If you ever spent an hour a day playing classical guitar for many months or years, you'll really be touched by this guitar player. It takes a lot of patient training to get to this level. Thanks for sharing
there's something amazingly SPECIAL about a live performance WITH an audience... these are always the BEST performances... this performer does an amazing job.
Really loved this. Wonderful purity of tone, range of timbre and volume, wise restraint with speed, old-school right hand... You really bring out the best of what can be done with classical guitar. Congrads.
Ian, you did inspire me 11 years ago to pick up the guitar and learn to play. I played the Prelude last summer in my first full-length solo concert and I will play the whole series next summer. I won't match your perfect presentation but I'll do my best. Thanks.
Actually, I play it in Eb because Bach incorporated various Trinitarian references into this piece, one of which is the key signature (three flats). If one aims to highlight the key's theological significance, there wouldn't be much point playing it in Eb relative to Bach's time (which could be lower of higher depending on geography), as modern audiences hear Eb as relative to A=440Hz (or thereabouts). This decision has very little to do with 'historical performance practice'.
This is a magnificent interpretation and Mr. Watts adds his personal touch to make it sublime. An absolute delight to the senses... If you shut your eyes you are transported, elevated to another dimension where space and time have become irrelevant, due to the fact that you become so immersed in the music everything else just seems insignificant. By looking at the expressions on the player's face one sees just how concentrated and focused on the music he really is. Thanks for sharing. :)
Hi, Ian, a wonderful performance which duly passed my goosebump test on when I hear a terrific rendition. I just hope the audience who dragged themselves from their sick beds all made a speedy recovery. Best regards.
Love the compact RH fingers that make for a secure technique; the lightning fast LH position changes enabling seamless continuity in the phrasing; and overall, one of the most colorful and musically aware live renditions ever of the BWV998 on guitar. The fugue was simply phenomenal...one for the ages, Mr.Watt.
Very nice Ian indeed. A message to all the coughers. Maybe in a rock concert or a country rock concert, go ahead and cough to your heart's delight. DON'T COUGH IN A SOLO GUITAR CONCERT. If you had a cough before the concert and it just came on then stay home. If you don't want to stay home then LEARN HOW TO COUGH PROPERLY IN such a public setting as this which demands a quiet audience. Yes completely quiet. Cough into your armpit/sleeve. Silence that damn cough by 75% by doing that. You don't cough like you are about to sing a song. You should just get up on stage and perform a serenade of coughing. You took away from the performance. Anyway, LEARN HOW TO COUGH. I see so many classical guitar concerts where this happens. If I have to cough, I do so into my armpit. I don't ever recall coughing in a classical guitar concert. If you have a cough stay home. To cough this loud in such a concert is disrespectful. Ian you did fabulous. Keep up the great work.
thank you Ian, your's is my favorite version to listen to why I learn this just started the Allegro part...god its been some fun months with this monster. I first heard this in June and have listened to it at least 50 times since then. It helps me relax when all the crazyness that Bach starts to overwhelm me in practice and I can just appreciate what I'm striving for. Work was getting in the way from me practicing so I had to stop for 2 months should have it done soon thank you agin.
I have heard my young son playing this more or less every day for over a year and so know the piece pretty well. This performance is truly exceptional.
So concise, nothing under or overstressed, the flow in this rendition is immaculate to my ears, thanx from every guitarist Ian, for this treat to the lug holes. The cougher in the audience should have had manners enough to make (her?) self scarce till the interval.
This is my first TH-cam comment. Am moved by Ian’s superb performance. How many thousands of hours of work to play this monumental piece with such beauty and poise? And to have enough energy and determination to play in the original key! Extraordinary. Thank you.
It doesn't come any better than this. The musicality and emotion even more than the technicality make it stand out. About 100,000 of the views are mine.
Beautiful, Ian. I adore Bach's work. It never ceases to amaze me how such ruthless mathematical precision and logic of progression can sound so natural and inevitable. Believe it or not, this is the first time ever I have ever heard on of JS' work played on classical guitar. Sheer magic. More please.....
Ian - great job on these pieces. All the fingerings seem to make perfect sense in much the same way Segovia's fingerings always seemed to make sense. Great tonal variation and color. The music really prevails.
