Kazuhito Yamashita Changed Everything, But Nobody Admits It.

[@Ignatzberlin]

I recently attendet a concert of his daughter Kanahi Yamashita in Berlin. She is a world class guitarist, but the circumstances were absolutely disappointing. She played in front of about thirty people in a shabby room in Spandau. The accoustics were okay, but you could not see anything in the third row. There was no introduction to her, even thought this was supposed to be a new series for concert guitar. The well known composer Carlo Domeniconi organized it, and he was there, but he did not introduce himself nor did somebody for him. So you would not know what the point of this new series would be. So Kanahi had to do everything on her own which she did okay, but I did not have the impression she was feeling comfortable. Also I did not see any of the better known guitarists who live in Berlin as I know. In the audience was the guitar builder Michael Batell who is perhaps the only person in Berlin who tries to support classical guitar in Berlin. The applause of the audience then was friendly, but I felt a big gap between the effort Kanahi is taking in her playing and her concept of contemporary guitar music and the reception under these circumstances. Perhaps you could do a video about what happened so classical guitar, when you remember that artist like Bream, Yepes, Williams and Yamashita would play before hundreds or even thousands of people and the situation day which I feel is often unworthy.

[@tonebase]

Hi Ignatz, thank you for your comment! It's sad to hear that Kanahi's concert didn't receive its deserved attention. The observation that classical guitar audiences are getting smaller is one I unfortunately hear very often. It's also important to note that this is not a completely universal phenomenon: there are plenty of counter-examples where classical guitar concerts manage to have decent, growing audiences. I think a lot of it has to do with concert organisers failing to adapt to the changing ways in how people choose to spend their free time. In Germany, we could for example learn quite a bit from the American guitar society model and how they are able to build loyal, engaged audiences. Of course, with making videos like this, I'm also trying to help push the trend in the other direction. There's so much to be told! LG Jakob

[@Ignatzberlin]

@@tonebase Danke Jakob, für die Antwort. Ich finde deine Videos Klasse, auch gerade das über Yamashita. Hätte er vielleicht manchmal damals nur manchmal ein bisschen langsamer gespielt, er hätte sich das Leben - in Bezug auf die westliche Rezeption - wohl einfacher machen können...

[@SimonPhoenix1985]

I was there too.

[@eblackbrook]

My guitar teacher used to say "you must be humble before the music!" Well the music was there, she was there to play it, and you were there to hear it. That the circumstances were humble and there was not a lot of BS and hoo ha, is only a shame if you are there for BS and hoo ha, or gratification of the ego.

[@Ignatzberlin]

@@eblackbrook If I go to a concert, I want to have the feeling that the artist feels comfortable and can concentrate of what she does. Also the audience should feel comfortable so the music can come to live. That has nothing to do with gratification of the ego as you seem to asume.

[@CarlosHernandezMusic]

My guitar teacher Ryhuei Kobayashi competed with him in the Alessandria guitar contest (Italy) in the late 70’s, he was 23, and Yamashita was only 13. Obviously Yamashita won the 1st prize As he was a guitar phenomenon, 2nd prize was desert, and 3rd prize the 3rd prize was won by my teacher Kobayashi. He would tell me, this kid was something unbelievable. He just wanted to quit but as he was Japanese, the honor mattered a lot to him, so he didn’t quit. My master was not a virtuoso at all, but he actually got a prize because even if he was not as skilled, his interpretations would always bring you to tears. May you rest in peace Mr. Kobayashi 👏🏻

[@SamsungJ2prime-t1g]

All notes burns up a different system he's known for, typhoon from the east, no one had done not even top legendary classical masters what he's doing

[@marshwetland3808]

I don't follow classical guitar generally, but I've listen to virtuosos Strunz & Farah a lot. Never heard of Yamashita til today. Astonishing, really, stratosphere above any solo guitar I've heard before. I can believe seeing him play would make people want to give up and quit. It was my first thought after I picked my jaw up off the floor. Fortunately for me, I play for my own pleasure, not performance, so I can keep playing.

[@mikemcleroy8265]

Great tribute!

[@MetalWolfReaper]

Crazy how it made people want to quit! Even though I just play with a pick and technical metal, this really inspires me to push further. Like Yamashita I try to make my own techniques and play stuff never heard before, to push the technical musically intuitive envelope. I've tried playing classical songs like Moonlight Sonata with 5 fingers on both hands when I was a beginner and still used standard tuning. This makes me want to pick up an acoustic and try again!! ❤ 😍

[@ricardoguzman5014]

Yamashita competed in the Alessandria in 1977. He was born in 1961 so he would have been at least 15, maybe 16 if his birthday occured before the competition that year.

[@michaelkissane6138]

Years ago, my wife and I heard him play at a small venue in our home town in Iceland. In the small audience were virtually all of Iceland's respected classical, folk and rock guitarists. Their collective jaws were almost audible as they dropped to the floor. The program was a single work: Dvorak's New World Symphony in total. Not condensed, but the whole thing, all movements all aspects of the orchestra. He danced all over the guitar, quickly tuning and adjusting strings and strumming both sides of his left hand on the neck and near the tuning keys. Countless harmonics landed perfectly, extending the traditional range of the guitar to another level. Stunning! Then came an encore. We thought: maybe a charming adaptation of a chamber piece. What fools we were. It was Stravinky's Firebird and again, not a diet version! We left wondering what on earth we had just witnessed, in a tiny town in Iceland. This is what it must've been to see Liszt or Paganini perform live. When I frothed at the mouth about this to my father, who had 7 decades of following classical music behind him, he had to hear what it was that had me going, as one who loathed his endless opera and symphony LP playing. I had to assure him it wasn't a product of modern technology, having seen it with my own eyes. Something I will never forget.

