Back to index of guitar pages by Donald Sauter.
   

 
The easiest way to understand where my head was at regarding the Washington Guitar Society (WGS), and the nature of my regular contributions to the WGS newsletter, is to visit my short page of guitar society thoughts.

(ds) indicates a contribution by me. (Is that a sales pitch or dire warning?) I've broken many of my articles out onto ordinary web pages to save you the torture of slogging around pdf files.

WGS Newsletter No. 1 (Jul 1992)
    - "A Tribute to Segovia" by Christopher Parkening (record review)
    - John Marlow, in memoriam

WGS Newsletter No. 2 (Nov 1992)
    - Computer software for guitar
    - Narciso Yepes appreciation

WGS Newsletter No. 3 (Dec 1992)
    - "Dreams of Suchitlan" by Flutar (record review)
    - Basics of buying a classical guitar
    - A look at ensemble playing

WGS Newsletter No. 4 (Jan 1993)
    - Ensemble Playing II
    - Musicianship and Technique by Jad Azkoul

WGS Newsletter No. 5 (Feb 1993)
    - Bubenreuth, a town of instrument makers
    - Rating a guitar: a simple test

WGS Newsletter No. (Mar 1993)
    - Segovia's artistry

WGS Newsletter No. 7 (Apr 1993)
    - Tips from Jad Azkoul master class (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 8 (May 1993)
    - "Concierto de Aranjuez" by Christopher Parkening (record review)

WGS Newsletter No. 9 (Jun 1993)
    - Paco de Malaga profile

WGS Newsletter No. 10 (Sep 1993)
    - Cincinnati Summer Guitar Workshop review

WGS Newsletter No. 11 (Nov 1993)
    - Guitar accessory carrying case (GACK) (ds)
    - Sight reading advice

WGS Newsletter No. 12 (Jan 1994)
    - Right hand exercises (and word search!) (ds)
    - Sitting position (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 13 (Mar 1994)
    - Christopher Parkening (concert review)
    - Playing without pain I

WGS Newsletter No. 14 (May 1994)
    - Guitar society directions
    - 1993 GFA Festival (Buffalo) memories (ds)
    - Playing without pain II
    - Segovia live on cd

WGS Newsletter No. 15 (Jun 1994)
    - WGS Open Stage review - Society members get into the act (ds)
    - Bye bye Cate (ensemble lady)
    - Music (pdf): "Kelpie Waltz" by C. H. Mc D. Burton (American, 1884) (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 16 (Jul 1994)
    - Trio Con Brio (concert review)
    - William Kanengiser (concert review)

WGS Newsletter No. 17 (Sep 1994)
    - "The Healthy Guitar" (book review)
    - Guitare Quebec and Great Lakes Classical Guitar Festival review
    - Mozart dedicates new works to WGS! (ds)
        Music (pdf): "The Patowmack Stomp" and "The Bureaucratic Shuffle" by W. A. Mozart

WGS Newsletter No. 18 (Nov 1994)
    - Thoughts on playing in lute tuning on the guitar (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Round Battle Galliard" by John Dowland
    - More Successful WGS Open-Stage hours (ds)
    - Jad Azkoul profile

WGS Newsletter No. 19 (Jan 1995)
    - Jad Azkoul (workshop and concert reviews)
    - WGS Members Recital (review) (ds)
    - Avalon Chamber Players (concert review)
    - A look at Soundboard Magazine (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Carnival of Venice" by Zani de Ferranti (3 mvmts; E major tuning; tablature)

WGS Newsletter No. 20 (Apr 1995)
    - Jeffrey Meyerriecks/Myrna Sislen (concert review)
    - Michael Bard (concert review)
    - Berta Rojas (concert review)
    - Christopher Teves (concert review)
    - The very oldest guitar music (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Fantasia a quatro bozes al temple viejo" by Alonso Mudarra (Renaissance guitar)
        Music (pdf): "Romanesca: O guardame las vacas" by Alonso Mudarra (Renaissance guitar)
    - Real cheap things you can do... ...to make our guitar society a big success! (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 21 (Jun 1995)
    - John Stover/Eric Swanson (concert review)
    - The WGS Monthly Program - more than a performance! (ds)
    - "Laurita valse" by Jesse O. Tan (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Laurita (Valse)" by Jesse O. Tan
    - THE GUITAR STRIKES AGAIN! Fernando Sor and Sharp photocopiers (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 22 (Aug 1995)
    - Chat with Thomas Rein, luthier
    - A Taste Of The Guitar Discussion On The Internet (ds)
    - Another Excellent WGS Members Recital (ds)
    - Tuning Up (To G) For Bach (for his solo violin works) (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Sarabande from Suite in D minor" by J. S. Bach
    - THE GUITAR STRIKES AGAIN! "The Art of Music Engraving" by Ted Ross (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 23 (Oct 1995)
    - Summer fun with guitar in Rome and Cincinnati
    - "Fantaisie Brilliante" by Franklin Eaton (ds)
        Music (pdf): Fantaisie Brilliante On the Hymn "Happy Day" by Franklin Eaton (American, 1895)
    - Classical Guitar Festival, West Dean '95 memories
    - Members Recital (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 24 (Jan 1996)
    - Norbert Kraft (concert review)
    - The Guitar in an Early Sears Catalog (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Carnival of Venice" (anonymous) (American, 19th C.)
        Music (pdf): "Woodland Echoes" (A. P. Wyman) (American, 19th C.)
    - Yale Guitar Extravaganza I memories
    - WGS Members Recital (ds)
    - "John Come Kiss Me" in 3 Tablatures (ds)
        Music (pdf): "John Come Kiss Me" by Gallot d'Irlande (Baroque guitar tablature)

