Lesson: Prelude No. 4 by Villa-Lobos for Classical Guitar

[@johnnash7769]

One of the finest overviews of this beautiful Prelude on YT. The only thing I would add is that the harmonics section is marked 'Moderato' whereas the opening is marked 'Lento'. If the Moderato is respected, the result is that the finall Lento is all the more spacious and expressive. Most performers simply do not notice the 'Moderato' marking.'.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Nice point!

[@MK-sc8md]

So appreciate the phrasing and shaping breakdown. Will never hear it the same again!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Oh good, glad it was helpful.

[@susanneciao]

You are one of the best teachers I have ever seen!! Beautiful tone and a great pedagogue!! Thanks for sharing . Regards from Sweden!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Thanks!

[@joaquinodriozola4963]

you are a real master on what you do. thanks! I'll always apreciate Villa Lobos and Brouwer lessons!

[@imacnz]

A great lesson very well presented. Thank you.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Many thanks!

[@hankhatch]

Dude, your approach is simply awesome. The way you describe the pieces, how they should be played, the fingering options, the reasoning. I really appreciate you. When I studied classical guitar at VCU and played some of these pieces I wish I had an instructor like you. Now that I am almost 60, have arthritis, and alter fingerings when I look back at the absolute inflexibility of previous guitar instructors it really just pisses me off. I recently bought a cross over nylon string so my hands can attempt to play some of these again. And I 100% agree with you on the diminished arpeggio section. I have seen Julian Bream's interpretation and think it is absolutely HORRIBLE. But that is nothing new as that is what I thought about all his playing but still RIP. Thank you for providing these videos. Rock solid advice with everything.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Thanks so much. Bream's performance is pretty rough but also pretty musical so I've always liked it.

[@markcrawford2811]

Thanks man, been struggling with parts of this and you really helped. The musicality of the bass line in the middle section is so important, thanks for helping me to hear it

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad it helped!

[@nickmuravievsmusicpage]

Thank you for the understandable lesson! (I picture this piece for myself as this: 1- The calm before the storm, 2- The storm, 3- The tranquil after the storm).

[@nancynichols6198]

ive been playing classical guitar for 50 years and i can tell you that this is very good teaching!

[@andywelsh1281]

Great lesson (as always!). Thanks.

[@marlonguitarist]

Bradford, thank you so much for this great lesson! I am studying this Prelude by myself and you have shared great points of view about this piece; especially, I loved the idea of the singing of the bass notes in the arpeggios' section. Thanks again! Regards from Costa Rica.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@aragorn767]

I have an issue with the animato part... Throughout the first four lines of it (the part that has the bass notes on the A string) I'm keeping my index finger on the G string. However, this gets difficult in the higher frets as I have to squeeze all of my fingers into a really tight space. It's making it rather difficult to play cleanly. What fingerings do you use for that part?

[@stephenferrera-grand7827]

Amazing. Please watch Julian Bream play this piece. Right after watch John Williams play it as a 50 something year old. These are two of the worlds best and that’s a great place to start. If you play the Etudes it obvious that he intended virtuosity for these pieces. Both the Etudes and Preludes. These were written for the main virtuoso.

[@musicacorporea]

I think you've got a C sharp instead of a C natural on bar 12 of the Animato part, isn't it? (on minute 8:26)

[@johndimaggio9020]

Great as usual --- Thank You!!!!!

[@Luke150130]

What advice would you give for getting the arpeggio section faster? At the moment I can only do it at 90 to the quarter and although I appreciate it needs to be very musical, I'd still like to play it a little faster. Thanks!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Well, a good technique routine away from the piece can be helpful (there's no cheating general practice). Sometimes practicing a wide variety of technical skills can increase your arpeggios simply due to increased accuracy and relaxation. More specifically, try starting with small speed bursts of one bar at a time at faster tempos to get your hands used to the new tempo in small chunks.

[@gitaaa7740]

John Williams blazes through it. I can’t even follow it. Most performances blaze through this section. I like your approach better.

[@warrenwickremesooriya8031]

great lesson and phenomenal playing

[@Fran-0]

very good, greetins from Argentina

[@nancynichols6198]

in particular i like your correcting the overly rubato way of palying spanish and latin american music

[@navinkb12]

can you please do a tutorial on prelude no 3 , villa lobos.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Good suggestion

[@vayasaberlo8]

I like your approach! Really dislike the way some "virtuosi" play the Animato section as a blur if sound

[@vayasaberlo8]

Do you also do a lesson on Etude number 5? Really appreciate all of this!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Not yet but I plan to in the future.

[@Taoufiqqaba]

hi man thanx for the vid i have a question i am going to pass the first prize in classical guitar this year can u tell me which pieces should i work please ?

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

If you scroll down my lesson page you can see graded lessons: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/lessons/

[@Taoufiqqaba]

thank you very much

[@Taoufiqqaba]

i checked those graded lessons are too easy i want examples of pieces of the 1st tprize guitar exam 8th year ?

[@aragorn767]

2:48

[@chrism582]

I see Edward Snowden