Fantasia

[Geoff]

This is a little lute piece composed by Franscesco da Milano and, gosh, this turned out to be difficult for me to play.

One of the challenges is it uses the lute tuning where you flat the G string a semi-tone down to F#. Playing the F# on the open 3rd string really addled my brain. The timing was also pretty challenging. I had to work this one with a metronome to get it right.

Well, i did my best with this one. Maybe some of you will enjoy this. Personally, I love the lute music from this period 😉

[Garry]

Yes, Geoff. I agree lute music is definitely special. Beautifully played and you made it look easy as always. I remember playing some lute music many years ago with the flattened 3rd string and it definitely takes a while to ‘adjust’ the brain to nail those notes. Thanks for sharing this gem. All the best! 😎🎸😎

[Geoff]

If I made it look easy, I can tell you that I really had to practice not putting on my “funeral director face” 🤣.

Well, you would know this, but getting the timing right on music from this era is really challenging. The quick changes on the left hand kill me too.

[Michael Krailo]

Very good Geoff. You shine with anything classical and this one didn’t look that easy, but you played it with style.

Go slow and practice correct technique, and your abilities will dramatically improve.

[Geoff]

Thanks Michael, it least i wasn’t pulling my “Funeral face” playing this one 😅

[Mark T]

That was beautiful, Geoff – any difficulty you had playing this certainly didn’t show in your performance – Mark 👍🎶😎

For many people of my wife’s and my generation, Fantasia was a magical and memorable film, and a wonderful introduction to the world of classical music. I can still recall the conductor, in the film, introducing the various instruments – he probably sounds quite dated now, but it remains a fond memory of going to the ‘flicks’ to see this on the ‘big screen’.

Even now – despite all the streaming services available – there’s nothing quite like the ‘big screen’ experience! Only two days ago, we went to see the film ‘Michael’, about Michael Jackson; what an incredible performance from the actor who played him – quite stunning!! 👌👌♥️♥️

[Geoff]

To be honest, I am not really sure what a Fantasia is Mark. 🤔 Renaissance Lute music seems to geared towards courtly dances and are named according to whatever dance form it was catering to. I come across a lot of pieces from this era labeled “Fantasia” and, I could be wrong, but I don’t think a Fantasia is a dance.

I have not been to a big screen production for a long time You are right. Hard to beat the experience but it has all gotten so expensive now.

[Dieter]

Hi Geoff,

I’m really glad that you’re also a fan of this wonderful Renaissance music.
The piece is indeed not easy to play, and your performance is excellent both technically and in terms of its authentic flair.

Yes, the old masters were very flexible when it came to partially or fully open guitar/lute tunings; today’s standard tuning only developed later.

(Your post spontaneously motivated me to play something classical again, which I’ve been neglecting a bit lately).

Greetings from an old man in old Nuremberg, Germany

Dieter

[Geoff]

Thanks Dieter. I am a huge fan of the music from this era and I can only imagine how crazy good the musicians and composers from that time must have been. If I could start my life again, I would pick up the lute or the Baroque guitar.

If I motivated you to play something classical again, that makes me very happy 😊.

Greetings from another old man in Canada 😉

[charjo]

Beautiful, Geoff. Great playing on what looks like a difficult piece.
Your recorded sound was terrific with such full bass and clarity in the higher registers.
John

[Geoff]

Thanks John. Gratifying to hear that because I put a lot into recording quality.

I used to think it was important to have the mic close to the guitar but, I have since learned, it is better to position the mic a good meter or so away. The other thing I have learned, perhaps counter intuitively, is to set the recording volume low in the DAW. I then boost the volume in my video editing software. I don’t know why that works better for me but it does seem to work.

When I listen to other accoustic guitar performances on YouTube, I still cannot understand how they come through with so much more volume than I can do.

[AndréM]

That was a hard one but you played beautifully .
Very nice.

AndréM

AndréM

[Geoff]

Thanks Andre. 🙂

[JoeD1]

I can see how difficult that must have been to learn but you nailed it!

Joe

The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound,
Or the strength of an Oak with roots deep in the ground.
--Graeme Edge

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