Giants of the Guitar - The Performers III

Here it is Hump Day and we find ourselves in the midst of a great week looking at the Music of the Giants of the Guitar.  This week we are looking at the Performers and next week we will get in as many of the Composers as will fit.  Today's featured Performer is a direct legacy of Andres Segovia, Grammy winner John Williams.  He is not to be confused with  Film Composer and Academy Award winner John Williams.   Our John Williams was born in Melborne,  Australia to a British father and an Aussie Mum.  His first teacher was his father, Guitarist Len Williams, who moved the family to London in 1952.  

From the age of eleven he attended summer courses with Andrés Segovia at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. Later, Williams attended the Royal College of Music in London from 1956 to 1959, studying piano because the college did not have a guitar department at the time. Upon graduation, he was offered the opportunity to create such a department. He took the opportunity and ran the department for its first two years. Williams has maintained links with the college (and with the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester) ever since.  His Grammy, which he shared with Guitarist/Lutenist Julian Bream for Julian and John,  win came in 1973.  (We will talk more about Julian tomorrow) His Concert and Recording career spans 7 decades and shows no sign of stopping as he is still currently performing world wide.  

I have two LP's to share with you today between here and my tumblr.  Posted below is John Williams Plays Bach The Four Lute Suites on Guitar.  The play list includes Suite No. 1 in E minor for Lute, BWV 996; Suite (Partita) in A minor, BWV 997 (originally in C minor); Lute Suite No. 4 in E Major, BWV 1006a and Suite in A minor for Lute, BWV 995.  Over on my tumblr, John takes us on a Musical Journey through 500 Years of Guitar. 

Of course Hump Day would not be complete with out a little celebration and splash about as we crest the hump and get started down hill towards the Weekend.  You will find Uncle Gerry's prescription for sore eyes in this edition of Wet Wednesday posted down below.  Additional visual inspiration may be viewed in the Hottie of the Day! over on my tumblr.  Thanks for sharing some time with me today, tune in tomorrow for our look at Julian Bream, our next Giant of the Guitar.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!