Many people have given Fisk a hard time over the years but he has stayed true to himself. Sure if he slowed down a bit he may make fewer mistakes but then we would not be seeing the real performer who is willing to take himself to the edge in order to be exciting and dynamic. People complain about performances which lack feeling or are boring. He may fluff a note here and there but he can never be convicted of giving a boring performance. He is naturally a flamboyant person and this comes across in his playing. Honest to himself and the audience. A lesson many people should learn.

Fisk is the man. My close friend studied with him for his masters. How amazing to be so close to Segovia's teaching.

Emotion and musicality trump technique - every time. We classical guitarists strive for music in it's totality. Thank you Eliot, again, for your musicianship.

Un verdadero maestro de la guitarra clasica...Msr Eliot Fisk

"Recuerdos De La Alhambra" has to be one of my favorite classical pieces of all time. I especially like the way it starts off with an A minor tonality, then switches mid-song to an A major tonality. Eliot's playing is quite expressive.

When he started the Bach Prelude I thought: 'hey, that's a nice flamenco piece......'

In Cervantes's masterpiece, Don Quixote meets a certain man who translated from the Italian. Contemptuous of his work, he exclaims (paradoxically in translation here): "I would venture to swear that your worship is not known in the world, which always begrudges their reward to rare wits and praiseworthy labours. What talents lie wasted here! What genius thrust away into corners! What worth left neglected!" . So many talented guitarists, unknown to the world, dare criticize Elliot Fisk in this forum! Show us your contribution to the world of guitar, equal at least to Maestro Fisk's transcription and recording of Paganini's Caprices and then you will be worthy to carry his guitar case. Vale!

THESE CLASSICAL GUITARIST BLOW ME AWAY....THEY PUT THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF REALLY TOUGH DISCIPLINE .....BRAVO...... A PERSON WHO HAS NEVER SEEN OR HEARD A CLASSICAL GUITAR AND TRIED TO PLAY IT FOR THE FIRST TIME HE WILL TELL YOU IT CAN'T BE DONE

An incredible guitarist and never boring. I had the pleasure to meet and listen to Mr. Fisk. He's one of the best.

I remember taking a master class session with him when i was 19, gave me great advice towards my way of playing music.

I do not know the sound of Andres Segovia. I just stumbled onto this and was curious while looking for an example of playing the classical guitar so you may totally discount my opinion. I've heard it said, a musician never plays the same piece exactly the same because their music reflects there feeling too. Each musician brings their own interpretation to a piece of music, that is why orchestras have a conductor, he forces all the musicians to play to his interpretation to achieve hopefully a synergistic effect amplifying and transcending what each individual artist is capable of. If you want technical perfection get something like a player piano only for a guitar (that way you cannot complain as it does not have the full notes of a real instrument versus a computer). It will always sound the exact same way. Soulless perfection. It will not even sound like what the composer wanted, it will just be technically correct as to how the music is written. I play around on my guitar. It is an outlet for my soul. I will never be good enough to play even at amateur status but when I am playing, it I am happy and that is all that is really needed. I considered Eliot Fisk exceptional. For those who were denouncing him, have you considered, that he could play as you desire but played it as he did because that is how he felt it should be played and how he wanted to play the it?

Here’s a man that works tirelessly, out of pure idealism, on improving the visibility of the classical guitar in the concert scene, the state of music education, and the small (and, as some of these comments show, at times incredibly narrow-minded) classical guitar community. To that end, he invented his technique almost entirely on his own, subverting many of the expectations that have now become “standard,” in favor of creating a sound world befitting his incredible musical imagination.

Amazing. The temporal resolution you have when playing is intense. Interesting left hand fingerwork for Recuerdos, loved it!

great guitar player i once used to think he is not that great but amazing he could do what ever he wants to with guitar i live in the same town as he does in newton ma usa and see him in whole foods sometimes he is a very nice person thank you mr fisk for being so humble talking to you in person modifies my personality

Eliot--I found you on KZfaq! So good to see you play and very impressed it was at TEDx Boston.

I suppose the innovation comes from not playing technically perfect and yet not caring about it at all

And where is the innovation?

The Einstein of The Guitar Was a Mangore not Segovia 😉....

Dear friends, you must know Eliot very well to understand his music. I spent 5 years studying in his class in Salzburg. Great artist, great person, great friend. The world is in his hands. Thank you Eliot for every moment that you dedicated to me. Petar

Very good. Music and its power to take you to other dimentions.

I learned that when i took my classical lesson!

0:40 - 0:44 - Possibly the funniest position shift ever made on guitar :D

I doubt there is one person who commented here has the talent this man has, I don't play but my late father was taught by John Williams father and went on to teach many students to concert standard so I know this man is good at his craft.

