Rick Foster - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

[stratfanatic]

This is glorious... thanks you!

[stevenqirkle]

I'm trying to learn this piece now. I'm not a good guitarist, and I fully expect it to take a year just to learn the fingering - and a lifetime to be able to play it even half as well as Rick Foster does here. But so far it's been such a great learning experience, and with each new measure my appreciation for Bach and of this particular transcription of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" grows tremendously. I highly recommend this piece for any guitarists looking for a meaningful challenge.

[uneedtherapy42]

@stevenqirkle very well said... the cool thing about tunes like this is that yea it takes quite a while to learn but you NEVER get sick of playing it. I have played this for years and still love every note every measure every chord shift every nuance etc etc. Play with a capo on fret one and it may ease the streches for you, Rick does that here too.

[hellovermind]

awesome! this video should have more views

[Auriga37]

I played this arrangement in my Junior Recital, April 18, 1977, probably the happiest day of my life. It's wonderful. Thank You!

[55jabba]

I have almost completed the transcription in Christopher Parkening's Guitar Method Vol. I, This seems to have a stronger base and would like to order the tab sheets. Would you mind listing the web site? I can't seem to find it. Of all the versions I have heard, this is best for classical Guitar! I hope I can pick it up. Thanks you!

[justkevy]

Lesson please!

[Pikangu]

LOL this was posted on my birthday . Nice video

[bcorll]

Have to say it - much better than Chris's rendition. I bought the arrangement, twice in two different books ! Haven't tackled it yet....

[van1976]

Some told me to give you a look...so here I am...Great, glad I came for a listen .

5*

--Van

[danjoeblue]

I love it. 

[imhiskid838]

Beautiful. I'm sure Bach would be proud. I was blessed to see you perform this among others at a church in the east bay in the late 80's. Thank you for sharing your gift with us.

[jensiepoo]

I thought you played this WAY better than Christopher Parkening, and I've heard him 'live' and on CD. Well done!

[pastoralguitarist]

@jensiepoo

Thank you!

[oldstrings09]

@jensiepoo HAHAHA you don't know what your talking about so shut-up!

[kelborgui]

God bless!!!

Very beautiful!!!

[Cheuvin]

excellent.. correct timing, intensity.. good choice of notes... just excellent!

[box1467]

this dude is the Muggsy Bogues of the guitar world !

how doth one recall all them left hand positions ?? (it resembles math)

clear proof music is Universal and a gift from God.

[hombremanq]

qbuen arreglo!!!

[SamoMarshall]

learning this song.......... its not easy.....

[Vinabraun]

Amazing, this man rocks

[daffydoug]

I remember Parkening speaking about a cross bar technique, and i wonder if it's used in this arrangement.

[frankstinckens]

amazing!

[Bodobaas]

You're definitely a Foster.

:)

[Respectthewilderness]

cuetty!

[combatvetlawstudent]

NICE job! Thank you for posting! It is lovely to the ears. So glad God gave you a gift to share!:)

[RedrumMetalNYC]

I have to go with Parkening's rendition of this piece only for his articulation and expression, but since Rick Foster is the man who transcribed it this way, I don't think enough can be said about his talent level. Still, I hate him because I still can't play his arrangement. Curse you Foster.

[latitude51uk]

Unspeakably fabulous and sensitive. As a lover of Bach for more than 50 years, I'm virtually in tears.

[nikosz66]

excellent !

[tangnatalaga]

This I think is the harder version of jesu joy.

[javiersk3]

pliss tabs i need play this song

[gwaney]

Bravo! :D

[OSWendigo]

Tabs please! Awesome...

[pastoralguitarist]

You can find the TAB in Rick's books, found on his web site.

[ModeBassTreble]

This is enough. You need to play this with an audience that will get to show this to the masses. Absolutely....beautiful.

[callyamama]

thank you. I love you. marry me.

[cleeschulze]

Beautifully done.

[Irshkboy]

he rocks

[LorenzVasanth]

Beautiful

[jonojutsu]

TT^TT Absolutely Beautiful!!

[tangnatalaga]

This is the best version I have heard on a guitar so far. Very beautifull!!!

[ModeBassTreble]

please share your tab or notation, this was done immaculately. MERCI for sharing!

Super Fantastic!

[Vitotesta]

THAT! My friends...is how it is done!

[speakwhnspkn2]

When I see musicians like this guy, my first thought is to chop my guitar up for firewood or some other use. Lol. Not really, but all jokes aside, this is a wonderful rendition of Bach's famous composition. Kudos to Rick Foster.

[frawgface]

I thought Parkening did that arrangement!

[RedrumMetalNYC]

Parkening does do this arrangement but Foster wrote the arrangement.

[normanro93]

great job man!!

[charlesjfischer]

Does anyone know whether he is in standard tuning here ?

[mnmetalfan1]

I have the Parkening/Foster transcription of this. It is in standard tuning, with a capo at the first fret for performance.

[Diogofa]

Where can I find the tabs??? Just divine!!!

[bransonguitar]

Rick, You really play this so very well. Thanks for the video.

