𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐳 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐬 on the 𝟏𝟎-𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐨 𝐘𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐬 ♪ from my documentary 𝘈 𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 (2024)

Fritz Buss was born in Cologne in 1930. At 23, he settled in South Africa where he founded the Classical Guitar Society of SA in 1958. In 1960, Narciso Yepes invited him to study in Madrid. After a year's intensive work with Yepes, Buss returned to his career as concertist and educator. He undertook further periods of study with Yepes in '64, '66, '68, '73 and '75, earning such respect that he was invited to substitute as instructor for some of Yepes's master classes in Paris.
As concertist and educator, he was responsible for the acceptance of the guitar as a subject in schools and as a major instrument for the B.Mus. degree in South Africa. There he also introduced the ten-string guitar, adopted by several of his students during and after his thirty years as the guitar instructor at Wits University. As the leading teacher of both 6- and 10-string guitar in South Africa, his pupils included Simon Wynberg, Viktor van Niekerk, and the late guitarist-composers Timothy Walker, David Hewitt, and Dietrich Wagner. He gave sought-after annual master classes in Belgium, at the request of Godelieve Monden, and was invited to be a judge, alongside Joaquín Rodrigo, at the 1981 Francisco Tárrega Competition (Benicàssim).
Since ending his career as concertist, he has focused on teaching and writing a substantial amount of music for the guitar. He has lived in Australia since 2019.
▀▀▀
"Teaching is for me a great pleasure when I find a pupil of intelligence, who assimilates my conclusions with his own knowledge, developing his own personality. This is the case with Mr. FRITZ BUSS. ... I can state that it is astonishing to what an extent he has imbibed the basic and profound knowledge demanded of a conscious artist." (N. Yepes, 20/8/61)
"I feel very proud of him as my pupil and as my friend. ... Fritz has become not only an excellent guitarist with a wonderful technique but also a deep musician aware of his responsibility and always in search of more knowledge and perfection. ... I think that he is one of the best teachers I know in the world." (N. Yepes, Sep. '76)
In a 1991 interview with José Luis Rubio, Yepes answered the question ¿Quiénes son los mejores profesores de guitarra en todo el mundo? with: "En la Escuela de Lovaina (Bélgica), enseña Godelieve Monden. En África del Sur hay un profesor llamado Fritz Buss." (ABC Cultural 7: 43)
In "Narciso Yepes: Retrato de un hombre honesto" (1998) by P. A. Martínez Pinilla, Yepes is quoted as saying: "Hay un alemán en Johannesburgo, Fritz Buss, profesor de guitarra de diez cuerdas ... algo he enseñado de mi arte, de mi amor a la música."
"Fritz Buss is a man of infinite patience who will take endless pains to ensure that a pupil has clearly understood a particular point. I was always amazed by his ability to communicate his enthusiasm and love for the guitar, which is both reassuring and inspiring. Mr. Buss can also inspire and fascinate by his own playing on the guitar, thus demonstrating that the instrument can produce music on equal terms with any other instrument. ... It is one of his qualities as a born teacher that Fritz Buss encourages his students to become individuals and to express themselves on the guitar in their own way. He is quick to spot a particular gift and to encourage a pupil to develop this ability to the full." (Dietrich Wagner)
"[Buss] stands out among the finest musicians and teachers I have known in my career in a number of countries, including Britain and the United States of America." (Joe Sack, cellist & critic)
"...a society which seems, generally, to encourage mediocrity and shows confusion, and even hostility, when confronted with greatness. These and related subjects used to leave Fritz Buss furious, resulting in some very tough lessons for me to learn. I now realize that it was largely due to the frustration of trying to project himself into my future so as to help me through all those pains and setbacks any ambitious musician is bound to go through. ... My lessons with Fritz were so inspirational and his enthusiasm so contagious that my transition from popular to classical music seemed the most natural thing for me to do, as he guided...me into a world I hadn't known existed." (David Hewitt)
"South Africa's leading guitar soloist...keeps busy with a large teaching connection and is in constant demand for concerts and recitals. An attractive personality and an entertaining conversationalist" (B.M.G., July 1966).
“Buss…gave a most interesting and varied recital. … The phrasing was perfect and the finesse truly professional. … Buss’s musical interpretation…was outstanding. The chromaticisms...and carrying melodic line were all played with feeling and expertise which were truly remarkable in their execution. … Buss put across the romantic feeling with delicacy. The two pieces by Savio…showed that Buss was master of all aspects of guitar pyrotechnics.” (M. Nabarro, The Star, 26/10/82)
▀▀▀
#NarcisoYepes #10stringGuitar #FritzBuss

[@10String]

00:00 Introduction 00:11 Unhappiness about Compromised Relations in the Music of Bach on the 6-string Guitar (1961) 02:48 "The Music is Between the Notes" 03:31 I Must Have This Sound! (1964) 05:05 Yepes Always Intended to Finger the Strings 06:59 The 10-string Guitar of Narciso Yepes is a New Thing 09:29 You Discover the True Musician in the Slow Music, Between the Notes 12:10 Playing Strings 7 through 10 15:11 "Yes, yes, a string for each finger!"

