Love it, very accurate, not too fast, joyful, insightful. Really nice to hear. It's hearable that you must have invested yourself a lot, done a lot of work into this piece. The reward is here, it's so good to hear for us.
I agree with others saying your rendition is majestic. I will also add that it was in good taste to perform with a dark wooden guitar, and the tones are definitely something new in your particular interpretation.
I have heard many interpretations and I do wish that I recorded the Prelude about 4-5 BPM faster but if it is played too fast on guitar or lute it sounds like a neurotic hamster running in circles. I also like Paul O'Dette's interpretation.
@@georgesvoboda - O'Dette is good, but you should listen to David Russell's performance of that piece: ua-cam.com/video/1zwrxl2JIW4/v-deo.html It's pure genius, and he sounds nothing like a hamster running in circles, even though he 'knocks it out' at a rate of knots. And I say that as a life-long fan of Bream.
Hi George, I was a student of yours way back in 1990 or so at Grossmont College. We learned a song in class that I still remember to this day. I wish I knew the name of the song. I'd love to learn the rest of it if I can track it down. I'll try to get in touch via facebook. The class really has carried with me for decades now and I would just like to say thank you, very much. I hope you are well.
A really great performance. My favorite are the first movement and the Gavotte. Very clean and in my humble opinion, very musical. So pleasant on the ears !
It is 1977 Miguel Rodriguez guitar with cedar top and Honduran rosewood sides and back. It is a quite large instrument and there are some passages in the Suite that I had difficulties with. It is not a Flamenco guitar but I had the guard installed because I do dabble into Flamenco a little bit.
I'm self-taught. Prelude BWV 1006a is very difficult. Slow down the video and watch the details. I'm at 67 now. Some moments (for example 51) I play differently than George. But this is the most rational fingering (I listen to the performance of Andrea González Caballero, Alexander Milovanov and others)! This video helps a lot, thanks!
Thank you Dmitry, the delay between the video and audio in slower tempo could be due to the recording. I did not use the camera microphone but I used a microphone (off camera, you cannot see it) going directly to ProTools recording software. Then I lined up the video with the audio in Final Cut Pro. I must have misaligned it slightly in some places. As far as the fingering goes, I put a lot of though into finding the most logical fingering based on my limits and capabilities and experience. I hope that the video is of a practical use to you and also perhaps to just enjoy the music. In retrospect I wish I had played the Prelude maybe 4-5 BPM faster but it is good enough I think. Thank you again for listening. Sincerely, George Svoboda
2 things I would like to comment: first keep a seady tempo; Second make the sound intonation more equal ; and you're close to it. It is my hope I make my self clear; and you have chosen pieces that are not easy: Bravo for the effort!
Thank you for taking the time to listen and comment on the video. The intonation is a known problem for the guitar I played. Miguel Rodriguez was stubbornly resisting to use scientific method of spacing the frets out on his guitars. The result is a magnificent sound but sometimes the intonation is off. Mine is not the only guitar that has the problem. The tempo fluctuation is sometimes intentional :-) I always felt that the Moog synthesizer recordings of Bach's works did more harm than good for public perception of Bach's music. When I play his music I just try to go where the music takes me. Thank you again for listening and your thoughtful analysis and critique.
I agree with Adam France - this tempo was as it should be - playing too fast loses this wonderful music the depth. I've seen a few videos so far, but I liked performance of George Svoboda the most. Thank you for a wonderful experience!
Great skill. I don;t play this piece because I am a bit scared it will rule my life for six months.!! On a serious note, you always play quite close to the bridge. I think it would sound even better if you tried to add some colour to certain passages with moving the right hand over the soundhole to sweeten it up a bit? (Or maybe I'm just old fashioned..)
Thank you for the feedback Allan, you are right that I should be using the colors of the guitar more and I usually try to do it. In this case it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. If I had to do it all over again I would speed up the Prelude about 4-5 BPM and play the Loure even more rubato with the changes in color. And by the way, that piece ruled my life for year and a half :-)
Music as beautiful as this, to me, is worth six months of my life. Yes I agree, learning this piece this well is a six endeavor. So many guitarists, such beautiful playing and yet is still is worth time and soul from your life.I blows me away that the attempt to play as beautiful as this gentleman, is worth sacrifice. How much that says about J.S. Bach is great.