Jim Greeninger

[bbestar]

Thank Very much, well done. Excellent choice of instrument.

As if I there hearing it in the 1700's.

God Bless You.

[suemariel]

That is really nice.

[myracket]

I love your arrangement and performance best of all on "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring".

[danud321]

Your arrangment and skill is one of the best in youtube. Thanks for sharing it with us!

[Entropy56]

His is the exact arrangement Parkening played on his Back album.

[Entropy56]

Correction: Bach album...

[clear444]

great job on a beautiful classic...Thankyou for sharing.

[fearfultom]

very nice = you made me smile.

[Musiticianist]

Rick's wife Wendy was my art teacher at the SDA school in Santa Barbara. She was a kind erson and through her I met Rick a few times. I really admired him and he was incredibly humble and gracious to a young guy just starting out on guitar.

[EA0223429]

who made this arrangment it is great, where can i get a copy?

[bennyc741]

wow.

[YouT00ber]

Rick, you're a stud!

[tcassel01]

flawless. Can you record Pachalbel's Cannon in D for us PLEASE!!!!!! I know that most interpretations are probably easy for you, but you play so beautifully!!

[AnchoriteProductions]

Great arrangement--this one really set the standard! I love this piece and arrangement. And, very well played! Thanks for the video! -Derek

[pipisitoface]

could his picking hand appear any more effortless? amazing. the talent is impressive here, but even moreso is the thought of how many determined hours of practice it tool to get to this level of virtuosity. wow.....

[ddanze]

think i have that tape buried in a pile some

where...will look... but this version sounds

as good as parkening's and seems to have some

more streamlined fingering (helpful)...really

dug on foster's christian hymns (oddly as we

have found, many christian hymns were written

by jewish folk, including irving berlin)...

(this in no way is meant to be divisive, but

rather, unifying hopefully)

[exmotorcop]

I owned a tape of Rick Foster about 15 years ago, but it was destroyed in a junk car of mine that I forgot to take it out of. I' surprised to find him on you tube. He's great.

[8491angel]

One of the most beautiful pieces ever, in my opinion and the best transcription and transposing job. Your interpretation of it speaks volumes of the subject and of yourself.

Thanks for your work. It's inscribed in history for ever!

[filsuf]

Nice! I also used to play in C, but as you know, it's limited. So I retranscribed it in A.

[crescentridge]

Best arrangement here. I love the inner voices, and the hymn melody is intact!!!!

[wtfievh]

I wonder sometimes why anyone would even consider playing electric guitar. Simply amazing. Rick has a heavenly gift and what better way to use it than to play sacred music. God bless you, friend.

[nowbehere]

You play beautifully.

[Guitarman504]

This is by the far the best arrangement I've heard of this tune. I just wish I could play it!

[jimmyp37]

listening to this is like being awake in a dream

[lcartwright88]

wow - that was beautiful! thank you.

[pereida222]

where can i purchase the sheet music for the c major version of jesu

[jimmyp37]

if this helps... try to locate his book Season of Joy... the arrangement is in there and as a bonus are some other incredible christmas tunes. Love his O Come Emmanuel

[pastoralguitarist]

The arrangement of Jesu is in two Rick Foster books, Favorite Hymns for Acoustic Guitar and Season of Joy. You can order the books from the Rick Foster web site.

[pereida222]

thank you for the 411 MR FOSTER. your technique is inspiring.

[Guitarman504]

YOu can purchase books of tab and sheet music on Rick's channel.

[pakamen]

If it is still in print, it was published in "Parkening Plays Bach" I believe Volume One. Christopher apparently recorded Rick's rendition.

[kgmartin]

Yes you are correct. Glad someone on YouTube is actually knowledgable.

Superb rendition, loved it!

[guitmartiman]

No other transcription comes close to the beauty of this one for guitar. Unfortunately, I don't have the discipline it takes to play it!

[MarkFromHawaii]

Hey buddy, thanks for leading me here. Rick, this makes me want to brush off my old Alvarez-Yairi classical. You sir, are a monster! God Bless.

[jconway1]

Mr. Foster,

That was beautiful. I didn't know you had so many videos here. I've seen Christopher Parkening live and in masterclasses but not playing this piece unfortunately! It's an amazing arrangement. My only question is - why the capo??! Parkening plays it in C, you play it in C# with the capo. Just personal preference or something else? Anyway, thanks for sharing, you are a magnificent musician.

[pastoralguitarist]

Thanks for your comments. I can't remember why I used the capo - probably because it sounded better on that particular guitar or to shorten the left-hand stretches.

[jconway1]

Fair enough answer. Are you coming to LA soon? I'd love to see you live. Amazing stuff.

[jimmyp37]

beautiful Mr Foster... just so beautiful

[oldwhtman]

That sounds like the Christopher Parkening version. Did you do the arrangement that he performs? I can't imagine a better guitar version.

[pastoralguitarist]

You're right, it's the same version Parkening does. I did the arrangement for him in the late 70's. Thanks!

[rkhgtrpkr]

Very nicely done. Beautiful sounding guitar.

[guitar1amore]

fantastic!