[@charllamprecht7325]

Baie dankie Viktor. Hierdie werk is van onskatbare waarde. Jy kry dit reg om die era van 'n 'strewe na uitnemendheid' vas te vang, deur jou onderhoude met Fritz Buss en jou deeglike navorsing oor Narciso Yepes en die 10-snaar kitaar. Dit word smaakvol en eerlik aangebied, met musiekvoorbeelde wat tersefdertyd aandoenlik inspirerend is, maar ook tekenend van die onderwerpe wat bespreek word. Baie geluk en baie dankie. Dit word opreg waardeer.

[@10String]

Baie dankie, Charl, vir jou integriteit en ondersteunende woorde. Baie waardeer.

[@ursulazangl1655]

I love the humour of Fritz Buss and his warm kindness

[@10String]

Yes, exactly. Humour, caring, a person of depth, and above all authenticity. That is why I love Fritz as well.

[@luisdanielmorales3598]

Muchas gracias MAESTROS !!!!

[@10String]

Muchas gracias. No hablaré por Narciso o Fritz, sino por mí, por favor, solo "Viktor" y no "maestro". Gracias.

[@10String]

A still unfinished draft of part of "Chapter V" of the documentary film _A Meeting of Minds_ (2024) about Fritz Buss and Narciso Yepes. Musical examples of course have to be re-recorded with proper equipment for the final film when I get around to recording Fritz's own compositions. Meanwhile, this gives a bit better idea than the low audio-visual quality of the previously uploaded clip(s).

[@ursulazangl1655]

How lucky you are to have such a friend

[@10String]

Narciso once said to Fritz, "You bring me luck" when he invited him to go along to buy a piece of land on the Mediterranean, near Alicante. Yes, I am lucky to have Fritz. But Narciso also was lucky to have such a true friend and supporter. His truest friend and supporter in the world. Shamefully, some people who ought to remember that, do not.

[@10String]

"Teaching is for me a great pleasure when I find a pupil of intelligence, who assimilates my conclusions with his own knowledge, developing his own personality. This is the case with Mr. FRITZ BUSS. ... I can state that it is astonishing to what an extent he has imbibed the basic and profound knowledge demanded of a conscious artist." (N. Yepes, 20/8/61) "I feel very proud of him as my pupil and as my friend. ... Fritz has become not only an excellent guitarist with a wonderful technique but also a deep musician aware of his responsibility and always in search of more knowledge and perfection. ... I think that he is one of the best teachers I know in the world." (N. Yepes, Sep. '76) In a 1991 interview with José Luis Rubio, Yepes answered the question ¿Quiénes son los mejores profesores de guitarra en todo el mundo? with: "En la Escuela de Lovaina (Bélgica), enseña Godelieve Monden. En África del Sur hay un profesor llamado Fritz Buss." (ABC Cultural 7: 43) In "Narciso Yepes: Retrato de un hombre honesto" (1998) by P. A. Martínez Pinilla, Yepes is quoted as saying: "Hay un alemán en Johannesburgo, Fritz Buss, profesor de guitarra de diez cuerdas ... algo he enseñado de mi arte, de mi amor a la música." "Fritz Buss is a man of infinite patience who will take endless pains to ensure that a pupil has clearly understood a particular point. I was always amazed by his ability to communicate his enthusiasm and love for the guitar, which is both reassuring and inspiring. Mr. Buss can also inspire and fascinate by his own playing on the guitar, thus demonstrating that the instrument can produce music on equal terms with any other instrument. ... It is one of his qualities as a born teacher that Fritz Buss encourages his students to become individuals and to express themselves on the guitar in their own way. He is quick to spot a particular gift and to encourage a pupil to develop this ability to the full." (Dietrich Wagner) "[Buss] stands out among the finest musicians and teachers I have known in my career in a number of countries, including Britain and the United States of America." (Joe Sack, cellist & critic) "...a society which seems, generally, to encourage mediocrity and shows confusion, and even hostility, when confronted with greatness. These and related subjects used to leave Fritz Buss furious, resulting in some very tough lessons for me to learn. I now realize that it was largely due to the frustration of trying to project himself into my future so as to help me through all those pains and setbacks any ambitious musician is bound to go through. ... My lessons with Fritz were so inspirational and his enthusiasm so contagious that my transition from popular to classical music seemed the most natural thing for me to do, as he guided...me into a world I hadn't known existed." (David Hewitt) "South Africa's leading guitar soloist...keeps busy with a large teaching connection and is in constant demand for concerts and recitals. An attractive personality and an entertaining conversationalist" (B.M.G., July 1966). “Buss…gave a most interesting and varied recital. … The phrasing was perfect and the finesse truly professional. … Buss’s musical interpretation…was outstanding. The chromaticisms...and carrying melodic line were all played with feeling and expertise which were truly remarkable in their execution. … Buss put across the romantic feeling with delicacy. The two pieces by Savio…showed that Buss was master of all aspects of guitar pyrotechnics.” (M. Nabarro, The Star, 26/10/82) ▀▀▀ FRITZ BUSS was born in Cologne in 1930. At 23, he settled in South Africa where he founded the Classical Guitar Society of SA in 1958. In 1960, Narciso Yepes invited him to study in Madrid. After a year's intensive work with Yepes, Buss returned to his career as concertist and educator. He undertook further periods of study with Yepes in '64, '66, '68, '73 and '75, earning such respect that he was invited to substitute as instructor for some of Yepes's master classes in Paris. As concertist and educator, he was responsible for the acceptance of the guitar as a subject in schools and as a major instrument for the B.Mus. degree in South Africa. There he also introduced the ten-string guitar, adopted by several of his students during and after his thirty years as the guitar instructor at Wits University. As the leading teacher of both 6- and 10-string guitar in South Africa, his pupils included Simon Wynberg, Viktor van Niekerk, and the late guitarist-composers Timothy Walker, David Hewitt, and Dietrich Wagner. He gave sought-after annual master classes in Belgium, at the request of Godelieve Monden, and was invited to be a judge, alongside Joaquín Rodrigo, at the 1981 Francisco Tárrega Competition (Benicàssim). Since ending his career as concertist, he has focused on teaching and writing a substantial amount of music for the guitar. He has lived in Australia since 2019.

