp & orchestra piece where the concert harp sounds as loud as the orchestra & it's the best recording imaginable, but it could not have been done outside a recording studio & mixing desk. A concert harp couldn't compete with a full orchestra in volume without the help of a mixing desk! For guitar recordings, Sharon Isbin's are ones where the balance between guitar & orchestra don't sound right, to me, and famously John Williams got his special Australian guitars built to be louder because he did have a problem being heard early on. A relative saw him do Rodrigo's concerto c.1970 live in an old hall and the guitar literally could not be heard. Juan Martin said once that some flamenco techniques originated in the need for volume to be heard. This of course being long before anyone could or would use amplification. "The Daddy" of the Romeros, who I tend to think of as the best of the family (Celedonio), did also play and even write some flamenco style pieces, but they're not great. He was best doing classical and, in fact, I think his version of Sanz's Suite Espanola was far better than Pepe's even though Pepe came up with it!, i.e. selecting a handful of Sanz's tunes and turning them into a suite. Hear the way Celedonio concludes the final Canarios tune and it has a unique flamenco like volume or attack, which I think comes purely from his choice of technique, not the recording mix.

[@robbourassaguitarist]

I love many Classical guitarists. I love many Flamenco guitarists. This is apples and oranges. What I do not love is hearing a classical guitarist try to play a tango without first learning the art. There are many who develop a repertoire that they are not prepared for. KZbin is full of mediocre renditions of tangos by classical guitarists.

[@dependsonwhoyouask9574]

In pacos version I think the orchestra is fantastic, and that really helps paco’s interpretation sound so good, I love Pepe romeros interpretation the most but the orchestra sounds so good with paco

[@docdoc]

Yepes is my favourite version

[@pferreiro199]

The movement which fits best with Paco's technique is the 1st. Paco didn’t read music he was helped by Jose Maria Gallardo del Rey. Pepe Romero learned Aranjuez as a kid even before knew how to read a score. A bit like you learn how to speak before you learn how to read. I heard him play with no amplification absolute control, amazing. I like old William's recording with Philladelfia Orchestra he has a unique sense of propulsion on the tempo. Yepes was the first to play it with brilliance virtuosity the piece deserves

[@evgeniospagkalis9922]

My favorite recording of Concierto de Aranjuez is that of Alfonso Moreno with London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Enrique Batiz. I believe is one of the most balanced renditions, with the orchestra and the guitar going along smoothly, while Moreno is an excellent guitar player combining technique and romantic/impressionistic feeling.

[@michaelcorenzwit6860]

John Williams with the Philadephia Orchestra is close to perfection.

[@johngiles132]

Interesting discussion. Thanks. I prefer Paco's performance of the first and third movements, and Williams ("The Seville Concert") for the second movement. Pepe Romero's performance mentioned in the discussion is also very good.

[@niceguitar6144]

Brilliant lecture; so enjoyable, bravo!

[@owenmcgee8496]

It would make sense if Spanish compositions that draw on the flamenco tradition were also played on a flamenco guitar, but classical guitarists invariably do not do that. I'm pretty sure that there is a significance difference in the tone of the guitars, which also affects volume, so it is not just a question of technique. Flamenco guitars can naturally be louder and steel string guitars can naturally be louder again. I've heard guitarists say that flamenco is based on just four chords. Maybe the tone of a flamenco guitar is less "perfect" on some parts of the fretboard and that is why classical guitarists avoid playing one.

[@fusion-music]

Are flamenco players better at this piece, is probably a more productive question. I'm biased, as my favourite music is flamenco, although I was listening to Segovia, John Williams and Julian Bream along with Pack de Lucia. Paco plays the piece better than most players and Rodrigo himself said Paco's was the best version. There is something poetic about Paco's phrasing. He is very strict on timing, yet makes it feel so natural and expressive. He studied the Spanish composer's and made it his own. That's why he plays the piece better. John Williams goes to his friend Paco Pena to get clues as to feel- yet he was the prince of classical guitar. He shows respect to tradition and delivers with clarity. He's not satisfied with past education, but continues to keep his mind open. My favourite classical guitarist of past is Julian Bream who is a legend in expression and gifted tutor. Today, there are many fine classical players - at the top of their genre, but you have to understand and feel flamenco in order to get close to the expression of a flamenco player, especially one like Paco. Some of my favourite guitarist (at the top of their game in fusion jazz) don't have what Paco de Lucia has. I did enjoy your video and the recording/performance evaluation. This piece of music has gripping me since the 70s.