This incredible Ian !Such depth in your playing ! I loved your crescendos and rubati !You really got deep ! Maybe those uptight rude people who comment about his facial expressions should pay attention to the profundity of his interpretation when his ace expresses something ! I have never known why classical guitarist unlike other musicians are so harsh , petty and overly critical of personal things especially when an audio jewel such as this is right before them ! I tip my hat to you Ian ! You nailed this piece that I struggle with and I will listen to this with joy a thousand more times !! warmest regards, marc
I'm graduating high school this Saturday. It's not really high school, I go to an art school. One of my closest friends just played this fugue in a concert, and I fell in love with it. I am a violinist myself. I've heard other recordings of this piece but I'm drawn to yours the most - the sensitivity and pauses. It feels like it is how I would play it if it were a piece written for violin. I will forever associate this piece with my last weeks of this amazing school I am graduating from. And by extension, this recording. Thanks :)
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it. Important though it is to be informed about style, history etc, practicalities also have to be taken into consideration. Plus, even if the pitch could be altered easily, the modern guitar is not the original instrument so one has to take what can be applied to it and respectfully put aside what obviously wouldn't work.
This is a n example of a FINE right hand. The little finger is relaxed the thumb takes the stroke from the wrist. Very elegant, all student guitarists can learn so much from this. Not to mention awesome phrasing etc.... WOW
A superb performance that reaches out far beyond your 21 years! I wonder how many really comprehend and appreciate the preparation that goes into a work such as this? I look forward to seeing you live in concert one day soon.
Your playing is incredible! I hit the "subscribe" button upon the first few bars. This was some of the best playing of any sort I've ever heard. Thank you!
The best sound I´ve ever heard. I also find Mr Watts right hand technique extraordinary. The angle towards the strings and the preparation of each finger gives a very clear and distinct tone one does´nt hear too often. Thank you for sharing this Mr Watt. /M. Sederborg (Former student at the Royal academy of music, Stockholm)
i love this. Never heard a better interpretation of Prelude bv998. i enjoy the body language it gives so much power to the play. i try to emulate this excellent player.
This Allegro is definitely one of the best classical guitar renditions ever. I mean the whole music is amazing, but the Allegro is... pfff Thank you again
Nice dude!!!! Last allegro is always a great way to summarize the three movements. You know you remind of Julian bream when he plays, especially the facial expressions haha. Keep it up dude.
(2nd part to the above) Your mentioning cafes is interesting, as in some parts of the far east, many people treat performance in this way, getting up to answer their phones (as they did here) etc. I dislike it as much as everyone else, but I don't travel with recording equipment (travelling with my guitar is difficult enough) so my recorded live performances are rare (they only happen when someone else records them) and in this case I thought it was worth putting up on youtube.
Go for a quick five to ten minute meditation before a performance and you will be most pleased with how well you execute free and effortlessly. People that go on without that are subject to all the accentuated energy expressions that don't really feel all that good in the long run. All the same, this was excellent. I'm sure many a chinese kid thinks he is supposed to get these "Cultured Expressions" to be a real professional. Your rendition is strong, perfect and excellently done.
Bravo for some very fine guitar playing. Condolences to CG/Lute lovers and aficionados everywhere, suffering with/under recorded respiratory afflictions.
you play so so great my friend ! coming back to your performance of the piece every day! espacially love the passage in the fuge that starts 4:55 :) all the best from germany, Marco
Hi Ian Just seen you perform this at the Sage Gateshead this afternoon. Most impressive performance! Well done on your great technique and interpretation! Enjoyed the whole concert. Shame more folk didn't turn out though, they missed a real treat! Regards, Keith
I'm no audiophile nor guitar connoisseur, but this piece of music may very well be the one I love the most, and Mr. Watt handled it very much to my liking.
Ian's gestures are HIS responses to the music;) Properly pronouncing the motifs in this piece take considerable skill and Ian does a good job. Especially given his youth for his play is far beyond his years. Ian has yet to see the peak in his play. I'll enjoy watching him mature into even a greater talent.
To read some of my thoughts on transcribing Bach for guitar, see this 'unlocked' post at www.patreon.com/posts/99842003? and feel free to comment!
If you ever spent an hour a day playing classical guitar for many months or years, you'll really be touched by this guitar player. It takes a lot of patient training to get to this level. Thanks for sharing
there's something amazingly SPECIAL about a live performance WITH an audience... these are always the BEST performances... this performer does an amazing job.
This is probably my favorite interpretation of prelude. Not overly fast and has character rather than sounding robotic.