I would love to know how you go about memorizing a piece. What's your process? You have had enough practice via this suite so you might have some great suggestions based upon your months of hard work. Love to hear your thoughts. :) Gord - North of Toronto
Agreed. It's like climbing a mountain for me when I learn a Bach piece. I've just started learning the Prelude to this piece and I expect to perfect it some time in the next lifetime, so hats off to you for a lovely rendition.
Thank you for your kind words Valentino. It took me about six months to memorize the whole suite and about a year to feel comfortable playing it in front of an audience. I worked on it to celebrate Bach's 332nd birthday. It is such a privilege to be able to perform it live! I am starting to forget it though :-)
Classical guitar is my background. I do play some flamenco and here is a link to a video where I play with a friend of mine. The lute in the background is actually a Turkish oud and I have done some recording with it but I have not played it in years. ua-cam.com/video/OrJYfFpPkJI/v-deo.html
Dear @@georgesvoboda, you play super. But the oud in the backround is not turkish, it is a pure early armenian instrument, that has gone to arabs and later has become the contemporary guitar. "Jose Ramires. Things about the guitar". Thanks for music. Vahagn Ashughyan. Yerevan, Armenia.
Thank you! The guitar is 1977 Miguel Rodriguez. Powerful and yet sweet sound. Pretty large instrument too. The microphone I used was AKG C414 (it is out of the frame so you cannot see it). The recording software was ProTools 8 and the reverb I used was Altiverb. That is about it. I hope that this helped and thank you for listening!
Guitar is 1977 Miguel Rodriguez and I use Savarez Hard Tension strings 520 P. The microphone was AKG C414 and the camera was just a simple HD Sony camera. I recorded it in ProTools 11 and used Altiverb 7 reverb Notre Damme setting.
Thank you. I started with the Lute suite transcriptions by Jerry Willard and customized them to suit my ideas of voice leading. I love the violin transcription by Hilary Hahn. She is in my opinion head and shoulders above the rest of the performers. I also like David Russell's transcription. However, he performs the suite without slurs which I miss. I guess it is to approximate the sound of a keyboard. His phrasing and dynamics are impeccable I love it! When you start working on the suite it will completely absorb you. Very difficult but exhilarating. I hope that this helps.
I have the Willard book. I struggle with the Gavotte in measure 4. There are many ways to play the quick part , either slurred or plucked. Also, the endurance required to play that amazing Prelude is beyond my modest skill.
@@58MrMike Nothing wrong with slurring the ornament since it is played like that on the violin. I do articulate each not with my right hand playing a-m-i. I heard Segovia playing it like that. As far as the endurance for the Prelude goes it is right at the edge of my skill set. When I was memorizing the suite it felt like my brain was an outdated PC trying to run a new operating system :-)
Thank you, the guitar is 1977 Miguel Rodriguez. Cedar top, Honduran rosewood back and sides, mahogany finger board. I purchased it in 1986 for $4200.00 and I have no idea what the current price would be now. I enjoy playing it very much.
Sounds awkward on guitar. Stiff performance, somewhat robotic. The ebb and flow of Bach's beautiful melodic phrases is lost. Intonation problems above 7th fret. Good job on memorization. Dynamics and musicality not so much😊
Magnifique interprétation, très humble , avec des couleurs sonores très pures. Mes hommages à ce grand artiste
Prelude 0:06
Loure 4:32
Gavotte en rondeau 9:00
Minueto 1~2 11:59
Bourree 16:40
Gigue 18:35
Love it, very accurate, not too fast, joyful, insightful. Really nice to hear. It's hearable that you must have invested yourself a lot, done a lot of work into this piece. The reward is here, it's so good to hear for us.
This the best performance of this prelude.The best sound and technique.Many respects from a guitarist from Greece.
nice guitar, and superb sound
Like engaging in a calm dialogue with good speed and conveyance of clear understanding - Simply enjoyable!
So beautiful and very relaxing. You’re a true master of the guitar.
Brilliant playing. Listen to this almost everyday
You are such a clean player. You really let the guitar speak for itself.
Beautiful! This is on my list to Learn!
