Hello Francis by John Williams

[Ylva40]

I love this piece and you play it so well! My dad took me to see JW as well in 3/11. I can't play this piece yet but I have played JW's arrangement of the Magic Box. I'll send as a video response. I hope you like it. Subbed and favorited. Your friend - Quentin

[sammu5]

Hi Quentin!

Thanks very much!  I'll listen to your video.....right now....

:-sam

[nicholasherbert1]

Hi Sam, would you be so kind as to post a video of the first section played at a much slower tempo I think then I would be able to nail this! I would be so grateful if you would do this please

Regards

Nicholas - Ireland

[mspclassicalguitar]

very nicely played, Samantha. Saw JW in concert on 3/18/11 - he played this piece and "From a Bird" in midst of an otherwise-all-South-&-Latin-Am­erican program, and they were really the two most enjoyable and expressively-played pieces of the evening. thanks for the links to the pdfs!

[nicholasherbert1]

Hi there I sent a message before to you about the possibilty of tabbing this for other guitarists, you didnt respont, I respect that cos it forced me to pick my way slowly through the piece I've managed to wade all the way through to section B of the piece, But im lost at the next section I can see that it is played up on the top frets at an octave higher but i cant figure out the fingerings for this section

I would be really greatful if you could send me the tabs for these 8 bars Nicholas

[sammu5]

@nicholasherbert1

Hi! I only just saw your comment. For some reason none of my YT comments have been coming to my email and only stumbled across this by chance. I'm really sorry. If you still need help with those 8 bars then let me know. Otherwise please accept my sincerest apologies :))

Best wishes,

sam

[nicholasherbert1]

@sammu5 Hi sam I really only need help with the 1st 10 or so bars just the timing I cant seem to get right

Any help would be most appreciated

Thanks

Nicholas

[selfTaughtGirl]

Gosh, you make playing look so easy.

[nicholasherbert1]

Hi there i really like this piece i found the sheet music on Williams site however it is quite hard to decipher - is there a tab version of this. Would it take long to tab is? If you would tabulate it it would make the piece much more accessable to other musicians who are not that great on reading standard notation. Thanks Nicholas

[melisified]

Classical Guitar Piece, eh? Nice. ^_^

[carvetop01]

Brilliant performance. I wish I had your right hand :O)

allen

[KarlheinzFey1]

Wonderful piece and fantastic guitar playing! Congrats, thumbs up and best regards Karlheinz

[focl2003]

sammu5 you are all about this piece, beauty, grace, joy, feeling, and yes John Williams is our idol and he will always be.

[mjrami]

Very, very NICE, you can tell John Williams stole some counterpoints from other tunes, I like thr way he mixed them together. Nice job on your playing!!!

Marcelo Jose Ramirez

[TrustNooooo1]

you are very natural and relax. I love constant smile while your playing not only during this piece. So many guitarists looks like they are truly suffering while performing! :)

[sammu5]

Thank you Marek! I really enjoy playing this piece....even tho' I was actually suffering because my ankle hurt so much! You wouldn't think playing the guitar could hurt your ankle.... :-D

sam

[cristiuscatu]

@sammu5 hi!

have you made the transcription yourself? if so very well done.

i am curently working on a few songs from j.w cd, if you have anymore work done it would be apreciated if you continue to share by posting some more videos.

i enjoyed you playng very much.

[carpeguitarra]

Great piece and I loved the way you played it. Thanks for letting us know the music can be downloaded.

Tim

[sammu5]

Hi Tim!

It's a really cool piece. Have fun with it!

Best wishes,

sam :-D

[jzgtrman]

Hello Sam.....I just arrived here per friend invite from Josie. Your duos with Josie are so pleasant. And this song here is an audiophilic joy.

God keep you, good lady,

.....Robert

[sammu5]

Thanks again Robert! This is a really fun piece! Glad you like the duos with Josie! I enjoy them too!

Best wishes,

sam :-D

[reiviloguitare]

This is a very great job Sam, congratulations for that

Amitiés

Olivier

[janiehutch]

WOW

This is just fantastic Sam

I really wish I could relax my hands like you do and let my fingers work!

