La Leona: Interview with Wulfin Lieske

Wulfin Lieske shares the incredible story behind Antonio de Torres’ most famous guitar La Leona. Translated as “the lioness,” La Leona is considered one of the best guitars he ever made and the only one he ever named. As Wulfin describes, this was the first guitar Francisco Tárrega purchased from Torres and kicked off a long player-luthier relationship between the two brilliant individuals.
For more on La Leona, watch Wulfin Lieske’s 3-part series “The Spirit of Tárrega,” exclusively on tonebase!
➡️ www.tonebase.co/tonebase-guit...
0:55 How did this guitar come to you?
3:22 When did you first perform on La Leona?
5:00 When did Francisco Tárrega acquire La Leona?
7:00 How has La Leona influenced your style of playing?
10:26 Where will La Leona be in the future?
12:22 How will La Leona and Tárrega impact the future of guitar?
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[@jorgeibarra1480]

Such love and respect for an instrument and its amazing history. This precious "La fea" guitar is in excellent hands, being actually played and not behind a window in a box. Thanks for this great visual document.

[@domingoduran9497]

Estoy de acuerdo que no podría estar en mejores manos, e incluso que quien la restauró sabia muy bien como hacerlo, porque las guitarras Torres en su construcción, llevan implícitas la armonía en todos sus campos, en algunas de ellas falla algún campo, pero en La Leona se dieron todas las circunstancias para que coincidiesen todas las armonías, incluidas las del espíritu.

[@WulfinLieske]

Thanks a lot Jorge! I will publish new Leona videos soon. Best regards Wulfin

[@WulfinLieske]

Es vero, Domingo. Además hoy La Leona es y aún mejor estrato. Saludos de Wulfin.

[@LIXX963]

Your are tight!!! It doesn’t belong behind a window box! I’m glad I saved my very own guitar from that terrible fate! 😊 made me think of that! :)

[@drjimlewisnc]

I am very taken by the love expressed by Wulfin for the guitar and music in general.

[@soundknight]

This guy is a great teacher.

[@WulfinLieske]

What can I say? Thank you and tell anyone interested

[@mikekn7033]

It’s fascinating listening to to him. It’s also a learning experience! The sound of this guitar is amazing!Thank you.

[@steveganz6936]

I'm happy to see an exploration of the relationship between the guitar, the builder, and the current player.

[@WulfinLieske]

I am happy that many people start to understand these things which are the base of art. Great Wulfin

[@vgfjr505]

FE04!!!! By the way, Wulfin Lieske made me fall in love with modern pieces. Hope that he continues writing more of these pieces for the guitar. The way he plays is just masterful. I wish there were more of his performances in youtube.

[@12stringDH]

Looking at the Romanillos book, Tarregas' first instrument from Torres was not this guitar. This " La Leona " guitar is identified as FE04 made in 1856. The first guitar that Tarrega purchased, directly from Torres, is identified as FE18 made in 1864. The two guitars are quite different in appearance with FE18 having much more decoration. Later, Tarrega did purchase two more guitars from Torres, SE49 in 1883 and SE114 in 1888. Again neither of these can be confused with " La Leona ". It should be pointed out that this naming of the guitar did not come from Torres.

[@WulfinLieske]

Hi 12string, your remarks are absolutely correct. The title has been confused, it should be “the first Torres Tárrega played”. Sorry for that! Wulfin

[@br4513]

@@WulfinLieske According to Romanillos, Tarrega never owned La Leona, so not only the title has been confused, but your description of the historical events in the interview is wrong. Where did you get the information, that La Leona was the first Torres guitar, which Tarrega played? The first guitar, he bought from Torres seems to be FE18. So, you suggest the ordinary cheap one, that Torres showed Tarrega first, was La Leona?

[@WulfinLieske]

@@br4513 if you see previous replies on similar comments, you can read my answer. I never pretended during the interview, that La Leona was in Tarrega’s possession. Best regards Wulfin

[@olewetdog6254]

@@WulfinLieske So what are you saying at about the 6:50 mark in this video?