[@virtualpilgrim8645]

Thank you for ejaculating your story. Impressive...

[@simondanielssonmusic]

Yamashita is a legend. I'm very happy that he's getting recognition on youtube for once.

[@johnhartnett3629]

Yamashita is overrated with gimmicks and theatrics. He's more show but has no real virtuoso grace..

[@andreiotraskin475]

Yes because he is not from West . He can be denigrated just like some denigrate Brazilian players

[@chrisames2795]

Matteo 🎉

[@DeOmnibusDubitandum76]

@@johnhartnett3629 The audacity and ignorance of this drivel is breathtaking.

[@viarnay]

@@johnhartnett3629 His technique is way way out of the charts..he changed the classical guitar forever..

[@albertfiscaletti520]

I had never heard of him and believe it to be a grave injustice that most of us have not. I am saddened never to have heard this virtuoso's performance until only today. Thank you for bringing this great musician into the spotlight, though a small one at that.

[@DannyHood-j]

I agree, I feel stupid never hearing ‘Yamashita’ till now? It makes me wonder if guitar competitions are considered, remembered. I mean everyone knows Andre’s Segovia and those who studied with Segovia’ everyone knows Lyona Boyed. I used to see Lyona’s videos on television even.

[@timfairfield407]

ditto

[@Boethius4748]

Injustice, my man, is an understatement.

[@CarlosCastilla]

Finally a video from a reputable guitar institution praising the most phenomenal classical guitarist from our time. Great video!

[@johnhartnett3629]

His performances are overdone. He tries too hard and makes it look ugly. He's overrated. It's also especially annoying listening to this little German boy propagandist who can't stop fawning and raving over Yamashita like a little schoolgirl.

[@stephenyatesacoustic]

The legendary Mussorgsky transcription was what put Yamashita "on the map", as it were but it is by no means his only achievement of note. Apart from other, equally ambitious arrangements, including Dvorak's New World Symphony, Yamashita's other claim to greatness is the sheer volume of his recorded output. His prodigious catalogue not only contains almost the entire "standard" repertoire but also includes new works written for him as well as numerous arrangements for solo guitar, duo and ensemble. I think that, to date, he has recorded 96 CDs. A good example of his incredible work ethic is the Bach boxset he made in 1992 which consists of his transcriptions of Bach's entire works for solo violin. The total length of this one release was five hours. Yamashita has for some time been shunning the limelight but he has never been idle and I believe that his exceptional contribution to the instrument has still yet to be fully realised.

[@FullMetalElric]

Hah, sounds like Buckethead.

[@eblackbrook]

I believe the box set you're thinking of, contains Bach's solo violin works (which don't require more than 2 CDs), his cello suites, and his lute suites.

[@zamplify]

Bach was how I discovered Yamashita years ago. Mesmerizing musician.

[@TaiChiBeMe]

I agree with your assessment of Yamashita. I just want to add that I had the opportunity to have lunch with him after I picked him up from the airport in San Francisco. His hand, when I shook it, was surprisingly soft. His voice and demeanor, also, was so soft. At lunch he wanted mostly to eat vegetables and he spoke of his family and not so much of music. Very memorable lunch. BTW - his daughter is, today, an outstanding guitarist as well.

[@spiritseas]

really cool. thanks for saying this

[@benkim2016]

I like her better!!

[@ericrobles9363]

This is the most articulate accurate video about Yamashita and long overdue.

[@juankplaysmusic]

For real, like 15+ years later, which was when I discovered his videos here.

[@ricardoguzman5014]

Absolutely. He raised the bar WAY UP. He became internationally known in 1977, but the amazing thing is that he had probably become the greatest guitarist of all time before that, maybe some months or years previous. He did for the guitar what Franz Liszt did for the piano, not only in unbelievable technical proficiency, but in transcribing great classical compositions for the guitar, as Liszt did for the piano. I'm not even a musician, at all, even my whistling usually sounds out of tune until I try a few times to sound right. I'm a city bus driver in Milwaukee. But great skill is evident if you analyze meticulously. Jealously and snobbery against Eastern civilization is at least a small part of angry negative reviews. Beethoven was often disdained, but he became acclaimed during his lifetime, and will be until the end of the world. It's time NOW that Yamashita is thusly recognized.

[@andrewgraham1418]

Great points there, Ricardo. We need not only musicians, but people like you with very little musical training, but yet innate, curious and discerning and musically sensitive minds. As we can see, some are close-minded because of their musical training.

[@MehdiJafri-y5z]

Bruh I used to live in milwaukee!!! I was working with Rene Izquidero at the time and lived on prospect street next to Brady Street haha

[@ricardoguzman5014]

@@MehdiJafri-y5z I have a cousin that lived on Brady street like 40 years ago. She was married to an Iranian, divorced him decades ago now. She lived in that house right next to where Zayna's pizza is, right off Van Buren. But back in the day it used to be an Italian bakery. We used to get cannoli and other stuff back when I was a teen.

[@picksalot1]

I saw Yamashita twice long ago. I sat about 15 feet away and could clearly see the mind numbing, innovative techniques he used with full mastery and to brilliant effect. I've seen many of the old Master Guitarists play live, including Segovia, Sabicas, Paco de Lucia, Joe Pass, Barney Kessell, John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Pat Metheny, Barrueco, etc., and many current ones as well. Too many to list. Yamashita stands alone among them all. He's a very high level genius with extraordinary physical dexterity and control whose fingers listen to his every idea, immediately and flawlessly. Seeing and hearing him play was exhilarating and soul crushing at the same time.