I'll keep trying

I have no clue as to why I am not informed when you upload, as the settings are correct. I must remember to logon to your site every so often and get some inspiration.

How's your foot now??

xx

[zappatero7]

masterous playing, sam! of course! always a pleasure to listen...

Enrico =)

[tetomapa]

Beautiful sammu, just beautiful!!!!!

[sammu5]

@tetomapa

Thank you!

Best wishes,

:-sam

[JesseGuitar07]

just come back for more, and saved in my playlist:),so I don't have to come back here any more:P

[sammu5]

Thanks again Jesse. The sheet music is available to download on JW's website for free. Best wishes, sam :-D

[sammu5]

@LFWOL

Re my comment of 2 weeks ago... I said my guitar is a Smallman (which it is) but in this video I am in fact playing on a friend's Dieter Hopf/Manuel Adalid guitar. It is also a lattice braced guitar, like the Smallman. Anyway, just thought I better clarify that! Thanks and best wishes from sam :-D

[JesseGuitar07]

that was so so nice :) .

enjoyed always!!

jesse

[sammu5]

Hi Jesse! Good to hear from you! Hope you are well and playing lots (of guitar :)

Take care and thanks for watching. Best wishes,

:-sam

[TheIndieAmerican]

Your playing is amazing! I'm glad I stumbled upon your channel. Thank you for sharing your talent!

[sammu5]

@TheIndieAmerican

Hi! I'm glad you stumbled across my channel too!  Thanks for watching! Best wishes from sam :-D

[nylonguitar]

hi Sam, A wonderful,beautiful performance. I think you are the coolest. I pray your ankle gets better...Steve

[sammu5]

Hi Steve! The ankle is much better now thanks! Thanks for the support. Best wishes from sam :-D

[southcoastsounds]

Incredibly good playing - a joyous performance

[sammu5]

@southcoastsounds

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed this!

Best wishes,

:-sam

[thenatureway]

great music! you are the master:D

[sammu5]

@thenatureway

Thank you! You are very kind!

Best wishes,

:-sam

[ClassicalGuitar1111]

Thanks for recording this piece and playing it so expertly...

best wishes,

Grant

[sammu5]

Hi Grant! Thanks for watching!

Best wishes,

:-sam

[gembela07062001]

Hi Sam, this is a great, vivid piece, it suits you very well. Sorry, I am bad at keeping an eye on friends at YT, but I often think of you these days, my wake up music at 5:30 is your CD, it reminds me in a gentle way to start working. Thanks for that also. Greetings,

Gergely

[sammu5]

Hi Gergely! Great to hear from you again! Hope you and your family are all well and that you are playing lots of wonderful pieces.  Waking up at 5.30! That's very early! But a good time to start work.... I'm glad the CD is a gentle alarm clock :-) Take care and I look forward to hearing something from you soon. Best wishes,

:-sam

[freewillis1004]

Wow~ So Good ^^*

Have you changed the guitar?

Your guitar sound is more bright than ever before.

[sammu5]

@freewillis1004

The guitar I am playing hear is actually a friend's guitar. I was just borrowing it to practise.... She recorded this on her iPhone! Thanks for watching.

Best wishes, sam :-D

[sammu5]

@LFWOL

Thanks for listening! My guitar is a Greg Smallman and Sons 2007. Great guitar!!!!!

Best wishes, sam :-D

[amccann7]

haha, I commented b4 I got to the end; nice smile & those leg cramps can be a killer!! But you can't stop until the song is finished!!!!

Anyway, it was more fun to listen a second time...

[amccann7]

Sam! How lovely is this piece! And under your fingers; even better!!!

Such a lovely bright sounding guitar you are playing too. You never cease to amaze me; I think you are my favorite classical guitarist EVER!

Amy xo

[sammu5]

Hi Amy! You are very kind! Thanks for your support, I appreciate it!

Best wishes, sam :-D

[cheocarbone100]

hey nice song and perfomance

take care and i wait for more videos of you =)

[sammu5]

@cheocarbone100

Thanks for watching!

Best wishes,

:-sam

[marinhomarape]

Beautiful



[sammu5]

@marinhomarape

Thanks!