[@timajax4800]

Paco's version is wonderful and fresh and I thoroughly enjoyed it but my alltime favorite is the John Williams and Daniel Barenbuim 1974 recording M-33208

[@rafaelgeldin3848]

Check out the musicology stuff. But I think I'm right in saying that the composer, Rodrigo, preferred Paco's interpretation above all ...

[@raybrumbeloe5909]

Paco’s made several mistakes in this recording but, as others have noted, he played with such passion that it was easy to over look the minor technical errors

[@ibrahimismail5625]

Thats litteraly comparing apples and bananas

[@tonyhauserguitarist4080]

Ive performed both classical and flamenco for over 60 yrs having studied both with Segovia and Nino Ricardo. There is only good and bad music and there is in both styles good and bad. There are technicians and artists, scientists and artists and sometimes they are thankfully in the same person. Such a giant was Paco De Lucia. He spent months learning to read music to play the Aranjuez (and also wonderful trio arrangements of Albeniz) and by ear put out arguably the best volume of the music of DeFalla ever. Rodrigo himself loved how he played the Aranjuez and the simple reason was is that he played it IN TIME. Playing in time is something classical guitarists could benefit greatly by learning to do. Also playing with strength is a demand in flamenco because of accompanying dancers. Classical guitarists should really think about how to use the right hand--ignoring Segovia's advice about the right hand has created many weak players without any idea of how to really explore colors. Ignoring flamenco right hand usage has created many player with large deficits in dynamics and proficiency and yes-speed. Again one of the pre-requisites to playing Spanish music is playing IN TIME.

[@lucatorelli8280]

Always Paco!!! As Paco said: "You can never use Rubato if it is to the detriment of the Rhythm and trying to hide technical deficiencies." Classical guitarists abuse rubato and they dont have a good Rasgueo technique.

[@he1ar1]

There are a hand full of guitar pieces that everybody knows but does not know where they came from. Asturias and Malagueña are 2 examples. Jose Feliciano sang my favourite version.

[@Adibarum]

I have two favorite versions the Narciso Yepes rendition and Paco De Lucia's, but overall Narciso Yepes is the most fluid and musical in my opinion. Paco De Lucia though renowned as one of the most famous and acomplished Flamenco Guitarists was a also very well versed in Classical guitar technique and he even released a number of classical guitar recordings over the course of his career,. there was some disicussion early on in his career that he had talked to his Father about becoming a proffessional Clasical guitarist rather than a Flamenco Guitarist as he very much enjoyed and was acomplished at Classical guitar technique but his father advised agasinst it asking him if he would rather be " a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in big pond" and of course the rest is history.

[@foreman2222]

It's not so much flamenco vs classical but rather strictly following the rhythm or not. As Paco said, he thought his input to the concierto would be valuable because classical guitarists didn't play it rhytmically correct, since classical musicians "live for the good sound" of the guitar. Spanish music is much more rhytmical than any other, so playing a Spanish piece as you would other pieces is simply incorrect. That's why you need a flamenco guitarist to play it well, in the rhythm that it was composed, and that's why Rodrigo said Paco's version was the best.

[@annaxyyxanna]

That's right ! I know the interview Paco did and i have understood what he said about rhythmical precision. He pointed out that classical players want to explain their lack of precision with more feeling, which they give to the piece. This is a joke.

[@allan2098]

This is a conducted orchestral piece, you have to play it rhythmically correct or it doesn't work. Possibly he means with more dynamics?

[@flamencoprof]

I note that your thumbnail and title ask two different questions. The thumbnail question "Who plays the best Aranjuez" loads the subject in favour of Classical music, whereas the title "Are Flamenco Guitarists Better Than Classical Guitarists?" is a more even-handed question. What if the thumbnail question was "Who plays the best Soleá?" 🙂 You could do another vid on that. That said, your actual treatment of the subject was knowledgeable, even-handed and interesting. Bravo!

[@genustinca5565]

Thumbnails have to sensationalistic and unnuanced. Otherwise you don't get clicks. The content itself can then be of an entirely different vibe.

