Hey y’all -
Just found this https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/rock-guitar-virtuosos/0D40C7DF7198C027B276A85AD74B9E0D and have just finished reading the introduction. Looks interesting.
The article mentions that it’ll be available online as a pdf for a short while then released as a book.
I’ll be interested in hearing your thoughts on this.
Rumble Walrus
My goodness, this is a very in depth read. I only skimmed through it in sections. I was not aware that between academics, there was a dispute about what constitutes a virtuoso. I also need to check out Ritchie Blackmore. I never got into Deep Purple, but I should give them some time and hear why Ritchie is the legend that he is.
But what I found really interesting is that for decades, people, some quite famous like Clapton, have been talking about the decline of the guitar, but this does not jive with production numbers. Hmm... not sure what to make of this. I think to most kids, guitar is still cool and most kids see themselves up on stage with the lights etc... making a splash! How many guitars will find themselves under a Christmas tree this season?
And in regards as to where the music will go, who knows. Personally, I am going back in time. I am listening to stuff from the 20s trying to suss out where it all began. I couldn't even begin to tell you or anyone who the latest and greatest is. But maybe that is for the kids to talk about and old guys like me... get stuck in time.
Great find though!
This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!
My goodness, this is a very in depth read. I only skimmed through it in sections. I was not aware that between academics, there was a dispute about what constitutes a virtuoso. I also need to check out Ritchie Blackmore. I never got into Deep Purple, but I should give them some time and hear why Ritchie is the legend that he is.
But what I found really interesting is that for decades, people, some quite famous like Clapton, have been talking about the decline of the guitar, but this does not jive with production numbers. Hmm... not sure what to make of this. I think to most kids, guitar is still cool and most kids see themselves up on stage with the lights etc... making a splash! How many guitars will find themselves under a Christmas tree this season?
And in regards as to where the music will go, who knows. Personally, I am going back in time. I am listening to stuff from the 20s trying to suss out where it all began. I couldn't even begin to tell you or anyone who the latest and greatest is. But maybe that is for the kids to talk about and old guys like me... get stuck in time.
Great find though!
I came up through classical piano instruction (elementary and middle school) and remember my teacher talking about virtuosos in terms of technical brilliance interpreting the compositions of others, but also the few (Liszt, Chopin, etc from the romantic era) that were brilliant composers as well. She (my instructor) was a graduate of the (now, sadly gone…) St. Louis Conservatory of Music. An amazing woman who inspired me to stay with the piano but continue on to other instruments and music forms.
To paraphrase Mark Twain - “The rumor of the guitar’s death are greatly exaggerated”. I still see kids walking around in my part of the US with a guitar strapped to their back. At the baggage area after a recent flight, I spoke to a commercial airline pilot who had a travel guitar in a special backpack.
Thanks for the reply William MG - I look forward to finish reading the study.
Ooop - almost forgot https://youtu.be/W2BO3UTOhZ8?feature=shared . Richie Blackmore (guitarist and producer): “Highway Star”. At the time I was busy trying to copy Jon Lord’s keyboard chops…
Rumble