:-sam

[beedeetripo]

Excellent work Sam, very impressive technique!! Greetings and respect from Holland! Hope your ankle will get better soon! Bram

[sammu5]

Hi Bram from Holland! Glad you enjoyed this and thanks for the support! Best wishes from sam :-D

[hackettguitar]

Hello Sam : )

I'm very happy to listen to you again ! You are an amazing musician : D ! Your interpretation is lovely and very beautiful : )

Raphaël : )

[sammu5]

Hi Raphaël,

Good to hear from you! Hope you are well! Thanks for watching. Best wishes to you from sam :-D

[hyperboreal]

Hi, I knew this piece from the John William's site but never played it. There hasn't been many updates on that site for a long time, and well, that's a shame for guitarists who want to have access to his arrangements and pieces (since that was the original purpose of the website). Anyway, wonderful performance of yours of a lovely piece, you have very refined technique!

[sammu5]

@hyperboreal

Thanks for listening. I think JW is busy touring - solo and with John Etheridge so i guess he doesn't get much time to update his site. But I'm grateful for the 2 pieces he has made available. I'm sure many publishers would love to publish his music so it is kind of him to make these pieces available for free! Best wishes, sam :-D

[spronev]

Very nicely played, Sam!

Svilen

[sammu5]

Thank you Svilen!

Best wishes,

:-sam

[benboy1971]

That was great, I was mesmerized!  Well filmed. Excellent ending! Of course Josie was there...... you both laughed at the end!!

Ben

[sammu5]

Hi Ben! This was all down to Josie. I was just sitting there practising and she wanted to play with her new toy - an iPhone with video. Best wishes, :-sam and :-josie

[Harky1951]

You never fail to impress me Sam. Wonderful job. Pamela

[sammu5]

Hi Pamela! Thanks for watching!

Best wishes,

sam :-D

[bch1234]

Brilliant, as usual !!!!!

Are you and Josie living near by ?

Hope your ankle are getting better .

Smile from Anne Mari

[sammu5]

Hi Anne Mari! Thanks for watching! Josie and I are neighbours!

Best wishes, sam :-D

[Monster2820]

Sehr gut gespielt, gefällt mir sehr gut.

Gruß

Dieter-Klaus

[sammu5]

@Monster2820

Thanks for watching!

Best wishes,

sam :-D

[bunkomen]

Dear Sam, I hope your ankle heals quickly!

I fell in love with this song, I'll have to play it!

Your fingers work wonders, I'm still in total awe of the grace of your game ..

Regards,

Thomas

[sammu5]

Hi Thomas! I hope you found the link to the sheet music of this in my comments. I can recommend playing it - difficult but fun! Best wishes,

sam :-D

[bunkomen]

@sammu5 I'm on it now ;-)

Thank you again Sam ! Have a nice thuesday

Thomas

[rdan06]

Whaou Sam, fantastic performance ! it's exciting to see unusual (and great) pieces.

I should try this position, seems very comfortable :-)

All the best

Daniel

[sammu5]

Hi Daniel!

Glad you like my zen guitar position!

Best wishes,

sam :-D

[gemmamarisuarez]

Lovely video Sam!, I enjoy with your performance on the floor and with the history of Francis Bebey too. Bye, best regards from Spain,

Gemma

[sammu5]

Hi Gemma! Glad you enjoyed this piece! Muchas gracias y saludos! sam :-D

[chamacojesus]

It is an outstanding job, Madam. The best of all is the smile at the end... ;D

[sammu5]

@chamacojesus

Thanks for watching!

Best wishes, sam :-D

[bdclassicalguitarist]

Hi Sam, I've been neglecting YouTube recently due to taking care of children starting college ... What a joy to see your video when I signed on this morning. This is a beautiful piece and you play wonderfully as always. Sorry about your ankle. I'm glad you're still able to play even if you have to sit on the floor.

All the best...Ben

[sammu5]

hi Ben! Sometimes it's hard to find time to do everything! My forced "rest" has meant I've got time to catch up on comments. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

sam :-D

[AzeriMagicStrings]

Remarkable performance!

The cheerful piece.

Best wishes, Elmar,

[sammu5]

Thank you Elmar!