Really nice legato. So many play this with abrupt chord changes. The prelude was wonderfully fluid and flowing. Lovely playing.
Dear Mr. Watt
This is a legendary kind of guitar playing....
Thank you so much...
It's a great inspiration!
I'm listening over and over the Allegro, it's hipnotizing. Thank you.
What a singing guitar.
Thanks for sharing.
Together with Julian Breams this is my favorite performance
of Bachs Prelude,Fugue and Allegro
- very nice...:) Thank you!
Stellar performance! Such control, and great expressiveness. Thank you.
Really loved this. Wonderful purity of tone, range of timbre and volume, wise restraint with speed, old-school right hand... You really bring out the best of what can be done with classical guitar. Congrads.
Ian, you did inspire me 11 years ago to pick up the guitar and learn to play. I played the Prelude last summer in my first full-length solo concert and I will play the whole series next summer. I won't match your perfect presentation but I'll do my best. Thanks.
Absolutely stunning..., just wonderful. Ian Watt is the expression of perfection !
Actually, I play it in Eb because Bach incorporated various Trinitarian references into this piece, one of which is the key signature (three flats). If one aims to highlight the key's theological significance, there wouldn't be much point playing it in Eb relative to Bach's time (which could be lower of higher depending on geography), as modern audiences hear Eb as relative to A=440Hz (or thereabouts). This decision has very little to do with 'historical performance practice'.
Where could one learn more about the theology behind this piece and others?
@@IpCrackle T. Hoppstock. Bach's Lute Works from the Guitarist's Perspective vol. II. gives a great overview in my opinion
This is a magnificent interpretation and Mr. Watts adds his personal touch to make it sublime. An absolute delight to the senses... If you shut your eyes you are transported, elevated to another dimension where space and time have become irrelevant, due to the fact that you become so immersed in the music everything else just seems insignificant. By looking at the expressions on the player's face one sees just how concentrated and focused on the music he really is. Thanks for sharing. :)
Well said my friend :)
Yes, well said, thoroughly enjoyed it, but I couldn't transport myself because of the "solo" coughing.
After years and listening to countless other versions, i came back to yours today Ian... and it is still my favourite one.
Hi, Ian, a wonderful performance which duly passed my goosebump test on when I hear a terrific rendition. I just hope the audience who dragged themselves from their sick beds all made a speedy recovery. Best regards.
Love the compact RH fingers that make for a secure technique; the lightning fast LH position changes enabling seamless continuity in the phrasing; and overall, one of the most colorful and musically aware live renditions ever of the BWV998 on guitar. The fugue was simply phenomenal...one for the ages, Mr.Watt.
Such beautiful music and playing! Thank you.
Thank you very much!
Brilliant performance Ian. Thanks for sharing
Loved your performance here, Ian, great to see you playing your heart out here, World-class! Best of luck.
Beautiful playing and i loved the way you ended the fugue . Thank's
A very sensitive and expressive performance. Quite outstanding.
Very nice Ian indeed. A message to all the coughers. Maybe in a rock concert or a country rock concert, go ahead and cough to your heart's delight. DON'T COUGH IN A SOLO GUITAR CONCERT. If you had a cough before the concert and it just came on then stay home. If you don't want to stay home then LEARN HOW TO COUGH PROPERLY IN such a public setting as this which demands a quiet audience. Yes completely quiet. Cough into your armpit/sleeve. Silence that damn cough by 75% by doing that. You don't cough like you are about to sing a song. You should just get up on stage and perform a serenade of coughing. You took away from the performance. Anyway, LEARN HOW TO COUGH. I see so many classical guitar concerts where this happens. If I have to cough, I do so into my armpit. I don't ever recall coughing in a classical guitar concert. If you have a cough stay home. To cough this loud in such a concert is disrespectful. Ian you did fabulous. Keep up the great work.
Who would have guessed that this holds today more than ever ;) peace
thank you Ian, your's is my favorite version to listen to why I learn this just started the Allegro part...god its been some fun months with this monster. I first heard this in June and have listened to it at least 50 times since then. It helps me relax when all the crazyness that Bach starts to overwhelm me in practice and I can just appreciate what I'm striving for. Work was getting in the way from me practicing so I had to stop for 2 months should have it done soon thank you agin.
I have heard my young son playing this more or less every day for over a year and so know the piece pretty well. This performance is truly exceptional.