Sounds very beautiful in my ears, i love this old man
Bob & I really enjoy your musical talent and precision. Bravo!
Incredible playing. Perfect music.
Excellent. Great poise, posture and right hand.
634 subs?
Im glad I found you. What you do is not appreciated nowadays but it is so hard and magneficient.
Thank you for sharing.
Maravillosa interpretación. Gracias por compartir su talento y disciplina
Bravo! Very beautiful, George.
Great music as always.
Good to hear you hear👍🎶
Beautifully clean and measured performance! Nicely phrased and with unforced tempi! Bravo! Guitar is evenly resonant too!
I wish you have a CD of these music❤ love the music , very relaxing.
Wauw John Williams played this piece perfect you played it yust the way as John did yust wonderful
Mr Svoboda, many compliments for the performance. You play very well e the this suite is very difficult to play, I love this suite.
Great work! A lot of long hours gone into this.
Excellent! Timeless in its music& interpretation.
Thank you. My favourite lute suite beautifully played.
Great Performance. Greetings !!!
lovely playing - thank you!
I agree with others saying your rendition is majestic. I will also add that it was in good taste to perform with a dark wooden guitar, and the tones are definitely something new in your particular interpretation.
interprétation sublime bravo maître ❤️❤️❤️
Phenomenal.
Great rendition!
Beatififul and inspiring George!
this piece is always played so fast, it's nice to hear it a little slower, as well as with the other movements!
I have heard many interpretations and I do wish that I recorded the Prelude about 4-5 BPM faster but if it is played too fast on guitar or lute it sounds like a neurotic hamster running in circles. I also like Paul O'Dette's interpretation.
@@georgesvoboda Christopher Parkening plays the Prelude in F and at the speed of light. Love his playing but this is a fine tempo. Beautifully played.
@@georgesvoboda - O'Dette is good, but you should listen to David Russell's performance of that piece:
ua-cam.com/video/1zwrxl2JIW4/v-deo.html
It's pure genius, and he sounds nothing like a hamster running in circles, even though he 'knocks it out' at a rate of knots. And I say that as a life-long fan of Bream.
@@eriobotrya Just listened to David playing the suite. Beautiful interpretation, what a musician! I thoroughly enjoyed the performance.
@@georgesvoboda - Had a feeling you might like it. What do you think of this version:
ua-cam.com/video/HY4vqEIdFYg/v-deo.html
Krásný. Potřeboval bych to poslouchat každý den a naživo...
Perfection! Thanks for your dedication to this piece. Made my day/week!
Hi George, I was a student of yours way back in 1990 or so at Grossmont College. We learned a song in class that I still remember to this day. I wish I knew the name of the song. I'd love to learn the rest of it if I can track it down. I'll try to get in touch via facebook. The class really has carried with me for decades now and I would just like to say thank you, very much. I hope you are well.
Bravissimo. Congratulations George!
Amazing techique, especialy in the left hand, and a beautiful interpretation.
A really great performance. My favorite are the first movement and the Gavotte. Very clean and in my humble opinion, very musical. So pleasant on the ears !
Thank you for your kind words!
Is it a flamenco guitar you are using. I think I can see a golpeador on the front.
It is 1977 Miguel Rodriguez guitar with cedar top and Honduran rosewood sides and back. It is a quite large instrument and there are some passages in the Suite that I had difficulties with. It is not a Flamenco guitar but I had the guard installed because I do dabble into Flamenco a little bit.
OMG !!! So much respect! This was freakin' awesome !!!
muy buena la interpretación. felicitaciones y es impresionante como suena esa guitarra.
Beautiful!
simply wonderful :-)
Bravissimo! Thanks so much for your wonderful presentation .... Best wishes
Прекрасно! Bravo!
PERFECT 👍👍👍👍👍👍..............!!!!
Deliciosa interpretación Maestro
물 흐르듯한 연주 잘들었습니다.
Magnifique ! merci pour le partage
Wow... that was a great experience. He's like a well oiled machine.
Beautiful work! Bravo. Great playing and I really like the sound of the recording: clear highs, deep, soft yet powerful basses.
Exquisitely done!
Love your Prelude....super!!
Brilantni muj pritel. Ty jsou velmi dokonaly, ale vedel jsem, ze. Nyni mnoho vice nevi take !!