[@flamencoprof]

@@genustinca5565 I know that. Why should it stop me from criticising it? Are we all expected to just accept such confusion?

[@johndevilbiss6607]

I guess we can find links ourselves to the recordings you mention I would point out that the middle movement of the concerto in question is not the Concerto de Aranjuez But you certainly have some interesting analysis.... And yet, it is customary in American thought patterns to make everything into a competition.... Nope, orchestras hardly rehearse before a live performance, therefore the coordination with the soloist is not there. Violinists can play super Piano, but not so the oboists, etc ...

[@raymondmack-zk1wf]

Paco, Paco, Paco, heavenly. Rest in peace

[@totos1815]

Angel romero and john williams are my personal favourites by far

[@TranTrungVideo]

Flamenco guitarists when they saw a classical guitarist play a flamenco song: "Wow that's interesting go ahead, brother!" Classical guitarists when they saw a flamenco guitarist play a classical song: "Man that sound is disgusting, stop stepping on the other field"

[@N0zer0]

My favorite version of Aranjuez is Parkening's. Pepe Romero's version from the same year is close second. Paco's performance is not bad, just not for me. Aranjuez played solo, is not that difficult as many make it out to be. What makes it hard playing it with an orchestra, and staying in perfect sync, there is no room for screw-ups, not even for the tiniest one.

[@menyavozutdima5322]

What about Alexey Zimakov and his performance of Aranjuez?

[@moelarrycurly708]

My favorite Rodrigo Concierto De Aranjuez recording of all time is Alexander Lagoya ,Phillips label on a Ramirez guitar. Have not heard a better recording over all. There is not one spot where it's not perfectly natural, Killer tone as well.

[@rafaelgeldin3848]

I object to the formulation of the question: music is not a competitive sport. As for preference, well ... I ...

[@robbes7rh]

I think Rodrigo might have missed his calling to collaborate with Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood. BTW you sounded great when you played the guitar solo section. I'm wondering if we could ditch the orchestra altogether and just play the guitar part and call it a day.

[@nathaninostroza7655]

To the question, the answer s: DEFINETELY!!! And then, beyond, above and far ahead there s Kazuhiro Yamashita, only guitarist better than everyone in terms of making a guitar sound and ability to go places through his hands and fingers.

[@mattyjmusic4210]

The only bad thing about that concerto is that it ends.

[@neliquito]

In essence comparison in art is completely redundant, however, Paco de Lucia is so uniqe in terms of melody, harmony and especially in technique, so whatever he played was a few levels ahead all other world guitarists, as well as the famous Concierto de Aranjues, which he portrayed as it should be, like composer Joaqin Rodrigo wanted.

[@Ray_Wall]

'"Are Flamenco Guitarists Better Than Classical Guitarists?" ... stupid question ...

[@BobOort]

We're going overboard comparing guitarists playing this famous and beautiful concerto. Music, as the most sublime of all arts, resonates with the senses of the receiver. If it's played well, not necessarily as per dictated perfection, people generally will respond to it positively, if it's played mediocre to bad, people will shift their attention to something else. Every classical guitar and every flamenco guitar sounds different. You can play classical, flamenco, Arabic, Greek, Latin, jazz, blues, folk music, concerto, duo, quartet or solo on any of them, when played well, the non academics as opposed to the academics will love it, in the final analysis that is what matters. There also remains the question of tuning, 432Hz vs 440Hz, people lose their subconscious anxiety on 432Hz but unfortunately 440Hz tuning prevails as the world's standard tuning, at least for orchestral instruments. There is a lot more to be said about guitars, playing guitars and guitarists than merely ponder on who is the best, especially when comparing different genre musicians who are at the same technical or artistic level, even when they're playing the same piece of music and on their own choice of instrument.

[@edzmuda6870]

I love how Angel Romero plays it as if he owns it. Such arrogance and yet class!

[@migueldiez9834]

Paco de Lucía, Orquesta de Cadaques, Director Edmon Colomer

[@juliannavarro8400]

In my opinion no one plays the Concerto better than John Williams does, very controlled technique, which is the norm for him, incredible volume and sound quality, and a lot of emotion.

[@chrisalluna6733]

Is there a recording with a chamber orchestra? maybe an octet or quartet?

