Comments on: Classical Guitarist Eliot Fisk

By: Jack De Witt

Jack De Witt — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:29:45 +0000

I’d never heard of Eliot Fisk until I was listening to “On Point” Friday in my truck. I pulled up to my favorite BBQ restaurant (McCabe’s) at Manning SC but there were a good 20 minutes left in the program. Now I just love their BBQ the best & had driven 35 miles in anticipation of it. But I stayed in the truck, listening to Mr. Fisk talk & play for the show’s entirety. Fisk is a joy; his playing is super but also his ease & clarity in explaining historical links. I’d like a Fisk concert in South Carolina.

By: Steve Lin

Steve Lin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:27:07 +0000

I love Eliot! What a beautiful show!

By: Federico Sheppard

Federico Sheppard — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:10:54 +0000

How fortunate we are to have had this program material made available to so many people in all walks of life. The guitar has the ability to inspire, heal, and strengthen the human heart. Please, more programs like this ! ! !

By: Edie Roland

Edie Roland — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:13:57 +0000

Has Eliot Fisk recorded Recueridos de la Alhambra? Wonderful program with truly beautiful music. Thank you! Boston is fortunate to have the talented Eliot Fisk teaching here.

By: John Oster

John Oster — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:24:22 +0000

Thank you for this wonderful program today. There is really no one like Eliot Fisk. Few can touch his breath-taking virtuosity, passion, and drama, not to mention his untiring efforts to inspire composers to write for him. Through his commissions and daring transcriptions, Eliot has expanded the previous limits of the guitar.

By: Monika Kienzle

Monika Kienzle — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 02:15:17 +0000

I heard your guest performance on Tom Ashbrook’s On Point this morning on WMRA. It was a real treat. I grew up in Berlin, Germany where in 1963 my American fiance invited me to a concert by Andre Segovia. I am so glad that you used your musical talent to keep his memory alive. And thank you, too, for not giving up during the Dark Ages.
Monika Kienzle

By: Paula Tigerman

Paula Tigerman — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:35:49 +0000

Hello,

I am a long time afficinado of classical guitar and studied extensively during 1970-1980. Listening to this program has evoked beautiful memories and reinforced why I was and am enamored with classical guitar!

Thank you for this wonderful program of music. Kudos to Mr. Fisk!

By: Heidi

Heidi — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:37:05 +0000

Eliot Fisk is a wonderful guitar player. He participated among other big masters on the 17th Guitar festival in Koblenz, Germany from May 25th- June 1st. 2009. I was also attending his solo evening show on Tue 26th. 2009 in the music hall of the Rhein-Mosel-Halle in Koblenz.

The program included very difficult pieces:

-Joaquin Turina: Fantasia Sevillanas op.29
-Domenico Scarlatti 4 Sonatas
-J.S. Bach Suite in D-major, BWV 1012 (Prelude, Allemande Courante Sarabande, Gavotte I, Gavotte II, Gigue)
-Luciano Berio Sequenza XI (dedicated to Eliot Fisk)
-Robert Beaser: Sjendandoah
-Niccolo Paganini 3 Capricci

At the end after many encores and stormy applauds by the audience he said:

“Considering all the fights and disputes among other musicians, it seems the guitar players are mostly peaceful minded creatures. First of all it is embeded in the great difficulties to play the instrument well, so that it challences continuously one’s own unrelenting modesty.”

Isn’t this just wonderful!!!!

Location: 79006 Freiburg/ Germany

By: Ann

Ann — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:10:46 +0000

Mr. Fisk,

Actually, I should have added: “if you could speak to” the UNITED NATIONS!!!

By: Ann

Ann — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:06:26 +0000

John Oleary, has your son listened to Cajun and Zydeco music? Cajun, of course is tamer and 6 beats; Zydeco is probably TOO sexy for an 11-year-old to even RECOGNIZE how sexy it is, but he will NOT be able to miss the extraordinary ENERGY in it, AND he’ll hear the same 8-beat form that he’ll recognize from most rock n roll. Maybe you know these musical forms well, so forgive me for being so pedantic (and, I know the music from the viewpoint of a dancer, not a musician), BUT both musical forms use the violin (fiddle!) in a driven, athletic way that a kid might really enjoy! Plus, his friends could learn to DANCE to the music he provides! Where I live, there are several Cajun and Zydeco dances every month, and I live in New England, not Louisiana; SO, by the time he is a teen-ager, he can create a great job for himself AND bring live music and dancing into his community! That’s sort of what Mr. Fisk said happened to him (w/o the dancing). There are so many great CD’s available for both; I’d recommend Zydeco, just because it is wise and youthful all at once!