Best wishes,

sam :-D

[jimguitarfan]

Hiya Sam. I didn't know JW had composed anything at all, but this is a very enjoyable piece ! Pretty impressive performance from an invalid as well :o)

Is that Josie's new guitar? It has an unusual appearance and I recall seeing it in one of your ensemble videos. Best Regards, Jim

[sammu5]

Hi Jim! Yes, it's Josie's guitar! I borrowed it. Sounds really sweet, but is really ugly! The ugly duckling guitar!  Thanks for watching! Best wishes, :-sam

[Kipling08]

THANKS SAM... ♪ ♫

[sammu5]

@Kipling08

Thanks for watching!

:-sam

[Mr5stevenr]

Hi Sam. I should have guessed it was Josie holding the camera. Her eye for flair has caught your profile strikingly, highlighted by the windowlight. And the the lovely fireplace snugly in the corner. You choose some of the most pleasant pieces for us, and I can see the relish in your performance. You are really enjoying yourself. I am always a nervous fish in front of the camera. Really well played, and very enjoyable! Steve.

[sammu5]

Hi Steve! It's much easier to enjoy yourself when someone else has the responsibility of the camera. I also think the spontaneity of the moment helped. If Josie had told me earlier we were going to record this I would have got really nervous. BTW It might not show but I am always nervous in front of the camera! Glad you enjoyed this. Best wishes, sam :-D

[GuenterGeurts]

Hi Sam, so many notes :-) Masterfully played! Thank you for pointing to John Williams site.

Best wishes, Guenter

[sammu5]

Hi Guenter! It's an interesting site and there are 2 pieces to download. I haven't tried the other one yet but it's slower.... :-) Best wishes from sam :-D

[BocaFriend]

Hi, Sam -- Very impressive to hear this effervescent piece

(under less-than-optimum circumstances, ouch in sympathy)

which reminds me a bit of Bolling's Suite with Lagoya and

Rampal, if you know what I mean. You're a testament to

the concept that "the show must go on" despite the pain

of the performer(s). And Josie's spontaneous recording

looks and sounds "prima!" Imagine if Chopin and Liszt

could have had cells? Warm greetings and best wishes

for your pain reduction asap, ~Terry

[sammu5]

Hi Terry! Yes, I think this is a bit like Bebey meets Guiiani! It's an interesting piece and fun to play. Good idea of Josie's to capture the moment! Thanks for watching and best wishes from sam :-D

[Vreci]

Hi Sam !

What a pleasure to hear this song from you !

I like this piece very much!

Thank you for sharing your music!

best regards from Geboltskirchen ( 6 ° C),

Wolfgang

BTW: How is your ankle in the meanwhile?

and where is your guitar?

[sammu5]

Hi Wolfgang! Glad you enjoyed this. My guitar was at home so I borrowed Josie's! My ankle is quite painful...what a nuisance. Best wishes from sam :-D

[SommaVesuvio]

Bravo Sam,

It is a lovely composition and your playing always delights. Recently had the pleasure of seeing JW play this, I think Hello Francis means a lot to him and I'm confident he would approve of your interpretation. I think Josie did a great job with the video, she certainly captured the precision and sensitivity of your technique. Thank you very much for the recording,

Best wishes, SV :)

PS Hope your ankle improves rapidly and you make a full recovery.

[sammu5]

Hi SV,

I think JW does enjoy playing this piece. I've seen him play it 3 times now.  Something to aspire to! I think Josie's spontaneous recording was a good idea because if she'd asked me beforehand to record this I would have said, no way! It really is quite tricky! Best wishes to you from sam :-D

[porsche217]

Hi Sam,

a beautiful start into the new day! Thanks for the share und have a beautiful weekend.

Cheers from Lemgo/Germany

Bernd

[sammu5]

Dear Bernd! Thank you for the kind comments! Hope you have a good weekend too! Best wishes, sam :-D

[lalodiaz]

beautiful!!!!

[sammu5]

Thanks Ed!

How's the Bach coming along?