[@blahblah49000]

Small suggestion: Your narration is good, but when you're on camera, your hand movements are excessive, and they distract from what you're saying. If you watch quality documentary work (i.e. stuff not on KZbin, or before the KZbin era), you'll notice that hosts use minimal hand gestures while speaking on camera. If you work to minimize these, the quality of your videos will be much improved.

[@genustinca5565]

"Before the KZbin era'... Don't you know everything has to be flashy and pimped up nowadays to keep the viewers attention?? ;) Especially on boring themes such as classical guitar analysis ;) Hence all the hand gestures.

[@BobOort]

@@genustinca5565 Lol ! 😁 Talk about pimped up..... Watch Australian TV news reporters, hand movements are choreographed carbon copies same for male and female not to mention the long haired female news readers wigs with one side over the left eye the other side over the shoulder at the back. And watch a Latin ballroom dance duo body language with arms and hands flying everywhere. Pimped up alright, correct academic creativity over-exceeding the natural flow of things for the sake of "show" business.

[@sonnenschneckesonnenschnec6617]

I like Luise Walker´s version most!

[@marcelomaruncardozo7007]

in the cadenza section you strum the strings with the index fingernail, this makes the tone inconsistent, harshly sounding and diminishing the dynamic range. Why don't you use the thumb instead?

[@alvodin6197]

People saying "that's a stupid question" without any explanation as if they think they have a fixed worldview. I would say flamenco guitar players usually have better technique. Not a professional but have played both classical guitar and piano. Gonna guess it's the classically trained people who think "it's a stupid question". Flamenco guitar players are usually better than classical guitarists. Cry as much as you want.

[@GigiGiogi-g9f]

It is sad Segovia never played it

[@FernandoSor333]

John Williams✌

[@jarrilaurila]

The compose itself is harmonically pretty simple, but like said little thinga matter. I prefer flamenco players versions.

[@rezamahmoodi3395]

As someone who has been starting music and only playing flamenco for 24 years, I know that there is no guitarist in the world like Paco. The luthiers should stop making guitars because no one will never ever come better than Paco de lucia

[@alexwirtz9497]

You can't have it both ways. Ramón Montoya in the 1920s brought classical influences into Flamenco guitar - who's treading on whose toes now?

[@frederik606]

Sachez que Paco avait appris le 2ème mouvement 75% d'oreille ! Sans partition , sans oublier que son interprétation avait déplu à nombreux guitaristes classiques notamment N.Yepes qui l'avait bien critiqué !

[@el_aleman]

Apples vs Oranges argument One style not better than another, just different… many similarities though…but saying one is better than another is like comparing a dermatologist to a cardiologist.

[@promerops]

In my opinion, it's nota case of 'better', rather each style is (to some extent - think of 'Asturias, for example) different. I must admit I can listen to classical guitar all day long, whereas, after a while, I will have had enough of listening to flamenco. I studied classical guitar for about two years (but was never much good), nevertheless my favourite version of the second movement of Aranjuez has to be the Miles Davis and Gil Evans version - and not a guitar in sight! I'm also very fond of the version by the Modern Jazz Quartet with Laurindo Almeida; which brings me to my suspicion that jazz guitarists are possibly actually better than their classical and flamenco colleagues - knowledge and use of somewhat esoteric chords and scales, much of it improvised! Let's not forget that Almeida was a highly accomplished classical artist, too. My number one hero is a player who seems to blend jazz with modern classical playing: Ralph Towner. Thanks for humouring me.

[@bbb12228]

I prefere de Lucia’s version.

[@jellybean7931]

The Question who is better then the otherone ist silly !

[@shanederk7752]

Of course Pacos is the best!!

[@dt6653]

To me, the performances are mostly the same. The performers are all virtuosos. Which performance one likes best is personal taste. My favorite is Angel Romero's performance of the piece.

[@РоманАндросов-л8п]

Alexey Ziimakov

[@jlas0324]

These polls are so dependent on personal taste, musical background and lots of personal biases that make no sense at all. My personal preference goes to the Bream-Melos chamber orchestra in the early 60´s that in my opinion precedes all modern interpretation of Rodrigo´s score.

[@glenndavid8725]

Lots of technically adept classical players butcher this piece, you have to be a musician to nail this.

