More Classical Music

Originally written on February 15, 2008

I’m starting to enjoy classical music esp. if it’s properly explained to me. It all started because of this Japanese dorama – Nodame Cantabile which is about classical music. I was so enamored I went to Youtube.com and searched for clips of classical music. (Before Nodame, I know one classical music artist Lang Lang. I saw him on a BBC documentary about classical pianists. His name means abnormal and mentally ill in the Hiligaynon language that’s why when some people ask me for some classical artist and I reply Lang Lang all I get is the bemused look and the mandatory giggle. No Lang Lang is not lang lang, he is Chinese phenom.) I chose Spanish guitar solos since I love that instrument. Ta-da!!! Right there and then names came up – almost all unfamiliar to me. I chose this EMU professor playing "Spanish Romance" – the guitar solo that I really love – but a comment cited the professor made at least three mistakes so I moved to other guitarists. One name stood out Jose Feliciano – probably the original GOD-GUITAR (the name given to the lead guitarist of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE)! He played Flight of the Bumble Bee with blinding hand speed that could embarrass Slash. However other than the Flight, he didn’t play other classical pieces. It doesn’t matter I’m still astonished by his talent despite the fact I probably saw Senor Feliciano’s clips several times already!!!

Jose Feliciano playing Flight of the Bumble Bee



Spanish Romance - composed by an anonymous medieval Spanish guitarist became even more famous when it was featured in the French movie "Forbidden Games (Jeux Interdits)"