[@vgfjr505]

Romanillos said this was an experimental guitar.

[@afisher555]

really interesting points about romantic music, & how we still are in that epoch in many ways....

[@WulfinLieske]

Thanks!

[@jameslouder]

Thank you so much, Wulfin Lieske, for sharing your thoughts and--yes, I will use the word--wisdom about your relationship with Torres' great guitar. "...A kind of trust between the instrument and myself..." "...I taught the guitar [and]...the guitar taught me." "...You hear a spirit, you hear a *human*..." To make such a relationship possible is the end toward which we instrument-makers strive: to animate the inanimate, to invest a material object with a spirit that will continue to inhabit it after it has left our hands--the flesh made word. And then it is for a great musician to teach it to sing, so that its voice may teach other musicians in times to come, as you so eloquently describe.

[@WulfinLieske]

Thanks a lot James, great comment. Yes, it is something spiritual. It is more than about wood and construction (which is genius, indeed). Do you play James? Best wishes for 2023

[@jameslouder]

@@WulfinLieske I once played, quite seriously, but I'm afraid with more love than talent. I became a builder instead--first pipe organs for 40 years, now in my retirement I'm shepherd to a flock of lutes. That is how I have made music. As they say, it beats working!

[@WulfinLieske]

@@jameslouder great to know, James. All the best! Wulfin

[@LIXX963]

“It’s there, it’s waiting for you”!!! Beautiful guitar full of history! Hope to one day meet it in person!

[@WulfinLieske]

Yepp that’s not easy, she doesn’t lok. traveling so much😏

[@LIXX963]

@@WulfinLieske I bet it’s not easy, just dreaming! Yeah I bet she doesn’t!😆 where live I think she would love the weather! 😁 I appreciate your respond! Really made my day!!!

[@WulfinLieske]

@@LIXX963 hi Luis that’s nice. So where do you live? Cologne is grey and cold. Enjoy your sunny day! Wulfin

[@LIXX963]

@@WulfinLieske hi 😃 I live in central coast california, in the beautiful city of Santa Barbara! Wow looks like it’s always cold in that side of the world 🥶 thanks you so much Mr.lieske and I hope you stay real warm!

[@WulfinLieske]

@@LIXX963 dear Luis, yes you are on the sunny side. Still we have enough summer in Cologne and it’s a great place to live anyway. Best regards Wulfin

[@annapietrzak1]

Thank you so much for this inspiring interview-document.

[@WulfinLieske]

You are welcome and I am happy to see a lady aficionado here!

[@hierroflamencoguitar3658]

This was very interesting. I would have appreciated to hear more about the tonal qualities of this guitar compared to a modern classical guitar, especially given that it is close at hand.

[@BorisBidjanSaberi11]

I'm such a nerd but this was an incredible story

[@WulfinLieske]

All true - just Leona was his first Torres to play not to own

[@mariomatura4308]

She is a beauty..a tonality of pure romantic essence .. Thanks

[@orangmakan]

That instrument finally found a person that is willing to take the time to understand (and thus develop) it.

[@WulfinLieske]

Art is about understanding in the deepest sense!🎉

[@garygullikson6349]

I have always wondered why there was apparent disdain for flamenco guitar as "street music" by Tarrega, Segovia and others. I always heard of Sabicas and others elevating flamenco guitar to a concert level. IMHO much of flamenco guitar music as played by Sabicas, Pepe Romero, Paco Delucia and many others is beautiful and merely part of Spanish/Andalusian music .

[@carlose.johansson739]

Does anybody know the title of the piece that introduces this video?

[@leoalmeida1449]

Great documentary! I was curious about the book showed, before the interview started!. If anybody knows what it”s the name, share with me please!