Brought me back to the quieter era of classical guitar and players who could play. And a clear example of the most importance ... that experts do not only start the note but control it length thus leading to clarity ... a breath of fresh air

This is spectacular.

can each one of you guitar expert post a link here of yourself playing this pieces the correct way? because to my beginners eyes and ears he played very well.

Music is an art that happens on stage, unlike pictorial art, or writing there's no tie to 'correct' a mistake. Itr´s closer to acting. Judging an artist on a single presentation is absurd - we are used to CD quality recording in which 'wrong' notes are punched out and digitally replaced with a 'good' note from a different take, and the editing is so good we don´t notice it. In live performance we can't do that, and the point is to carry the music, not to be a machine. Sure, Fisk had some minor flaws in this particular performance, maybe he was constrained by time and this didn't help, but his playing is wonderful. Regarding comments about what Segovia would have thought- not only are there videos of Segovia performing in which he also misses a couple of notes, but I've seen several of his students live (A. Diaz and J. WIlliams) and they're not machines either... what they ARE, is WONDERFUL and MASTERFUL musicians, like FIsk.

He isn't rushing. His interpretation has added an element of percussion in an acceleration of timing within the treble that is running, simultaneously and in sync with the perfect timing of the composition.

24 fret guitar, innovative, and a great guitarist.

I removed my review for all get excited, but the music speaks for me, I do not need to talk about the music. Congratulations to all of you. I enjoyed the interpretation. It is wonderful, no doubt.

ugh Magic Flute, what a mess of randomly disjointed tremolo picking.

The Segovia right hand positioning kills all hopes of a full tone.

Beautiful

Excellent!

He plays like there's no tomorrow. I can respect that regardless:)

ПОТРЯСАЮЩЕ!

I have recently acquired a high quality external speaker and Mr Fisk's guitar certainly sounded beautiful this time. In case there is any confusion, I have always had great respect for Eliot Fist as one of the world's greatest classical guitarist and definitely a Maestro.

How amazing it must have been to be a student of Segovia.

Único, el Maestro Fisk.

I wonder if anyone actually thought of pointing the mic actually AT the guitar. As an audio engineer I am often horrified at the audio at events like these.

Brilliant.

I think the sound is awesome.

bella camicia...

I had no idea that Andy Dick played classical guitar - impressive.

I really enjoyed "Recuerdos de la Alhambra"

Saw him live in the 80's, all the Villa Lobos etudes. I remember being blown away by his virtuosity. But subsequently I never liked him recorded, nor really liked his interpretations. He may be a little sloppy here and there, but I have to respect him for going balls-to-the-walls and taking risks. This is what makes him entertaining live.

Reading the comments below I conclude that there is only a few people that enjoyed Mr Fisk presentation. In my opinion Mr Fisk is an outstanding technical player, no one can argue on that, but his music ideas seems to me, a little bit outlined. My professor always said to me that what I feel when I'm playing is much more important than technique. Technique is something that can be learned and can be mastered but your feeling and your music ideas born with you. Cheers everyone

An ad in the middle of the Segovia piece??

Sounds like me when I'm just playing around on guitar warming up. Didn't know it was song

I've seen him play in person. He's brilliant.

It is an excellent and brilliant guitarist, everyone can think what you like, but you have to say with knowledge.

well done.

guitar is awesome

This is wonderful music played by a master. I'm not sure why ANYBODY would not appreciate these simple facts. The negative comments have much more to say about the individuals make them then Mr. Fisk. Thank You for the post.

how he was inovator?

Anything by Christopher Parkening. Check out his album Simple Gifts on spotify. It's perfect.

Ok, so several people apparently thought the same thing...

others talk anything you like but I really enjoyed his music. ..we must respect his age also...

Does anyone know the name of that beautiful peace he preformed?

Clapping woke some up.

Pero qué tempo es este? Y menuda digitación

I don't get all the negativity. Everything is what you make it. I'm enjoying listening to this cuz I appreciate technical ability, and this guy certainly has that. I enjoy this just as I enjoy listening to Buddy Rich rip the drums.

I have to admit, that I did hear some unexpected flaws, but thought I was being overly picky. I then read the comments and was surprised at how many felt the same. I expect that compressing comments and three pieces in 10 minutes can be a challenge in of itself. And I expect that playing these same pieces of music for over 40 years brings its own challenge in maintaining a "duende". Still, I'm envious that he was able to study with such greats as Segovia and Oscar Ghiglia. He was at the right time and the right place.

Eliot Fisk is a great guitar player, teacher, and a wonderful man!

