BBC guitar documentary series starts on Sunday

Go forth and set your recording devices, as the BBC is showing a new three-part documentary series called Imagine – The Story Of The Guitar. The first of the hour-long programmes airs on Sunday 5 October at 10:40.
The Guitarist link and the BBC link.

I'll wait for the DVD. :(

I'll wait till Sunday! Seems interesting, and looks as if they have some wonderful archive clips - I think this one's a must-see!

:D :D :D

Vic

I wonder if it'll be on BBCAmerica?

Or at least available online.

I just found that i have bbc america is that the same?

I just found that i have bbc america is that the same?

BBC America broadcasts BBC shows, but usually delayed 6-12 months.

Well I've just watched part one, and I have to say that's possibly the most enjoyable hour's television I've watched this year - seemed to pass in no time. It dealt mostly with the origins of the guitar - apparently it's descended from the Arabian oud. Ou'd have thought that, eh? Sorry - never could resist a bad pun!

Plenty of facts and info, plenty of Trivia - who'd have thought that Henry VIII owned more guitars (28!!!) than Nick or TR, or that Elizabeth I was a guitarist, or that Samuel Pepys was a "guitar groupie!"

Plenty of nice clips, too - something for everyone. A certain Mr A. Green of this parish will enjoy/will already have enjoyed (delete as applicable, Alan!) the clips of John Williams and Segovia (I thought I had big hands, but hell, his were like shovels!) and Nuno will love the clips of Paco Pena playing, and talking, about Flamenco and (sp?) Rasguedo. There's a clip of an amazing Chinese lady classical guitarist - Xue Fei Yang. Never heard of her before, but you can bet I'll find out more.

An American Luthier, name of Wayne Henderson, was featured - there was a clip of him playing one of his guitars, the tone was so beautiful it was almost beyond description. Apparently Eric Clapton had to wait ten years to get his hands on one of Mr H's guitars! He showed how resonant his guitars were by strumming a chord while the programme's narrator held a lit match above the soundhole - the air being pushed out actually extinguished the flame! Apparently, this guy's got a hoard of Brazilian Rosewood - and it's so valuable, and sought-after, he keeps it in a VERY secure vault!

Even a clip or two of Django - I've actually seen this before on youtube, but still amazing to watch how that guy could coax such incredible music out of a guitar with just two working fingers on his left hand.

Some of the guitars they showed were unbelievable - a guitar made by C F Martin in the 1830's, and one - a Gibson from about 1926 - that used to be owned by Maybelle Carter.

It was great to hear so many musicians talking about guitars - I found the program absolutely fascinating. If you can watch it on the BBCi site, do - I guarantee you'll be enthralled from start to finish. If you have to wait for the DVD, well, make sure you're first in line in the queue. You will NOT be disappointed!

Next week - the electric guitar. I'm already counting down the minutes!

:D :D :D :D :D

Vic

If anyone finds this online, please be kind enough to post a link. I'd love to see it.

Nuno will love the clips of Paco Pena playing, and talking, about Flamenco and (sp?) Rasguedo.
Yes, Paco Peña, one of most international guitar players. It can be observed the rasgueo (strumming) used in flamenco in the video. Who did he say that a Spanish guitar sound ugly when you strum it?

And Andrés Segovia, an awesome guitar player, too. Here, he is playing a piece of Issac Albéniz in El Prado museum. I could be seeing and listening him the rest of my life and I think I never get bored...

BTW, we maintain the Moorish name of the oud in one of our current instruments, the laud. It is played by plucked strings bands that we call rondallas.

Then... Vic, do you remember if there is a TV room in one of the London airports? Perhaps I could go just for seeing the next episode on a low cost flight! :lol:

Just kidding. I will wait for the DVD (although the cost should be the same).

Vic, thank you very much for the report! :D

It dealt mostly with the origins of the guitar - apparently it's descended from the Arabian oud. Ou'd have thought that, eh? Sorry - never could resist a bad pun!

You deserve to be fired for that one.

There's a clip of an amazing Chinese lady classical guitarist - Xue Fei Yang. Never heard of her before, but you can bet I'll find out more.

She's good, but not that good. I saw her at the Wigmore Hall a few months back. Her routine? Play something perfectly, stand, rest guitar on chair beside piano stool on which she was sitting to play, bow, bow, pause, bow, sit down, take guitar, tune it. Repeat as necessary. Too much flighty Chinese-influenced music for my liking; you'd expect that anyway, but it all sounded the same to me - a few light strums and then some single line work designed to remind you of buttterflies. Her Spanish work was solid, there just wasn't enough of it.

I forgot the TV show was on and I would have enjoyed the flamenco bit too so hope it's on BBCi - I spent some of Saturday night listening to a Neil Diamond Tribute act in our local, before getting the guitars out at home to jam with my girlfriend's son's fiancee's brother at about 1 o/c in the morning, and then yesterday was taken up with Spanish Night and full Essex Guitar Orchestra rehearsals (I got complimented on my Rasgueados last night too). I need another couple of days in the week.

Hertford Corn Exchange - Friday October 10th. 8 o/c start, I believe. Spanish Night. £10 ticket includes Tapas, the Essex Guitar Orchestra Spanish Ensemble and the Las Palomas Flamenco Dancers. Proceeds to "Helping to help children in the Gambia" it says here.

A :-)

BBCi link

:D :D :D

Vic

Thanks Vic. Of course, they will not allow anyone outside of the UK to view the link. Something about digital rights. :(

Now, I'll have to find a IP redirector site in the UK.

Must have been a great show !

It's not bad - they talk with Les Paul on the second show, and Bert Weedon, and there's words from Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Pete Townsend, Xuefei Yang and John Williams. Les Paul's contribution to the musical world by inventing multi-track recording got a very very very quick mention.

Words from Slash, amongst others, in part 3. I'd like to hear what he's got to say - his autobiography is mind-blowing.

A :-)

Sounds like a really good program. I'll have to keep an eye on the US version of BBC in case they show it sometime. I love those kind of shows!