To today’s show: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I enjoyed the music beyond…beyond! and, Mr. Fisk, thank you for your thoughts on music and diplomacy and education! Yes! How great it would be if you could speak to the Congress about your thoughts on these matters…and EVERY general assembly of every state!

Tom, the last two weeks of shows….what EXTRAORDINARY VARIETY! I am as much a fan as Mr. Fisk! Thanks to you and your amazing staff!

By: Thomas Camarda

Thomas Camarda — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:52:11 +0000

As Mr.Fisk was a student and disciple of Mr. Segovia and Segovia had postulated that a transcription is successful when “it is better than the original” Is the example utilized here of Mr. Fisk’s Youtube performance of his own transcription of Paganini’s 24th Caprice an example of an “improvement”? Indeed, is it even an equal to the violin original? Ears vary, but I’ll ask this of Fisk, his disciples and any other classical guitarists for whom the popular music appellation of “shredder” can be applied, if any other instrumentalist in the classical music disciplines showed up playing in a manner of abandon where clear note rendition was secondary to tempo goals, where harsh and percussive note rendition were secondary to clean tone considerations, would those instrumentalists be lauded as geniuses? Possibly so, especially if their adoring audiences were comprised of guitarists for whom it seems lately, athleticism in playing is confused with aesthetics.

By: Winifred Grace

Winifred Grace — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:07:44 +0000

What a wonderful program today. You brought back one of my favorite memories of all time. Your teacher, Andre Segovia was in concert in Paris in the early 60’s when as a young bride, my husband and I had the privilege of listening to him. He made us feel like he was playing just for us in our own livingroom yet being in this magnificent concert hall filled with other admirers as well. It is no wonder you are such a fantastic muscian having had such a man for your teacher! Blessings!!!

By: Mara Rozitis

Mara Rozitis — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:06:51 +0000

When I heard the subject was classical guitar and Eliot
Fiske, I thought “boring”. I’m so glad I didn’t
change stations. The beauty of “Memories of the
Alhambra” had me in tears and I can’t wait to explore
his music and look up some CD’s.

What a great education that was!

By: Putney Swope

Putney Swope — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:06:25 +0000

Excellent show! A great musician.
What Eliot Fisk said about music and poverty has been proven. Witness the The Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar (Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra) is a Venezuelan youth orchestra. They have a music program that is designed to give poor children in Venezuela music lessons and they all play in orchestras of different levels. Some have gone on to be world class musicians.

Gustavo Dudamel is one of the graduates of this great program. Why we don’t have this in this country is beyond me.

By: Sojourner

Sojourner — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:04:54 +0000

And I care that these two men were classmates at Yale because…?

Yet another example of why Tom Ashbrook needs to have his ego surgically removed. Here’s still another… Instead of milking the sycophantic compliments that topped this program, he should have said a simple “thank you” and immediately moved on to content listeners case about…

Let him listen to Diane Rehm or Leonard Lopate and learn how to handle himself and situations such as this…

By: Matt Carson

Matt Carson — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:57:01 +0000

I’ve only just tuned in for the last bit of the broadcast, but I am bothered by Mr. Fisk’s insistence that classical guitar is hard. I am by no means trying to belittle the classical guitar, or Mr. Fisk, who is quite good, but continually using the words ‘hard’ and ‘difficult’ puts up unnecessary barriers to all players, both professionals and students alike. As a classical bass player, I find pianist Kenny Werner’s view much more helpful: essentially, there is no hard music, only unfamiliar music. I think it is more important to encourage progress through a slow, steady learning process, than to discourage it by insisting that is very hard.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:53:26 +0000

I loved hearing the Tarrega piece, which my father used to play. “Unspeakably beautiful” indeed! Of all the stringed instruments, the guitar is to me the most intimate and the most heart-breaking. Thank you so much!

By: Julie Rohwein

Julie Rohwein — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:49:31 +0000

Thank you so much for this lovely show! What an antidote to a grey day and a rather sad week.

By: David Chastain

David Chastain — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:38:29 +0000

The Spanish language is not unique in the sounds that Eliot Fisk mentioned. Perhaps hasn’t noticed that many European languages do have gutteral sounds. German, Yiddish, and Polish come to mind. I’m sure that other eastern European languages have such sounds as well. Perhaps by “other European languages” he means English, French, and Italian.

By: tommey

tommey — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:35:43 +0000

Just what needed to hear while going about my day. Reminds me of the importance of music and art in everyday life. Thank your for your show on Elliot Fisk.