Why is he rushing like that? Where was the music?

A guitar sound..., the sound of nature for me.

name of the song please?

Seek out Julian Bream - simply the best classical guitar and lute of the 20th century, nobody else comes close.

Very interesting, to say the least!

Eliot way of playing is always polemic, but he's a really amazing musician. I recently was talking about two hours with him and his background is surprisingly. If you heear him with guitarrist ears, you lose a great oportunity to hear a wonder musician.

So this guy is absolutely incredible. There were parts in the second piece where it seemed sloppy and he was just sliding around randomly with his left hand but it really wasn't, it was very precise and I think everything that was played was intended. However, I don't see any new innovation. He didn't seem to claim to be an innovator in the video but the title and the description imply that he is going to talk about how one can innovate with classical music and specifically innovate with classical music on the guitar. Aside from being an absolutely incredible player I don't really see any innovation. So did I miss something or did the poster of the video just make up some random clickbait title?

Big like.😎

Where that mic pointing?

Great

I'm a lead guitarist, vocalist and love power metal.

Here's the thing about Mr. Fisk... You've got to give credit where credit is due in terms of him putting in his ten thousand hours, I don't think anyone could deny him of that. The general consensus (and I actually don't fully agree) is that he sacrifices musicality or beauty for speed for the sake of speed. But I don't think it really is speed for the sake of speed-I think he's got a 'bigger-picture' idea of the kind of artist he wants to be and follows through on that vision. As for my personal opinion of his playing-I think there are other classical guitarists that resonate with me more. Regardless, if everyone loved every piece of music I played the way I played it, that's when I'd start to worry..

Which Bach piece is he playing in the beginning? :)

Tremendous performance of Recuerdos . .. I've never seen a guitarist bend time (and extra-hard tension strings) like a rubber band. I wish he would have warmed up before the Prelude, but I give him kudos for keeping the tempo flowing. I felt like I could almost see the opera when he was playing the excerpt of the Magic Flute. It is not easy to express something original in the way which he does with music that is technically challenging and that everyone else has played to death.

Slow down McLovin!!!!

1:20 matteo carcassi etude?

Its Eliot Fisk enough said always a pleasure even when he is being rushed by TEDs running sheet

Ziroland, Since you are such a great judge of performing ability, one can only assume that you also are a performer. Where can we hear and see (and judge) your performances?

This is the 2nd classical guitar TRD (I mean TED LOL) I've listened to as I am looking to buy my first and once again, I am thinking, no, don't waste my hard earned $. But I know somewhere along the line I heard inspiring or moving classical guitar, which is why I wanted to try it . Just can't remember where.

That's a beautiful soundboard. It has a lovely grain to it.. is that spruce, or is it something else?

beauty

Why do I like this guys playing so much when all of the comment section is " sloppy playing. Overrated. Average guitar" - I guess we all are different. I really like his playing and find it very relaxing.

listen to his Paganinis 24 transciption!

The piece by Mozart was played extraordinary well

I like your sarcasm when you're talking to anonymous folks :D

:32 "...little trouble there.... pick it up at 17." HEHE Whiplash.

There are so many criticisms of this man - as if he is not a human being. I think Eliot has a tremendous Heart, and he has inspired and educated me on Guitar playing. I felt moved by what he played, and that's enough, I think. I think we need to focus more on what the person is expressing - I do not think the criticisms leveled here are fair, and I look forward to seeing more from Eliot

I'm not a fan of Fisk, but I enjoyed this interpretation of Recuerdos. It's a piece that all classical guitarists have heard countless times, performed by seemingly every professional guitarist in the world and I am sick to death of it. But because Eliot plays it differently from everyone else, it actually sounded nice to me. No, it wasn't super clean and I don't care for his tone, but the musicality worked for me.

He'd better have some more lessons with Pepe Romero ...

yes he,s one of the best to play the old masters,it are not mistakes he plays .Its his own style of playing the parts.I lurn playing from the best in my country bud stil sound as myself.After years of studian the masters, i now play my own classical musiek.Its musiek from my soal,i like it,thats importend,not wat athers say about it.

Beautiful playing!

It feels rushed, phrasing is off, the beautiful tonality of the guitar is lost in his attack. Where are the dynamics? Feels like it's more to impress with speed than with beauty. Sorry Elliot, I have heard you do much better. If your heart isn't in the performance then don't perform. BTW.....mentioning Segovia should be to praise his artistry, Parkening understood this.

Nice Shirt!

That was not the classical music. it was a caricature.

And Segovia had fingers like bangers.

Thanks, Ziroland I will check these other recordings. And btw, I do consider John Williams to be a god as well. Maybe even the best who ever lived.