[@danterosati]

same here: I went to see him in Alice Tully Hall with some of my fellow Juilliard guitar students back in like 1990. When he started playing, I had a cognitive dissonance moment, asking myself "who's playing a piano in here?" lol thats how big his sound was!

[@virtualpilgrim8645]

I purchased a ticket in 1987 to see Andre Segovia in concert in my town of Eugene Oregon USA. The rat died on me before I could see him and so they substituted a solo performance of Isaac Stern on violin.

[@janpacana6293]

I have only seen the Guitar Trio and Paco de Lucia with his band. The feel and rhythm of flamenco is different. There is a bit difference when some of these guitarists are "improvising" on a lot of chords. But yeah glad Yamashita appeared. He is a must for guitar fans.

[@johnfirth6541]

well, Im glad to have seen this. I do want to listen to him. He is incredible! and I love "Pictures .." (side note, first heard Pictures performed by ELP, then the orchestral version). Anyway, one person who I think broke boundaries in guitar playing, almost exact same time, in the west but still overlooked, is Stanley Jordan. Learned piano, somehow got a guitar, wanted to play it the same way as piano, and did.! Tuned his guitar to straight fourths so all chord positions, scales etc are the same over 6 strings. Took tapping to astronomical heights when Eddy Van Halen was making tapping a new(ish) need to know technique for rock guitar. Jordan can play 2 guitars at once just like playing 2 keyboards at once. I believe he created his technique from the music he wanted to play, as you say. And he has played everything from jazz to rock to classical to country. He can even play with a pick snd conventional fingerpicking. I would love to hear him tackle Pictures. I don't like comparing musicians. People with good, great, or insane musical talent should just be enjoyed. So I hope to enjoy Yamashita now, as well as any other kind of musician I can discover. 😁

[@katebloggs8243]

@@johnfirth6541Yes Yes!

[@pooritech]

Ive been playing guitar for about 15 years. First time i ever come across this name. Im baffled. You corrected my life man.

[@louisetien3870]

tonebase this guy deserves a raise these videos are incredible

[@SelectCircle]

I've been on KZbin forever - and never have I learned so much from a music video!

[@paulinacortes-delorenzo4490]

I just now stumbled into this video and was simply compelled to watch it from beginning to end. This is the first time I’m hearing of Yamashita despite the 30 years of attending New York’s Lincoln Center performances when time and money allowed it, growing up with an older brother who was an amateur classical guitarist, and recently at least a decade of KZbin! I’m blown away by the passages in the background of your narrative on him. “Pictures” has always challenged my listening attention but, somehow, Yamashita’s transcription and rendition grew on me. I have minimal formal music education behind me, but not a day passes without intentionally listening on KZbin to symphonic music and shorter pieces written for the cello, horn, guitar, piano, and violin in that order. The point is, I’m so grateful to you for introducing and educating me on Yamashita. I had no idea how much I have limited myself to Bream, Parkening, Williams, Yepes, and even the young Kyohee Park. Again, thank you so much!

[@stringworks1861]

I had the good fortune to see him perform Pictures at an Exhibition in the early '80s ('82 or '83, as I recall) at Jordan Hall in Boston. I owned a copy of the album and you really did wonder if anyone could possibly pull it off in a live performance. Any scepticism disappeared quickly as he began to play. It was an astonishing performance, expressive and moving despite the virtuosic demands of his arrangements. My thanks to the producer of this video appreciation. Yamashita deserves more widespread recognition.

[@MTeruelviolao]

This is such a great example of amazingly well thought-out content. Refreshing critique and curating ideas. Congrats, Tonebase and, of course, Jakob!

[@AIainMConnachie]

Brilliant survey! Especially your statements at the end about technique proceeding from the music, and theory being descriptive not prescriptive, rather than the other way around. Brilliant.

[@JuanjoDWC]

You definitely got it

[@TomStrahle]

I saw him perform at Royce Hall at UCLA in 1989. I couldn't breathe the entire performance. They had booths set up for guitarists where they could sell their instruments and seek counseling.

[@andresrod5138]

After 36 years, I had never heard of him. Thank you for the amazing explanation. By the way, your insights on guitar practice were fantastic!

[@guitarsupport]

Nobody admits it? I know many who admit his outstanding guitar performances. I show his recordings and videos regularly to my students at Cologne Music University🤩 A perfect musician!

[@juankplaysmusic]

He probably means he is not as known as Bream or John Williams. In fact, many classical guitar players despise Yamashita (jncluding my late, guitar teacher) because of his stage antics and over the top speed. Not me of couse, I think Yamashita is one of the best ever.

[@davidnefesh]

I have only just discovered Yamashita, and what a wonder! Thank you for this interesting video. My own take: The broad classical world cannot contain him, thankfully so (their loss). His playing is so much more expansive with a degree of virtuosity that is rare. And as you point out the dynamic range that he uses seems unparalleled. I listened to his Bach Chaconne yesterday, and his dynamic range and virtuosity did not overshadow a powerful performance full of sensitivity and a wide range of emotion. Fantastic, I say! Thank you, Jakob and warm regards from Michigan!

[@williamyelverton-music7072]

I was there in '84. It was unforgettable, 5 encores.

[@IanFleming808]

He’s playing a guitar, a harp, a Japanese Koto, and a violin on on 1 instrument. It’s otherworldly.

[@DeOmnibusDubitandum76]

For me this artist is a colossal mystery. Why this obscurity in the West? Lack of interest or ambition? Personal priorities? Poor management? Language and cultural barriers? Jealousy? His enormous catalogue is pricey and scarce, his master classes non-existent, his recitals like comet visits. Perplexing.

[@juankplaysmusic]

Probably because Japan is a very insular cultural. Same as brazilians, who often don't need to go overseas to "make it" as their music industry and audience is very big. Also, yeah, I have talked to many classical guitar players and there was clearly a disdain when they talked about Yamashita: they seemed to dislike his over the top speed and his body movement on stage.