Is everyone in the audience deathly ill?
Amazing performance as always, Ian.
1:34 th-cam.com/video/xiA6qe5S2wU/w-d-xo.html
So concise, nothing under or overstressed, the flow in this rendition is immaculate to my ears, thanx from every guitarist Ian, for this treat to the lug holes. The cougher in the audience should have had manners enough to make (her?) self scarce till the interval.
A very sensitive and beautiful interpretation. Bravo.
Bach's pieces played beautifully.. Your tonal quality is excellent. Thank you.
Very musical beautiful dynamic contrasting and introductions too the themes
This is my first TH-cam comment. Am moved by Ian’s superb performance. How many thousands of hours of work to play this monumental piece with such beauty and poise? And to have enough energy and determination to play in the original key! Extraordinary. Thank you.
It doesn't come any better than this. The musicality and emotion even more than the technicality make it stand out. About 100,000 of the views are mine.
Superb performance! Thank you for the gift of your talent and art.
Not one note off. Soulful performance. Thank you for this treat Mr. Watt.
Beautiful, Ian. I adore Bach's work. It never ceases to amaze me how such ruthless mathematical precision and logic of progression can sound so natural and inevitable. Believe it or not, this is the first time ever I have ever heard on of JS' work played on classical guitar. Sheer magic. More please.....
This is a wonderful performance by a masterful guitarist. It is a pleasure to both watch and listen.
Ian - great job on these pieces. All the fingerings seem to make perfect sense in much the same way Segovia's fingerings always seemed to make sense. Great tonal variation and color. The music really prevails.
This incredible Ian !Such depth in your playing ! I loved your crescendos and rubati !You really got deep ! Maybe those uptight rude people who comment about his facial expressions should pay attention to the profundity of his interpretation when his ace expresses something ! I have never known why classical guitarist unlike other musicians are so harsh , petty and overly critical of personal things especially when an audio jewel such as this is right before them ! I tip my hat to you Ian ! You nailed this piece that I struggle with and I will listen to this with joy a thousand more times !! warmest regards, marc
What an amazing performance! the sound and tone colors you get out of your guitar and your interpretation are amazing. You're truly and inspiration.
Congratulations! Very expressive and well played! You think at each phrase, articulating every single detail! Thanks for sharing
I'm graduating high school this Saturday. It's not really high school, I go to an art school. One of my closest friends just played this fugue in a concert, and I fell in love with it. I am a violinist myself. I've heard other recordings of this piece but I'm drawn to yours the most - the sensitivity and pauses. It feels like it is how I would play it if it were a piece written for violin. I will forever associate this piece with my last weeks of this amazing school I am graduating from. And by extension, this recording. Thanks :)
Thanks for sharing. A very touching and moving performance. Bravo.
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it. Important though it is to be informed about style, history etc, practicalities also have to be taken into consideration. Plus, even if the pitch could be altered easily, the modern guitar is not the original instrument so one has to take what can be applied to it and respectfully put aside what obviously wouldn't work.
One of the best guitar performances I’ve ever heard, exquisite
Incredible performance. You made such difficult music sound effortless!
This is a n example of a FINE right hand. The little finger is relaxed the thumb takes the stroke from the wrist. Very elegant, all student guitarists can learn so much from this. Not to mention awesome phrasing etc.... WOW
Really, really brilliant performance. On par, if not better, than Bream's interpretation.
Very beautiful sound and a great talent!!!!!!! Exceptional artist!!!!!!! BRAVO!!!!!!!!
A superb performance that reaches out far beyond your 21 years! I wonder how many really comprehend and appreciate the preparation that goes into a work such as this? I look forward to seeing you live in concert one day soon.
Absolutely lovely. Looking forward to hearing you tonight in Aberdeen.
Your playing is incredible! I hit the "subscribe" button upon the first few bars. This was some of the best playing of any sort I've ever heard. Thank you!
...just started studying this piece... Incredible performance Ian, it's totally inspiring to hear you play!!
Man, that's just awesome! You just gave me a nice idea in allegro part. Thanx!
The best sound I´ve ever heard. I also find Mr Watts right hand technique extraordinary. The angle towards the strings and the preparation of each finger gives a very clear and distinct tone one does´nt hear too often. Thank you for sharing this Mr Watt.