Díky, Jirko. Skvělé.
Hi George 😊
I love how you play the guitar 🙌
Happy New Year 🎊🎉🥳
I'm self-taught. Prelude BWV 1006a is very difficult. Slow down the video and watch the details. I'm at 67 now. Some moments (for example 51) I play differently than George.
But this is the most rational fingering (I listen to the performance of Andrea González Caballero, Alexander Milovanov and others)!
This video helps a lot, thanks!
Thank you Dmitry, the delay between the video and audio in slower tempo could be due to the recording. I did not use the camera microphone but I used a microphone (off camera, you cannot see it) going directly to ProTools recording software. Then I lined up the video with the audio in Final Cut Pro. I must have misaligned it slightly in some places. As far as the fingering goes, I put a lot of though into finding the most logical fingering based on my limits and capabilities and experience. I hope that the video is of a practical use to you and also perhaps to just enjoy the music. In retrospect I wish I had played the Prelude maybe 4-5 BPM faster but it is good enough I think. Thank you again for listening. Sincerely, George Svoboda
You are an absolute legend.
Master performance
Incredible!
COOLEST TEACHER EVER! TAKE MUSIC FROM HIM.
Unbelievable!
Bravo.
Virtuoso, saludos Jiri :)
2 things I would like to comment: first keep a seady tempo; Second make the sound intonation more equal ; and you're close to it. It is my hope I make my self clear; and you have chosen pieces that are not easy: Bravo for the effort!
Thank you for taking the time to listen and comment on the video. The intonation is a known problem for the guitar I played. Miguel Rodriguez was stubbornly resisting to use scientific method of spacing the frets out on his guitars. The result is a magnificent sound but sometimes the intonation is off. Mine is not the only guitar that has the problem. The tempo fluctuation is sometimes intentional :-) I always felt that the Moog synthesizer recordings of Bach's works did more harm than good for public perception of Bach's music. When I play his music I just try to go where the music takes me. Thank you again for listening and your thoughtful analysis and critique.
Great. Best compliments.
This is incredible!!!!
Great
very good
Guitar virtuoso
Awesome playing!
P.s. your last name means "freedom" in Russian :D
Thank you Alexander, I am Czech and it is a common surname :-)
amazing tone
A great technique and interpretation.
Amazing play.
wonderful
Hezké, gratuluji
Bravo
Master!
Awesome!
Nicely done.
Amazing
❤️
I agree with Adam France - this tempo was as it should be - playing too fast loses this wonderful music the depth.
I've seen a few videos so far, but I liked performance of George Svoboda the most.
Thank you for a wonderful experience!
poster and every thing else aside ... great music ... that's all ...
awesome job sir
Great skill. I don;t play this piece because I am a bit scared it will rule my life for six months.!! On a serious note, you always play quite close to the bridge. I think it would sound even better if you tried to add some colour to certain passages with moving the right hand over the soundhole to sweeten it up a bit? (Or maybe I'm just old fashioned..)
Thank you for the feedback Allan, you are right that I should be using the colors of the guitar more and I usually try to do it. In this case it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. If I had to do it all over again I would speed up the Prelude about 4-5 BPM and play the Loure even more rubato with the changes in color.
And by the way, that piece ruled my life for year and a half :-)
Yes it is a monster of a composition and my hats off to you. You made it look easy!!
Music as beautiful as this, to me, is worth six months of my life. Yes I agree, learning this piece this well is a six endeavor. So many guitarists, such beautiful playing and yet is still is worth time and soul from your life.I blows me away that the attempt to play as beautiful as this gentleman, is worth sacrifice. How much that says about J.S. Bach is great.
I would love to know how you go about memorizing a piece. What's your process? You have had enough practice via this suite so you might have some great suggestions based upon your months of hard work. Love to hear your thoughts. :) Gord - North of Toronto
Agreed. It's like climbing a mountain for me when I learn a Bach piece. I've just started learning the Prelude to this piece and I expect to perfect it some time in the next lifetime, so hats off to you for a lovely rendition.
well done
很棒
Dia memain kan sesuai suasana abad pertengahan 17... very nice 👍...tapi sulit main setenang ini !
Amazing preformance, Bach would be certainly pleased! May I ask you how long it took you to have the piece memorized?