[@mateusl.b.teixeira1863]

Yamashita is one player I´m proud of knowing about in Brazil, a country that produced so many virtuoso players. Kazuhito is the best fresh air the guitar ever needed. Long live Kazuhito Yamashita!

[@John-boy]

At 72 and a few years into piano and a lifetime on guitars I’ve been a fan of Pictures in many forms for most of my adult life. I can play a few of the pieces on piano. Never heard of Yamashita or heard it on guitar until today. Thank you!

[@SidAlienTV]

His rendition of "pictures at an exhibition" is ahead of his time. My theory is that he didn't achieve the recognition he deserves because his visual material is on VHS format, many of his fans either did not how to digitalise it, or simply they are not interested in doing it. I analized many aspects of Yamashita techniques together with my ex classical guitar teacher Osvaldo Rearte in Buenos Aires (Argentina), I still have the whole sheet music of "pictures at an exhibition" and it is amazing in terms of voicings, sheer speed, dynamics and innovation. I am more from the school of John Williams, it is only a matter of taste because I enjoy the style of Yamashita as well. Thanks for posting it! And never forget that other big figures in music like J.S. Bach or Antonio Vivaldi were "sepulted" too for 70 years or more.

[@GoatMee]

With Pictures Yamashita went to the Moon on a bicycle. It's just unheard of.

[@katebloggs8243]

Wow. So perfect. Is this an expression from your part of the world, or did you create it in order to adequately express Yamashita’s accomplishments? Such a beautiful image and it seems so perfect in this case, thank you!

[@GoatMee]

@@katebloggs8243 I made it up, you're welcome 🙂

[@katebloggs8243]

@@GoatMee Wow. My hat is off to you. I will memorize it, memorize your user name, use the expression every chance I get and always give you credit. It deserves to be in every brain. As does Yamashita’s playing and composing. Thank you again!

[@frankbarrok4236]

It makes me so happy that after so many years, this consensus about the extraordinary Kazuhito has begun to be created around the world. Every genius has his time. Thanks to Tonebase for providing this forum and also a pleasure to read the comments from so many fans, old and new.

[@jazzatnoonmke659]

Saw him and his sister in Milwaukee 1990ish. Even then the negative criticism was rampant. But I thought"my god,he will never be surpassed". Speed ?yes but I had a spiritual experience . Simply Beyond the beyond. Thank you for this great analysis.

[@attilakovacs5803]

I met him in a guitar festival in Hungary some years ago, where he was performing with his family. He seemed to have found the ultimate goal in his life, raising his children and taking in his own hands the responsibility of his kids' musical upbringing.

[@edurbrow]

Saw him decades ago here in Japan. What impressed me, besides his technique, were his wonderful arrangements.

[@gilglim_1904]

I love this video, Yamashita changed the world for the better. He influenced others... ELP did Pictures at an Exhibition... following in Kazuhito Yamashita's but ELP's album pales in comparison to Mr. Yamashita's performances. Delightful, full, and understanding the music as deeply as Mussorgsky himself... perhaps deeper. Thank you, Master. You have made our lives better. You shared freely and we love you for it. You and your family have brought such beauty into the world, we can never repay you. Thank you.

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Now I understand why my guitar hero, Randy Rhoads wanted to stop playing rock music and study Classical Guitar. What beautiful music and outrageous playing.

[@Heaven-dy9lj]

Even his tuning during playing is mindblowing!

[@robinstokes5179]

I tune often while I play which seems to work ok at the time, until I check the tuning when I finish! 😅

[@Undertaker257]

I think thats the least of the mindblowing things he does ^^

[@candyshop1398]

Your presentation was superb as is your total respect for Yamashita and family. Thank you for bringing this to the present day. Totally wonderful.

[@RodrigoMunozCarrasco]

I was there in the 1984 concert with some of my fellow guitar students and all of us (along with the rest of the audience) stood up to give KY the well deserved standing ovation, most of the audience absolutely loved it except a few jealous poor sobs that view music as a competition (one that they saw themselves loosing)

[@stevemartin4249]

41 years here in Japan, now retired from the college circuit as an linguist, and a perpetual novice on the nylon string guitar. Much thanks for this video for two reasons ... coming from a world of jazz and bossa, this is a new name for me. And two, as a former educator and academic, your framing of this information is spot-on, and applies across many domains, for example "descriptive" vs "prescriptive" approaches to learning. Will leave you with a name to check out if you are not already familiar with him ... Yamandu Costa, a virtuoso from Brazil.

[@yanair2091]

Ah I agree. Yamandu is God-given.

[@tejabell6830]

Yamashita's Bach Sonatas and Partitas are also extraordinary and amazingly beautiful. I heard him play at the San Francisco Conservatory years ago - simply amazing and transcendent.

[@neilhaverstick1446]

The best Bach playing I have ever heard.

[@jasonstripinis8834]

I saw him a few years ago in Boston. He was undoubtedly great, but nothing like his earlier work, in that he played all Japanese repertoire with little or no pyrotechnics and seemed to be close to sight-reading some of it. My own teacher Jerome Mouffe (who I would argue has recorded the best guitar renditions of Paganini's Caprices on his debut album "Capriccio") asked Yamashita, "What do you practice?" and Yamashita replied, "Practice? I don't practice."

[@romaric9874]

Same in france when he played here some years ago.

[@guyscounter]

Finally, a recognition Yamashita deserves! Thank you, Tonebase!

[@charliesimar7541]

Wow! My pinky is absolutely useless! I have seen some jazzers use the pinky, but never a classical guitarist. To see Yamashita play tremolo with just the pinky while using his thumb and other 3 fingers on bass and harmony at the same time simply blows me away!!!

