Agustin Barrios Mangore, Xue Fei Yang, and Kaori Muraji

by Melvin
(Niagara Falls, ON)

First and foremost I liked to say that I can not realistically define in full, the emotions that three of this artists bring out in their playing.

Barrios, I like for his mood and color that he always portrays in his compositions.

I mean to me pesonnally, I think he was just as good a guitarist as Segovia. Barrios to me evokes a lot of melodic mixes in his works and it really shows in "La Cathedral" and even in "Juila Florida".

Xue Fei on the other hand has somewhat of the extraordinary flow in her playing. Even when a song is played allegro, it sounds so clear and unrushed if that makes any sense.

Her playing it so smooth and is further heightened by her expressive way of playing.

Ah, last but not least the infamous Kaori Muraji. Like Yang she stared playing very young under the teachings of her father. It is very evident in her playing that she is very confident when she plays.

At times, it looks as if she plays very aggressive but, to me again, shows that she is very into what she is playing and that in itself is something that is lost in many musicians.

The expression of oneself must always come out in any piece whether it be composed by them or by another individual. A musician to me has to have the ability to look past the cress. and decres. and just play from their hearts.

So in conclusion, I find that Barrios, Yang, and Muraji as for now, to be my favorite classical guitarists. Not because of just their godlike playing ability but because what emotion and expressive feeling they portray to the listener.

One has not to hear the music but to LISTEN to the music.