[@eduardoguajardo1490]

Interesante y valioso.

[@10String]

Gracias.

[@ursulazangl1655]

Woww ! This is very beautiful! Very well explained.Fritz Buss is a very lovely person! SPECIAL!

[@Emmanuel-ce4lj]

Looking forward to the complete movie. Looks like it's going to be very interesting and groundbreaking for the classical guitar.

[@10String]

Thank you!

[@ursulazangl1655]

Dankie

[@ursulazangl1655]

Dankie for this super video

[@10String]

Thank you.

[@ursulazangl1655]

Thanks for posting.will listen later.super!😀

[@ursulazangl1655]

Did Narciso mean St.Augustine who has written the Confessiones?

[@10String]

I believe so, though I have not found the exact source of the quote or paraphrase. The important thing is that Narciso saw music as relations (intervals) and not as points (pitches). And this, along with other things, if we know the work of the great psychiatrist, Iain McGilchrist, tells us something important about Narciso and Fritz's "brains" or minds, rather, and the qualitative way they represented music in consciousness, which is not the typical, academic, Modernist way of such things as the so-called historically-informed performance ideology (concerning which, see Richard Taruskin's enlightening book, "Text & Act" alongside McGilchrist's "The Master and His Emissary").

[@ursulazangl1655]

So ....Bach gave birth to his idea on the 10 string guitar(do you know that Bach had 20 children?)

[@10String]

Not exactly. The main idea behind it was to have the same reverberation from any of the 12 notes. But it confirms, from a historical witness, the truth of what Narciso said in other interviews about being unhappy with the 6-string guitar for years before he had the idea of his 10-string guitar. It also shows, from a historical witness, how intellectually dishonest some people's claims are that Narciso never intended to play the strings. And the historical anecdote about Bach is a concrete example of what Narciso meant when he spoke about understanding music as being "between the notes." (His unhappiness about playing Bach on the 6-string guitar was not an example of the misguided, Modernist conflation of text-fidelity and the Romantic notion of "fidelity to the work." It has to do with how sounds relate and not with textual literalism.) We see here an example of the "meeting of the minds" or "sympathy" between two artists' similar ways of regarding music.

[@ursulazangl1655]

Yes,the Space between the Notes where the Reverberation can be experienced in the silence.silence gives Space to Lay in what the Artist wants to express

[@ursulazangl1655]

Die Reverberation from any of the Notes is wonderful

[@ursulazangl1655]

Thank you

[@ursulazangl1655]

Augustinus von Hippo.There is a Schrift: De Musica