[@WulfinLieske]

Orfeo guitar magazine by Alberto Martinez

[@leoalmeida1449]

@@WulfinLieske Danke!

[@buraksavas1531]

What was the name of the piece which plays at 12:17 :) ?

[@Lolo-dc6dy]

Una hoya de guitarra

[@tribestribes2555]

Lucky guy. 👍 Grand guitar and with that story behind it as well. I imagin this La Leona is so very light in weight. Right?

[@WulfinLieske]

Hey Lucky Guy, I am happy you liked it. Yes it is about 1000 grams. Best Wulfin

[@tribestribes2555]

@@WulfinLieske Ok, but I ment that You are the lucky guy.👍

[@vandulfgren8747]

War die Gitarre verstimmt oder sollte das so klingen?

[@StevenWatsonMusic]

Interesting, thank you

[@moni426]

1:46

[@crispycrimps865]

What is the name of the piece in the intro?

[@sansumbrella]

The opening melody is part of La Llorona, aka Weeping Woman

[@sansumbrella]

Or it at least has echoes of La Llorona; I would also be interested to know the arranger or overall composition

[@soujanyanelavagilu4194]

I was also mesmerised by it :-)...It is Tarrega's Endecha..here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6OoppqPf72gmas

[@moni426]

tarrega - endecha

[@stefanpetrov9757]

just to add on the tarrega and then fender part, in between them for sure is Django, no denial that he revolutionised the instrument once again before the invention of the electric guitar.

[@rproctor83]

pls can I have?

[@marklozano8388]

do you ever play?

[@elektrolyte]

'it is a bit atonal...' no shit!

[@WulfinLieske]

What do you mean?

[@judykraska400]

Electrolyte: can you speak with a bit more respect, and a complete sentence...it’s a bit nonsensical...good day 🦘🕊

[@BehroozCompani-fk2sx]

La Liona is a historic guitar. Now the luthiers make guitars far superior. Le Liona sounds week with no volume. The tone is good in it's category.

[@georgiosdanamos9452]

I watch the teacher... and the player... and the musicien ... Who is the better??? Together the three immediately!!!

[@WulfinLieske]

Wow, a great way putting it! Thanks a lot, Wulfin

[@georgevillanueva6926]

It’s out of tune la Leona is speaking

[@WulfinLieske]

What do you want say?

[@DeOmnibusDubitandum76]

Before Hendrix there was Clapton.

[@AnthonyJstark-vz4so]

Clapton🥱

[@WulfinLieske]

Well, and joe pass Jeff beck Wes Montgomery John McLaughlin…

[@captaincrash9286]

Clapton wasn't an innovator.

[@BZB33]

Why this? A very nice video of this man's thoughts on a particular current of classical guitar in the 19th century... and still this inane subject crops up?

[@simonshusse]

@@BZB33 I know, if we all weren't male chauvinists we would of course recognize Ida Presti as the greatest! But joking aside I discovered a fantastic artist here today which I will follow and listen to. I actually picked up Endecha due to this video and played it over and over again.

[@rodildequiroz4421]

The Smithsonian will take it.

[@slave_planet]

9:41 . . . What a hideous, awful sound.

[@userAA]

Additionally, "... Tarrega, then elec guitar...", what is he even talking about. Please learn to tune your guitar properly first, then give us history lectures...

[@userAA]

The bigger the pride, the greater the stupidity. This is a good example. People only know this crappy player because of his guitar yet he thinks it's because of his technique, talent or musicianship - little does he know he has neither one of them.

[@PedroDias-hj2jy]

Jeez.....

[@user-bs4qu7tb2g]

The bigger the pride, the greater the stupidity. This is a good example. People only know this crappy user because of his hate comment, yet he thinks it's because of his kind of critique, eloquence or superiority of thought - little does he know he has neither one of them.

[@connortynan2422]

Who the hell are you?

[@kanker5256]

a bit cocky for someone who doesnt know how to play classical guitar... plus that guitar kind of sucks