[@VasilBelezhkov]

@@ClassicalGuitaristWannabe classical guitarists (and classical musicians in general) are not always familiar enough with folklore-based music. In this case - with Spanish flamenco. In my case: I'm Bulgarian classical guitarist who writes symphony orchestra music based on Bulgarian folklore and classicaly trained musicians often struggle to count the beats of music in time signatures like 11/8 or 13/8 or if it happens - it's obvious they don't 'feel' it like the common villager from the past who used to sing folk songs during harvest or other events of past life. The same with the specific ornaments in our folk music - there are different folklore regions in Bulgaria and someone has to be really well prepared about what they play because ornaments for one region can sound ridiculous in another region.

[@VasilBelezhkov]

And, despite being 'classicaly trained', when I write classical guitar pieces that I want to sound as close as possible to the Bulgarian folklore I have more 'flamenco' approach to the playing. Here are some examples from my music: kzbin.info/aero/PL6UJ7eDBcXcBj_Eq2Ad24lKnOv7RLg-jC

[@mangolian]

1) Paco 2) The others 😊

[@Andrew-q8k]

All i do know is that flamenco classical jazz and fusion players are infinitely better than all the rock pop and indie guitarists on Rolling Stones top 250 list!

[@Anton_the_Vampire]

Hmmm, okay, clickbait title. Neither flamenco nor classical are "better", they are different. Moving on, it is interesting to hear the vehement defence of Flamencoists playing classical, when often you get exactly the opposite reaction to classicists daring to play flamenco. Maestro Romero has been pilloried for his flamenco endeavours. Flamenco "snobs" hate classical guitarists "stepping on their toes" every bit as much. Personally, I am more a classical fan because there is a tone & subtlety that most flamencos can't achieve. Maestro Peña points this out, though they do try. As to my favourite performance of Aranjuez, I have 3: Bream (his tone is magical), Romero (his technical ease is insane), & Sainz de la Maza. (It was written for him after all) As a side note; Segovia refused to play it because it was dedicated to Sainz de la Maza.

[@bakters]

At least you guys have someone to learn from (flamenco guitarists). It's way worse for the pianists. Edit: The very end shows courage. Go there!

[@castor5001]

Similar to Rhapsody in Blue, the approach of a classic pianist and a Jazz pianist. Is different.

[@revivlerech9020]

Beautifully played at the end of the video ❤

[@johnroberts1141]

Sergovia was a blessing and a curse, As a result, many classical guitarists are rigid, stuffy, and elitists. Often the classical guitar literature is rather boring. Flamenco guitar comes from the heart.

[@scotconnolly1188]

Parkening was the best

[@Yann-wu3fk]

Paco de Lucia's tone quality is horrible, not that most classical guitarists of the presenter's generation have any sense of tone production. One of the reasons that the classical guitar is in a state of crisis.

[@mer1red]

In my opinion the acoustic guitar is not suitable for playing with an orchestra because of its intimate character. Once I heard a guitar quartet version of this concerto and it sounded so much better. The only orchestral work I like is the one of Vivaldi in D with a small line-up.

[@Andomalo]

Paco is god.

[@michaelmckinney7240]

I love both forms, classical and Flamenco, but the best version of this great concerto is hands down the inimitable performance of Angel Romero when he played this immortal work at the United Nations some years ago. Case closed! I've seen Paco's performance of this concerto and heard his comment that he thinks the work should be played up to speed. Well Angel plays it briskly with clarity, verve and power and in general gives a more polished performance than any one else I've seen.

[@GigiGiogi-g9f]

Paco de Lucia😊

[@kotzy210]

another good example is Tomatito's performance with Michel Camilo on their latest album Spain Forever Again

[@johnroberts1141]

Excellent analysis!

[@spanishguitar1565]

Paco, Parkening, and Williams. I find Yepes horrendous, especially considering his harsh criticisms of flamenco players.

[@scotconnolly1188]

Paco and Parkening are also my favourites. Jim Hall's jazz version is also absolutely superb (due toe the contributions of all personnel). Yepes is easily the worst version I have ever heard, af about the 50 different versions I have come across

[@mishagasparovsky196]

Well, wasnt concerto actually written for de Lucia in the folirst place? I think it was, if im not mistaken