[@andreiotraskin475]

Ralph Towner uses his right hand pinky and have been using it for years

[@davinort]

Great video! I was in college when "Pictures" LP was released, and it was a VERY controversial topic, for many months. The back issues of the guitar magazines from the early 1980s (Soundboard, Classical Guitar, Guitar & Lute, Guitar International, and similar) are filled with pages of commentary both pro and con toward KY's playing.

[@jackmclaughlin9161]

I was 17 years old when I bought his Pictures Lp at Tower Records on Sunset Blvd in sunny California. If I remember correctly 1983 or 82? It was because of Emerson Lake and Palmer I discovered Yamashita. They had done Pictures so when I was looking in classical guitar I saw Pictures By Yamashita. After hearing it I knew He blew away Segovia who I saw twice, both in 82 and 83. I knew Yamashita was the greatest guitarist who ever walked the planet. And that Pictures was the most intricate guitar piece ever recorded to date. And still believe it today!! Segovia's tonal qualities I think are richer.

[@robertkubica4873]

Thanks for this video. I was at the Toronto concert in 84 and I remember well how exciting it was and how it made for a lot of intense debate in the pubs afterwards. His transcription of “Pictures” seemed to me in part to be him throwing down the gauntlet to composers: saying “here’s what a guitar can do”. Are there composers who have written music for him that utilize some of the techniques and textures (like the pinky tremolo) that he pioneered?

[@RodrigoMunozCarrasco]

Cool!, I was there too as a 22 year old guitar student from a Canadian University

[@MrTarlecon]

The part about the reaction of the audience is awsome! Recently I heard some interviews about Allan Holdsworth. One musician said after having discovered his music: Now I understand that I'm not a guitar player, but a guitar owner.

[@peterreimerMannaufderBank]

I studied classical guitar in the 80s - every guitarplayer at the conservatory knew him. He had a repertoire of ten world class players in his pocket and he made CD recordings of concert repertoire, no matter how difficult or extensive, at a pace that no one before or after him had ever achieved. I guess there are 80 - 90 official and published recordings - specially to mention his recording of Sors whole work, recorded in 1987/88 - the Llobos Preludes and Etudes, Symphony 9 Dvorak he recorded during the same time...just to record 4 Bach CDs with Sonatas and Partitas for Violin the next year, and so on, and so on. His arrangement and performance of Mussorgskis "pictures at an exhibition" is legend. At least he has made his career and a good living, the fame, at least in Europe, has gone to others: Bream, Russell, Fisk, Williams, Assad brothers, Romero, Barueco, Kavannagh, Katona brothers. These and a number of others are the names that fill our concert halls - if there was ever a place for the classical guitar, which is fairly underrepresented in classical concert life...

[@robertsmith4019]

Excellent editorial on Yamashita. My instructor was Japanese, I learned of Yamashita the year his album was released. I still have the album and bought his transcription of "Pictures" as soon as it was available. I started working on the Great Gate of Kiev first because I liked it the most and quickly realized that the technique required was a challenge to human potential. I still cannot play the entire suite from beginning to end due to the tension produced in my forearm. I've been working on overcoming this foible ever since. That said, just by attempting these pieces and the required technique vastly improved my technique and finger independence and made every other pieces much easier by comparison.

[@stephenyatesacoustic]

Many thanks for this excellent video. Yamashita is a player who has been much maligned, misunderstood and marginalised by the guitar world, probably for the crime of being simply too good. When he first hit the scene with Pictures at an Exhibition, his prowess and the insurmountable difficulty of his arrangements made him someone who seemed unreachable. He also approached the instrument in a different way compared to most of the established professionals of the time (all of whom were lavish in their praise of him, by the way) and this combination of factors made him unpopular amongst a certain, and very vociferous, quarter of the guitar world. For myself, he has always been my favourite player, Aside from his incredible virtuosity, his interpretations are fresh and original, his performances spontaneous and exhilarating and his vision of the guitar magnificently grand in contrast to many players who seem to want the instrument to sound small and "pretty". His recorded output is enormous. To give but one example, in 1992 he recorded a five hour Bach boxset which consisted of the complete solo violin works transcribed for guitar. Viva Yamashita!

[@nebovas9432]

We shouldn't forget the word racism.

[@stephenyatesacoustic]

@@nebovas9432 Sadly, you are quite right to bring up that ugly topic. In the UK, at least, there was a lot of anti-Japanese sentiment woven, often none too subtly, into many of the reviews and other articles that the erstwhile guitar press were writing about him. The guitar historian, Matanya Orphee, a staunch admirer and defender of Yamashita, publicly denounced this prejudice, stating that had Yamashita been Dutch the UK press would have fallen at his feet. (in the 80s it seemed that Northern European players were very much in vogue) I can recall words such as "inscrutable" being used as well as "Kamikaze". (not a word the Japanese have fond memories of, I would suspect) With hindsight, this prejudice can be seen to have emanated from a few individuals in a position to wield influence through the guitar press but it was nonetheless shameful that it largely unchallenged and was even echoed by grass roots guitar fans on occasion.

[@julesbrunton1728]

​@@stephenyatesacousticsame reason he is more popular in Asia than any Dutch classical guitarist?

[@katebloggs8243]

@@julesbrunton1728Your statement could only be possible - possible - if there were a Dutch player of similar accomplishment and here is not, so . . .

[@TheJohnblyth]

A superb musician, who makes the rest of us guitarists wonder if we’re really guitarists at all (whether we could honestly admit that or not). Although part of the beauty of the instrument is that it can operate on many levels, both within and away from the orthodoxies, if almost always below the stratosphere that only the Yamashita family seem to inhabit. I remember the criticisms and doubts in the 1980s, and what a mean bunch classical guitarists could sometimes be. Thank you for this welcome and insightful little documentary.