Best wishes,

sam :-D

[AndanteLargo]

... Ups... I hit the wrong key... Kiss, Per-Olov

[AndanteLargo]

Good morning Sam! I saw this in bed on my iPad and headphones. It sounds awesome! I always wondered if JW and Julian Bream ever composed. NOW I know at least JW did/do! This is amazing! And I mean your playing! Just inspiring. Thank you! And get well soon! On the other hand you look great there on the floor :-) kiss,

[sammu5]

Good afternoon Per-Olov! I'm sitting in the chair with my leg elevated and my MacBook (Macs are just great aren't they!!) and answering my mail. Josie recorded the whole thing on her iPhone. We were really surprised at the quality. Yes, it's interesting that JW is composing. I listen to his From A Bird Cd a lot. There's a link to his website in the info box above. Thanks for watching and take care (guitar playing can damage your health....hm....!) :-sam

[nonexponential]

Thank you Sam! This is beautiful and very engaging. The video turned out great too. Am I right you are playing on a different guitar? - Athan

By the way, get well! - A.

[nonexponential]

Thank you Sam! This is beautiful and very engaging. The video turned out great too. Am I right you are playing on a different guitar? - Athan

[sammu5]

Hi Athan! Well spotted! I am playing on Josie's Dieter Hopf / Manuel Adalid guitar. The Smallman was at home and I was in Alicante so I borrowed Josie's guitar to practise. It was her idea to capture it on her iPhone. The quality was surprisingly good so we decided to share it! Thanks for watching,

sam :-D

[nonexponential]

@sammu5 The Adalid guitar sounds really sweet. I have heard a Torres model by Adalid play and loved it. Is this a Torres copy? Have a great time and fast recovery. - A.

[chudnovsky]

beautiful

[sammu5]

Thanks Alex! Private message to follow...

:-sam

[13crickets]

Hi Sam, this is excellent. I have not heard this music previously. I enjoyed it very much. You and my other youtube friends have introduced so much excellent music to my ears, things I would have never heard left to my own small world. Thank you very much.

Pura Vida!!

Ron

[sammu5]

Hi Ron! I agree, YT has opened so many musical doors for me too. I've learnt so much from all my YT friends and they are a great source of inspiration and often, much needed encouragement. Best wishes from sam :-D

[suchilinguitar]

Fantastic! thanks .

[sammu5]

@suchilinguitar

Thanks for watching!

sam :-D

[natto2303]

beautiful

[sammu5]

@natto2303

Thank you!

:-sam

[marinhomarape]

Amazing

[sammu5]

@marinhomarape

Thank you!

:-sam

[andresferrigno]

Great, congratulations from Colombia.

[sammu5]

Many thanks from sam :-D

[YaGonk101]

Great energy in this peice Sam !! Loved it !! A fine tribute .....Hope the ankel heel`s soon.....Ben

[sammu5]

Thanks Ben - for watching and the good wishes!

Warm regards,

sam :-D

[SabMei1]

Wow Sam, JW would kiss you for this performance ;-)

What a tribute to a special person!

Sorry for your damaged ankle - good for us that you didn´t damaged your fingers.

Hope you get better soon.

Thanks for playing this reminder from Murnau!

Big thumb up for you and cheers to all the others in Spain from

Frank and Sabine

[sammu5]

Hi Sabine! I hope JW would approve of my zen guitar position. However, I think I need to learn to levitate.....might be safer for me! Would also help me to get to the biscuits in the kitchen. I'm in the lounge, Josie has gone to collect Lara, Simon has gone shopping and the kitchen may as well be in Paris! Best wishes to you and Frank and Frodito from sam :-D

[SabMei1]

@sammu5

Ha-ha what a funny imagination:

levitating angel Sam plays a guitar instead of a harp :))

But don´t worry nobody has been dying of a damaged ankle... With Josie´s help and bisquits you will get well soon! Good you haven´t damaged your sense of humor :-) Best wishes from naked Frodito (I cut his coat:) and Sabine

[tamada73]

Perfect Sam,great piece,i loved it!

Massimo

[sammu5]

Thanks Massimo!