Thank you for your kind words Valentino. It took me about six months to memorize the whole suite and about a year to feel comfortable playing it in front of an audience. I worked on it to celebrate Bach's 332nd birthday. It is such a privilege to be able to perform it live! I am starting to forget it though :-)
It took me a year of constant practice to memorize the whole suite and be able to perform it live. I am a slow learner.
@@georgesvoboda Slow and steady wins the race. That work was so worth it for us listeners.
You can see John Williams What is the closest
Mr Svoboda, are you strictly classical? And also can you play that lute in the background
Classical guitar is my background. I do play some flamenco and here is a link to a video where I play with a friend of mine. The lute in the background is actually a Turkish oud and I have done some recording with it but I have not played it in years. ua-cam.com/video/OrJYfFpPkJI/v-deo.html
Dear @@georgesvoboda, you play super. But the oud in the backround is not turkish, it is a pure early armenian instrument, that has gone to arabs and later has become the contemporary guitar. "Jose Ramires. Things about the guitar". Thanks for music. Vahagn Ashughyan. Yerevan, Armenia.
Amazing and inspiring ! Congrats !
I wish know about tech specs, in via to obtain a similar sound : Guitar brand/model & strings, mics/camera
Thank you! The guitar is 1977 Miguel Rodriguez. Powerful and yet sweet sound. Pretty large instrument too. The microphone I used was AKG C414 (it is out of the frame so you cannot see it). The recording software was ProTools 8 and the reverb I used was Altiverb. That is about it. I hope that this helped and thank you for listening!
Guitar is 1977 Miguel Rodriguez and I use Savarez Hard Tension strings 520 P. The microphone was AKG C414 and the camera was just a simple HD Sony camera. I recorded it in ProTools 11 and used Altiverb 7 reverb Notre Damme setting.
Thank you George for wonderful performance! Thks for reply on guitar brand.
I’m curious where you obtained the music and whose fingerings you used? Or where they your own transcription? Well done!!
Thank you. I started with the Lute suite transcriptions by Jerry Willard and customized them to suit my ideas of voice leading. I love the violin transcription by Hilary Hahn. She is in my opinion head and shoulders above the rest of the performers. I also like David Russell's transcription. However, he performs the suite without slurs which I miss. I guess it is to approximate the sound of a keyboard. His phrasing and dynamics are impeccable I love it! When you start working on the suite it will completely absorb you. Very difficult but exhilarating. I hope that this helps.
I have the Willard book. I struggle with the Gavotte in measure 4. There are many ways to play the quick part , either slurred or plucked.
Also, the endurance required to play that amazing Prelude is beyond my modest skill.
@@58MrMike Nothing wrong with slurring the ornament since it is played like that on the violin. I do articulate each not with my right hand playing a-m-i. I heard Segovia playing it like that. As far as the endurance for the Prelude goes it is right at the edge of my skill set. When I was memorizing the suite it felt like my brain was an outdated PC trying to run a new operating system :-)
you have a guitar MASTER ! ( its a Hauser ? )
The guitar is 1977 Miguel Rodriguez with cedar top and Honduran rosewood sides and back.
@@georgesvoboda beautiful sound !
what kind guitar u have ? excellent
Thank you, the guitar is 1977 Miguel Rodriguez. Cedar top, Honduran rosewood back and sides, mahogany finger board. I purchased it in 1986 for $4200.00 and I have no idea what the current price would be now. I enjoy playing it very much.
1977 Miguel Rodriguez with Savarez 520 P strings.
Anyone who wants to listen to Bach on guitar, just go and watch Goran Sollscher. There’s no one who can play Bach’s pieces as well as Sollscher.
Agree.
Struggling sound. Perhaps the recording. Much Nail sound. But extremely well played.
Good but take care of your time
Sounds awkward on guitar. Stiff performance, somewhat robotic. The ebb and flow of Bach's beautiful melodic phrases is lost. Intonation problems above 7th fret. Good job on memorization. Dynamics and musicality not so much😊
Cindy Styles ouch!
I agree with this criticism. I think a greater dynamic range would have made it even better.
you sound like a joy to be around..... he shared music with you just enjoy it or move on
Looking forward to your own version of it, Cindy.