[@jesuizanmich]

Yamashita was an inspiration of mine when I started learning. I was into Tárrega, Bach and Barrios, and then I saw Yamashita play with incredible dynamics and texture and insane unexplainable technique such as that pinky tremolo he does while playing multiple voices. He was to me the limit of what humans could possibly ever hope to physically do.

[@anthonybreaux2119]

What a beautifully done video! Excellently explained, very articulately narrated, it really inspired me in better understanding Yamashita’s playing and profound virtuosic abilities on the instrument.

[@pedcarr]

Watching videos on KZbin as a teenager of Yamashita playing la Boda de Luis Alonso inspired me to study classical guitar.

[@virtualpilgrim8645]

You will never be as good as Yamashita, so don't compare yourself, but rather lower your standards as far down as possible to be just barely good enough and learn to be happy with that.

[@pedcarr]

@virtualpilgrim8645 lol wtf are you talking about? All I said is that he inspired me to keep playing classical guitar because I heard him play "La Boda de Luis Alonso".

[@mystic12string]

"Descriptive, not prescriptive" is a powerfully concise way to make this critical point. A similar idea is "analysis is retrospective in the creative process." Both point to the fact of there being a combination of intellectual and non-intellectual aspects inherent to all musical creation and performance (and all genuinely creative processes). Feeling drives creative expression (the non-intellectual aspect), while the intellect drives technique to give form to the expression of the "non-form" creative or intuitive element. All performances, indeed, perhaps each note of a performance, fall on a continuum where feeling and form, expression and technique, range from nearly all of one to nearly all of the other or somewhere between. When technique is prescriptively applied, it limits or binds expression, the feeling/creative/intuitive aspect. On the other hand, where feeling runs wild without adequate technique to channel its expression, it's expression or communication is impaired--skewed or limited. A proper balance is required to maximize the effectiveness of the expression in any performance or communication of the expressive intent. Greater technical proficiency doesn't make for better music in any generalized sense, but it provides a greater range of possible expressions, provided it is used as "needed" or "directed," perhaps "implied," by the creative element, as you suggested. But humans are self-protective creatures; we react reflexively to perceived "threats" on a subconscious emotional level, so it is, unfortunately, understandable that someone too far ahead of what a particular culture knows would elicit negative feedback. We interpret new information through our current beliefs and expectation. If Yamashita's performances went beyond what critics thought was possible, they might expand their ideas of what was possible, but just as likely (if not more likely), they'd interpret what they saw through what they already know, which could result in skewed perceptions and thus negative reactions and comments--i.e., criticism for something deserving unprecedented praise. It takes time for people to catch up. All paradigm shifting leaps are harshly criticized at first. It was decades after Einstein published the first relativity theory before it was widely accepted. Change requires an adaptation process, re-acclimation if you will, and being a process, it's not accomplished with an intellectual decision; so, it requires time. Those who break new ground often suffer in the short term for doing so. Some are recognized during their lifetime, but sadly, some aren't until much later.

[@mpichen]

Thank you Tonebase for introducing me to the art of mr Yamashita! This is the ultimate life lesson that as a musician you should strive to play the sound in your head!

[@ericrose3877]

Thank you so much for straightening out the classical guitar realm about Mr. Yamashita. I have an old cassette of his, and am always awe struck at what sounds like a time traveler, and inter dimentional being.

[@palaito]

LOL. Anybody thought it's Paco de Lucia before jumping in?

[@adhardino9781]

Paco is the greatest for me anyway :)

[@themysteryofmusic]

Paco is not a classocal guitarist so I guess he's in a category of his own

[@graphicmaterial5947]

Listening to Paco de Lucia, John McLaughlin and Al di Meola performing together gives me the chills. I know however that some people enjoy this kind of "finger sprinting tone salad", where you can hardly distinguish one note from another. I'm not one of them. Sorry...

[@Rafael_Marchante]

@@graphicmaterial5947I see what you mean, however to reduce Paco to those few albums would be quite ignorant. I hope you know that

[@sefirot4738]

with all due respect to yamashita, paco de lucia still remains in his own level

[@marcelavillalobos3380]

Amazing!!!!!!! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to such wonderful performance.

[@robertocapocchi8379]

I admit the first time I heard him, in a video from the concert in Toronto, I was shocked. Now I love it.

[@RobertFleitz]

Amazing video Jakob! As a pianist I wouldn’t have believed that Pictures could be performed on guitar - you and Yamashita proved me wrong. 🎉👏

[@BertoBoyd]

I discovered him through his complete cello suites recording. Incredible player. Tone is a bit on the bright/brittle side for me as I think he uses very long nails but like you said, not everyone is going to like everything about his playing. And he’s only 63? And still going strong? That’s inspiring!! Great video!

[@romaric9874]

Some year ago i sended one of my student in his concert and he was disapointed because he played only slow and meditative pieces 😮 we don’t know why. Perhaps some injuries. I hope not.

[@BertoBoyd]

@@romaric9874 well has always been heavy handed so I’m sure at 63 he’s got some major tendinitis if not carpal tunnel. Some players don’t ever get the carpal tunnel surgery they need and miss out on the opportunity to heal and play for another 40 years. I had a complete recovery as well as many other pro players

[@SegoviaJay]

What a wonderful and very truthful, insightful tribute. I set right in front of K and Galway in a duet recital in San Francisco. K played the entire recital from memory!!!!!! Davies Symphony Hall...packed...with no sound reinforcement ........ a concert in which James scolded the audience for coughing while he played some solo Bach....... good luck with that one...

