Two masters of the guitar, Eliot Fisk, a great classical guitarist, and Paco Peña, one of the greatest flamenco guitarists ever: in a tiny concert presented by NPR Music, they’re playing two classical and two flamenco pieces.

The repertoire here ranges from Baroque compositions by Bach and Domenico Scarlatti to present-day flamenco. And what happens when these two master players get together is a mix of meticulous and improvised, with Fisk leaning toward the former and Peña toward the latter.

Eliot Fisk looks like the happiest man on the planet. Watch that face as he plays guitar. Between performing music by J.S. Bach and partnering with the world’s best flamenco guitarist, Paco Peña, Fisk can barely control his joy. I find his exuberance and their performance undeniably brilliant, inspiring and so completely universal. The repertoire here ranges from Baroque compositions by Bach and Domenico Scarlatti to present-day flamenco. And what happens when these two master players get together is a mix of meticulous and improvised, with Fisk leaning toward the former and Peña toward the latter. Fisk was a student – in fact, the last student – of the great Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia. Peña was born in Spain and is a composer in addition to being a gifted performer. On these tunes, and with Fisk, Peña tends to never play the same thing quite the same way. It makes for music that’s filled with craft (watch those fingers fly!) and surprises for both the player and the audience. –BOB BOILEN

Set List

  1. Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in D Major K.33
  2. Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude in F major, BWV 927
  3. Sabicas: “Farruca”
  4. Paco Peña: “El nuevo día (Colombiana)”

Credits

Producers: Bob Boilen, Denise DeBelius; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Olivia Merrion; Production Assistant: Meredith Rizzo; photo by Meredith Rizzo/NPR

Eliot Fisk

Eliot Fisk
Eliot Fisk

Eliot Fisk (born August 10, 1954, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American classical guitarist and pedagogue. He was a student – in fact, the last student – of the great Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia. Segovia has been regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time and is the only modern guitarist to achieve recognition with the general public. Many professional classical guitarists today are students of Segovia or students of his students.

He is a professor at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg in Austria, where he teaches in five different languages, and in Boston at the New England Conservatory. His students have come from many countries, and many have gone on to become important performers and teachers in their own right.

Paco Peña

Paco Peña
Paco Peña

Paco Peña (born 1 June 1942) is a Spanish flamenco composer and guitarist. He is regarded as one of the world’s foremost traditional Flamenco players.

Peña also created the Centro Flamenco Paco Peña in Córdoba and was responsible for the founding of the now-celebrated annual Córdoba Guitar Festival, which has seen appearances by other Flamenco greats such as Manolo Sanlúcar and Paco de Lucía.

In 1997 Peña was named Oficial de la Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil by King Juan Carlos of Spain.

His most famous compositions include his Misa Flamenca, a Flamenco Mass, and Requiem for the Earth, both of which have received great critical acclaim.

He has also had a number of notable collaborations, significantly with the classical guitarist John Williams, Argentine folk music guitarist and composer Eduardo Falú and the Chilean group Inti-Illimani.

M. Özgür Nevres

Published by M. Özgür Nevres

I am Özgür Nevres, a software engineer, a former road racing cyclist, and also an amateur musician. I opened andantemoderato.com to share my favorite music. I also take care of stray cats & dogs. This website's all income goes directly to our furry friends. Please consider supporting me on Patreon, so I can help more animals!

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