Best wishes,

sam :-D

[KlodeB92]

What an energetic and joyful piece ! I didn't know J.Williams also composed .You put me in a good mood .Sorry for your ankle .Be careful with your wrists ! Have a good week end .Regards .Claude

[sammu5]

Dear Claude! Wrists, ankles....I seem to be falling apart! You wouldn't think the guitar could be so hazardous..... Did I mention the injury occurred while putting my guitar away. How silly! Glad you enjoyed this piece. It's very jolly! The perfect medicine. Have a good weekend too. Best wishes from sam :-D

[MguitarL]

This made my day, Sam - super! All that tea and cake must be just the ticket!:-)

Gute Besserung, as they say here!

Best wishes to you all,

Maria

[sammu5]

Dear Maria! It's quite good being waiting on hand and foot...ha...ha....hmph but I'd much rather be able to play my guitar in comfort :( But all the nice comments are good for the moral! Thanks and best wishes to you from sam :-D

[kelborgui]

Big Sam, I did not know this work of JW, and neither knew he was venturing through the paths of composition, in short, I liked a lot and you're playing better and better, congratulations and a big hug!

Kelvin

[sammu5]

Hi Kelvin! Thanks for watching. I recommend JW's CD From A Bird which has many more of The Maestros compositions on it. Best wishes from sam :-D

[mamilindamami]

Wow! Beautiful!

Hugs,

Glory

[sammu5]

Thanks Glory!

Best wishes,

sam  :-D

[sammu5]

Thanks for pic Josie! Stunning!

:-D sam

[sammu5]

Um....yes....it's a nice guitar....very nice...THANKS for letting me use it :) And thanks for waiting on me hand and foot ....ha...ha BTW...that's a very nice phone you've got! See you! :-D sam

[Gangly1]

Great Sam.

I think Mr Bebey composed something on the collab cd with Etheridge. I will have a look.

Hope the ankle gets better soon.

Regards,

Paul

[sammu5]

Hi Paul,

The CD you mention is called Places Between and the track composed by Francis Bebey is called Sangara which is based on the Makossa - a popular dance from Cameroon and the west coast of Africa. We've seen the 2 John's playing it live in Murnau.....AWESOME! I hope my ankle gets better soon too! Thanks! Best wishes, sam :-D

[Gangly1]

@sammu5

I found it. I have the CD.

I saw them too, in Ambleside, a couple of years ago.

I knew the name rang a bell.

I have seen Mr Etheridge a few times in solo concert. He reminds me of a bungling science teacher I had at school. But, boy can he play.

Get well soon!

Regards,

Paul

[TheBrettHughes]

P.S. what was that plant at the beginning of the video? It was freakishly beautiful?

[TheBrettHughes]

What a great piece and way to remember someone, with a piece that is full of life, rather than something like Tombeau Sur la Mort de M. Le Comte D'Logy. By the way what's up with your guitar? What's the reasoning behind its construction and who made it?

[sammu5]

Thanks for watching Brett. I agree, it's nice to remember someone with joy and happiness! The guitar is a lattice brace design with a thin top - similar to the Smallman. Josie2u2 has given you the info on it. It was a collaboration between a German luthier and a Spanish luthier. Best wishes, sam :-D

[kobchaii5150]

Very beautiful piece,beautiful place and lovely player.

[sammu5]

@kobchaii5150

Thanks for watching!

sam :-D

[andi33x]

Wow Sam!

You did it! I think nobody can do that except you and JW. I know, it's more than difficult.

Are you in contact with him to show it to him?

And Sarah is right. A duo Sam&JW would be impressive.

Really outstanding.

Cheers from Munich!

Andi

[sammu5]

Hi Andi! Thanks but I think I need to keep practising - a few bad moments but if I wait until I can play it properly I'll be 295! The only way I'll be in contact with JW is if he sues me for copyright infringement.... :) Even so, we're looking forward to seeing him playing at Wigmore Hall in October. Best wishes and thanks for the support, sam :-D

[sguitar]

Hey Sam,

so nice to see you my friend... I never heard this piece before but it is really lovelyl!!! John Williams should ask you to play with him on his next CD!!! You play it really wonderful!!! Hope your ankle is soon better!!! Hug Sarah :-)

[sammu5]

Hey Sarah!

We saw JW play this is Murnau in July. I really like this piece but it's quite a work-out! Thanks for watching and best wishes to you!

sam :-D