[@francescodefendi3201]

Yamashita is unique, dfferent from anybody else. When he’s playing he pushes a lot, kind of samurai-guitarist. When he arrived on the scenes the guitar world wasn’t just ready for him. He’s not my favourite one but he made history of the guitar for sure. I’m sorry that he soon stopped to travel throughout the world playing his unbelievable transcriptions.

[@gcarlton]

I purchased Music of Spain in the early 1990s. Highly recommended. I’m always astonished how even people in the classical guitar world have never heard of Yamashita. Thank you for documenting in such detail what my ears have been telling me about this great artist for years.

[@MikeFowlerguitars]

I've just arranged Night on Bald Mountain for solo guitar. I was inspired by Yamashita. His technique is astounding, and puts mine to shame. Thanks for this video, it's about time a single video paid respect to such immense virtuosity

[@alkumhcounseling8634]

I have learned some parts of his pictures transcription, and here and there there are just a little two bar segments that are significantly more difficult than anything else in the rest of my repertoire. The BWV1006 prelude is physically exhausting, but there are segments in Yasha the transcriptions that threaten to just outright break your spirit for the smallest things

[@LifesVoyager]

"Pictures" was originally written as a solo piano piece. Well worth a listen.

[@TheSeeking2know]

Never heard of him before (I don't follow classical guitar), but I was mesmerized with your descriptions and how his convention-defying virtuosity could be very instructive and inspiring for other creative or artistic endeavours.

[@LongLiveThe70s]

Thank you so much for so much interesting and in-depth info! I had already heard Yamashita play but it is always refreshing to learn from new perspectives

[@eriktempelman2097]

WOMEN + GUITAR + JAPAN is, unfortunately, a sad combination. Yamashita's sister quitting upon marriage is typical of this sorry state. Let me add a story... Way back in 1997 (!) I had the honour to visit luthier Masaru Sakurai at his home in Tokyo. I'm a decent amateur, but his wife played WAY better than me - seriously top draw, even. Naively I asked why she did not perform, as I was doing myself at the time. Their reply was simply "here in our country, the guitar is for male players only". Women were supposed to play the koto instead. Incidentally, their marriage was the stuff of fairy tales. Masaru had discovered she played guitar, and, wanting to connect to her, he built her a guitar for their first date (!!). It led to their marriage, and to Masaru becoming an apprentice to Kohno, the legendary Japanese luthier at the time. Awesome story... and 100% true ❤

[@katebloggs8243]

Ugh. Too bad virtuous maidens tend to get such a raw deal in fairy tales, eh. How much beauty have we missed out on because of patriarchal bullshit? Alma Mahler, Fanny Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann - and they are relatively known, but they help put the bitter irony of your story about Mrs Masaru in perspective. Such monumental loss of human potential!

[@rb-ex]

it's a nice homage to yamashita, but it's also an excellent discussion about how music, or anything, can happen. like you describe, the usual way is to learn what are regarded as fundamentals, to execute them correctly and then go on to master incrementally increasing complexity. learning is always looked at this way, as an accretive process like building a stone castle. but what if learning is not accretive, but the sudden illumination of what you have always known? not an adding of knowledge but merely an unblocking? in many ways this story reminds me of jacob collier, who found his way into rock guitar because his brain didnt sync well with the normal ways in. whether you 'like' the resulting style isnt important. it's not about having an opinion. it's more about seeing the different possibilities of how human beings can process things when they are following what they know is right for them instead of mechanically following expectations. you listen and it has to make you smile

[@kristenelizabethdraws]

What you say - exactly. So wonderful to read. It's how I teach drawing - and I have to thank my lifelong love of Mussorgsky's Pictures for all of it - including how I found Yamashita. Friction-thinking, my words for it, as our minds over the years do the Michelangelo-thing and separate trauma blocks like excess marble from the concepts we're born with - Mussorgsky, Ravel, Koussevitzky & Yamashita came into life ready, expediting the costs of learning for everyone able to recognise and follow... God, thank you again for adding your comment to this superb video.

[@chikedonaldibewuike4867]

I'm so glad I discovered Yamashita early in my guitar journey. His transcriptions for Dvorak's and Mussorgsky's piece are for listen only obviously, however, whenever I feel I can't achieve a new technique on the guitar, I just listen to him for a while and the belief comes back. Yamashita is obviously the greatest classical guitarist ever bar none.

[@lespaul6550]

Thank you very very much for sharing this musical genius with the rest of us. The "industry" does a very poor job of furthering the art, and we need more channels like this, run by people who actually love the MUSIC.

[@ukestudio3002]

Thank you for the breakdown. Very instructive. We all seem to agree, the media has done us a huge disservice by not promoting him to the general public.

[@vasiliskanaras1674]

The history of the guitar is divided into two periods. Before 1984 and after 1984. After the Toronto recital the guitar is different in the world. The genius Kazuhito Yamashita !!

[@thadtuiol1717]

Nah, not really.

[@jetspeak]

This was mind-blowing. The narration was also very excellent!

[@RiquezaEmGotas]

I've seen this video some time ago and this guy is beyond comparison. I do not think anyone else can play this piece, even today.

[@H1Guard]

Yes, this is the guy! Heard him once on radio, but couldn't find out who it was...

[@HecmarJayam]

Thank you so much for bringing this prodigy to my attention. It makes so happy to know some like him exist, Thank you.

[@Millo1868]

YAAAASSSSSS! His recording of Invocation et danse was what made me REALLY get into the classical guitar.

[@ReinholdOtto]

Strange. How is it possible that I never heard of him since the seventies?