/M. Sederborg
(Former student at the Royal academy of music, Stockholm)
i love this. Never heard a better interpretation of Prelude bv998. i enjoy the body language it gives so much power to the play. i try to emulate this excellent player.
This Allegro is definitely one of the best classical guitar renditions ever. I mean the whole music is amazing, but the Allegro is... pfff Thank you again
Ian simply superb no words thankyou so much for this performance
Wonderful technique and dynamics!! Bravo!
Great interpretation and execution, he hears the melody inside.
Thank you, Ian. Simply beautiful. More please.
Nice dude!!!! Last allegro is always a great way to summarize the three movements. You know you remind of Julian bream when he plays, especially the facial expressions haha. Keep it up dude.
Thanks so very much the performance! So very nice played
(2nd part to the above) Your mentioning cafes is interesting, as in some parts of the far east, many people treat performance in this way, getting up to answer their phones (as they did here) etc. I dislike it as much as everyone else, but I don't travel with recording equipment (travelling with my guitar is difficult enough) so my recorded live performances are rare (they only happen when someone else records them) and in this case I thought it was worth putting up on youtube.
wonderful performance! thanks for uploading
Such a well done set. You can really feel the warmth in the music. The movements throughout, however, do detract from the beauty of it.
delightful performance... Ian... thank you...
Beautifully played, best I've heard...
Wonderful playing and amazing concentration / focus and stamina. Loved it Ian ......Favorites!
Go for a quick five to ten minute meditation before a performance and you will be most pleased with how well you execute free and effortlessly. People that go on without that are subject to all the accentuated energy expressions that don't really feel all that good in the long run. All the same, this was excellent. I'm sure many a chinese kid thinks he is supposed to get these "Cultured Expressions" to be a real professional. Your rendition is strong, perfect and excellently done.
So peaceful! One of the best performances I've ever heard. Thanks.
Bravo... maravilloso Ian... wanderful... chapeau!
wowowow you just play the piece perfectly !!!!
the part in the fugue where the arpeggio comes in you just play it very wonderfull and musical!
Simply excellent. Thank you, Ian
Just found this by chance... You have an enormous career ahead of you, congratulations!
Absolute precision , Intensity and dedication and feeling great job buddy
I really enjoyed this Ian! You are a gifted artist. Keep growing.
beautiful! played this for my As performance
Awesome playing! Great tone!
Great interpretation and performance Masterful! Congratulations . Love to watch and listen to you play.
This is fantastic. I really enjoy the emotion you put into your performance.
maravillosa interpretacion, gran musica de Bach, excelente video.
This is an amazing performance. ❤ wonderful
Bravo for some very fine guitar playing. Condolences to CG/Lute lovers and aficionados everywhere, suffering with/under recorded respiratory afflictions.
I'm glad you like Bach and enjoyed my interpretation and thanks so much for commenting. Best wishes, Ian
Awesome, excellent tone and phrasing. Congratulations
So beautiful that I felt a sense of the Divine. Your guitar has a really beautiful tone.
you play so so great my friend !
coming back to your performance of the piece every day!
espacially love the passage in the fuge that starts 4:55 :)
all the best from germany, Marco
Great job! Be proud of your sound it is good!
Hi Ian
Just seen you perform this at the Sage Gateshead this afternoon. Most impressive performance! Well done on your great technique and interpretation! Enjoyed the whole concert. Shame more folk didn't turn out though, they missed a real treat!
Regards, Keith
i have no words to describe how beautiful his interpretation is...
Great playing, Brother. I'm getting ready to record this myself. Great to see someone still playing it in Eb.
absolutely perfect, this will go on my non stop playlist!
Great music, great player, great devine interpretater and great recorder, including coughs.
I'm no audiophile nor guitar connoisseur, but this piece of music may very well be the one I love the most, and Mr. Watt handled it very much to my liking.
really nice tone, one of the best I've heard
First seen you ou Classical Star and was impressed with your progression. Best wishes for your developing career.
Quite well intonation for such a young player, quite well understanding of Bach.
Great playing, Ian! Velvet tone and an exquisite Kwakkel (if I am not wrong). Congrats on your wonderful career. Best, G
Ian's gestures are HIS responses to the music;) Properly pronouncing the motifs in this piece take considerable skill and Ian does a good job. Especially given his youth for his play is far beyond his years. Ian has yet to see the peak in his play. I'll enjoy watching him mature into even a greater talent.