[@1firstguitar]

Thank you for this fantastic analysis of, and tribute to, the playing of Kuzuhito Yamashita! When I was still President of the St. Louis Classical Guitar Society, on the fall of 1988 we brought him to St. Louis to play two solo recitals on consecutive nights. On the first night the 2nd half was his transcription of the Dvorak New World Symphony; the second night it was Pictures! Both were incredibly virtuosic. Both were well-received by the audience. And both nights were transcendent experiences. Yamashita is indeed a technical wizard, and I wouldn't dispute your positive assessment of his musicality either. In discussing with our resident players, the reservation I remember being voiced was whether justice was done to the compositions themselves. Or put another way, what is the musical reason to transcribe them to the guitar? Is there a new perspective on these works that is gained by hearing them on a solo instrument, noting (especially in these cases) that all their orchestral colors cannot possibly be conveyed via the guitar. (There is an old dictum that we should transcribe a piece only if we can add value to it in some way.) Acknowledging this, my positive reactions were that hearing these pieces might encourage listeners to turn (or return) to the orchestral versions with interest piqued.) I've always felt that the guitar is a great introduction for new audiences to explore the larger world of classical music). And I thought it also demonstrated to the public--and especially to potential composers--that the guitar is capable (in Yamashita's hands at least) of larger conceptions, and not to feel limited either technically or musically by what has been traditional. Yamashita broke new ground, he loves the traditional, and he needed to challenge himself. He is indeed deserving of both kudos and recognition! I hope that composers have felt inspired to write for him. I'm aware that he has performed Folios I, II, and III of Toru Takamitsu. Please add comments about other new works he has championed, as I haven't not followed him closely since hearing him live.

[@anfear3924]

I was unaware of the 'dictum' that transcriptions should Only be done if they 'add value' to the original piece. I'd be very interested if you could tell me where I could send any proposed transcription for approval.

[@akarolynhenri5370]

Thank you so much for introducing me (us who did not know) to this amazing guitarist. Your points about creativity are quite reasonable and thoughtful. Thanks again.

[@davidriley4895]

I know absolutely nothing of classical guitar, and this video just came up due to the algorithm, but I guess the computer knows what it is doing - greatly appreciated the profile. Have not heard of him before but I definitely will be looking him up now. New subscriber.

[@lettersquash]

Wow, I had no idea! Your analysis and narration are also impressive.

[@BuscadoresFlamencos]

Gracias por este análisis tan necesario!

[@devondeswardt6239]

Oh, wow, I simply could not agree more. I’ve been saying this for 17years already. So many don’t even know who he is

[@philsarkol6443]

The most important "instrument" is your own body. To be able to play classical guitar like Yamashita does, one has to be fit and healthy just to be able to put the intensity, power, endurance that is asked by the music from the music. The same goes for other musicians, an opera singer for example. So it may sound like a no- brainer, come to think of how Yamashita is putting all his tecnical excellence and fysical power in playing, because the music is demanding that from him. His talent and expanded unique tecnical and musically gifted abillities are second to none. What is also important and pivital in playing a nylon stringed instrument is the creation of good sound. What to do, to simply allways sound good. One needs tecnique and good taste!! But we are talking about a world class musician here!!!

[@dieterheinrich8377]

Excellent video. So well expressed, with subtle humour to boot. The guitarist was pretty good too.

[@sitarnut]

Brother...I was knocked out with your presentation... love your mind, the subtle barbed wit and humor.... Yamashita is a Bad Mamma Jamma..... my brother and I have always enjoyed the earlier, heavy version of the Ginastera Opus with Eduardo Fernandez.

[@sergioaguilar2908]

It was unealivible when i saw the video, but most important i discover Pictures at an Exibition and became fan of this marvelous peace, and realize one the greates work in music history by Mussorgsky

[@billthomson7468]

Another brilliant and informative video. Again I’m staggered at not knowing more about this technical virtuoso. Such amazingly detailed analysis of his playing too. Really intriguing and informative video. Many thanks.

[@adamtullymusic]

Increíble, insightful video. I think your takeaways about technique and music are spot on and I look forward to checking out his recordings. Thank you!

[@tetedelsur2273]

Thank you for this! I hate to admit that I forgot about him. this video renewed my admiration for an incredible guitarist

[@ricardoisaacvilardel2914]

¡Qué gran video! ¡Gracias! Un abrazo desde Argentina.

[@jonnyb6700]

Life-long classical guitarist. Never heard of this guy. What an absolute master!

[@RobertAshley-rz4zs]

An inspiring documentary to match an inspiring musician. Yamashita demands nothing less than your own incisive erudition, in-depth research and rhetorical aplomb. Kudos!

[@RicardoMarlowFlamenco]

My father was a classical guitarist, he made me listen to this guy and all the others. As a teenager this is what I felt, and still feel this way….people like him and Fisk and many others make guitar playing sound extremely difficult and awkward to do. Whereas people like John Williams and Paco de Lucía make guitar playing sound fun and easy, like a bird flying (when it actually is not). I have always enjoyed players like that more, and strive to achieve the same. Not easy.

[@SonnyMoonie]

Those are two main levels in the development of classical standard pieces: the virtuoso who first does what seemed impossible, and the following virtuoso who makes it sound easy, flowing like you could do it yourself, if you just got your hands on the instrument and followed good instructions. So no one's feathers are ruffled that it sounds too hard to play. Then everyone's trying it. It's not easy, though. It's a trick. Yamashita did both levels, and wrote out the instructions, with arrangements so hard, only some professionals would be tricked into trying it, and mostly failing, so far. There's some humor in that.

[@ricopaxton]

Saw him in the late 80s in the Konzerthaus/Vienna. He was accompanied by his sister already at that time. Outstanding performance! Thanks, for reminding me and shining a light on this phenomenon!