WGS Newsletter No. 25 (Mar 1996)
    - Jason Vieaux (concert review)
    - No guitar(!) in the Vermeer exhibit (ds)
    - Album Of Negro Spirituals by Vahdah Olcott Bickford (ds)
        Music (pdf): "I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" arr. Vahdah Olcott Bickford
    - Recent Washington guitar concerts. Microfiche courtesy Robert Nathan, I.E. (Incompetent Extraordinaire).
    [I thought it would be fascinating to print the programs of all the guitar concerts in the D.C. area, making no distinction between WGS member recitals and world-class performers. What could have been easier, and made a more fascinating and valuable document of classical guitar activity of the era? Did I get any support in this? Sabotage is more like it, as you can see.]

WGS Newsletter No. 26 (May 1996)
    - Duo Firenze (fortepiano/guitar) (concert review)
    - Duo Bozza (flute/guitar) (concert review)
    - Our New WGS Record Library (ds)
    - The March WGS Program - A Guitar Orchestra! (ds)
    - On the Road with the Lake Braddock Guitar Ensemble
    - Preface to Lecocq's "Recuil des pieces de guitarre, 1729 (first English translation)
    - "Codice Salvidar no. 4" by Santiago de Murcia (review of Craig Russell's work)
    - Converting a modern guitar to a Baroque guitar (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Gavotta" by Ludovico Roncalli
    - Brief summary of the History of the Baroque Guitar (ds)
    - Timothy Evans (concert review)

WGS Newsletter No. 27 (Jul 1996)
    - Karl Wohlwend (seminar/concert review)
    - The EFEL and other footstool alternatives
    - Baroque Guitar Lecture/Recital (review)

WGS Newsletter No. 28 (Sep 1996)
    - Teaching beginners to read music
    - William Feasley (concert review)
    - Elliot Frank (concert review)
    - WGS ensemble session memories
    - WGS Members Recital (review)

WGS Newsletter No. 29 (Nov 1996)
    - Ode to Don
    - Christopher Teves (concert review)
    - Symphony in C for guitar and orchestra by Boccherini (record review)
    - "Liten Vals" for two guitars (Swedish, 1942) (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Liten vals för två guitarrer" by Lille-Bror Söderlundh
    - Michael Nicolella (concert review)

WGS Newsletter No. 30 (Jan 1997)
    - Recent Washington guitar concerts (more microfiche, courtesy Mr. WGS Newsletter Saboteur)
    - Dionisio Aguado, a look at his complete works (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Study in E minor" by Dionisio Aguado - a comparison of his 1820 and 1843 versions.
    - A study in natural harmonics by Dionisio Aguado (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Andante" by Dionisio Aguado (tablature)

WGS Newsletter No. 31 (Mar 1997)
    - Concordia Trio (flute/oboe/guitar) (concert review)
    - "Our Director March" and thoughts on playing this sort of stuff (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Our Director March" by F. E. Bigelow, arr. Walter Jacobs

WGS Newsletter No. 32 (May 1997)
    - John Stover (concert review)
    - Julie Goldberg (concert review)
    - Philip Candelaria (concert review)
    - On the Road (Again) with the Lake Braddock Guitar Ensemble
    - Guitar Ramble (the guitar pops up in unexpected places) (ds)
    - Original guitar piece in a college literary magazine! (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Classical Mechanics (Prelude)" by E. Gretz
    - Tips from Philip Candelaria master class (ds)
    - Andres Segovia memorial (political cartoon) (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 33 (Jul 1997)
    - History of Guitar Societies in D.C., going back to the 1930s
    - Transcriptions from the opera for guitar (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Gebet" and "Tarantelle" from "La Muette de Portici" by Auber, trans. Diabelli
    - Join us for A Trip To Rocky Point! (ds)
    - Jimmy Stewart and the guitar

WGS Newsletter No. 34 (Sep 1997)
    - "A Trip to Rocky Point" ensemble session memories
        Devoted webpage: "A Trip to Rocky Point". You can play along! (ds)
        Sound recording: "A Trip to Rocky Point" by Walter Burke, with vintage post cards (YouTube)
    - WGS Questionnaire results
    - Recent WGS Concert Programs
    - "Melancholy Waltz" by local guitarist (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Melancholy Waltz" by Gene Marcello

WGS Newsletter No. 35 (Sep 1997)
    - "Rocky Point" revisited - fan mail from Rocky Point! (ds)
    - WGS Questionnaire results provoke a response (ds)
    - "Superb Guitar Solos" by George Barker (1900) (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Louisiana Echoes" by George Barker
        Music (pdf): "Träumerei" by Robert Schumann, arr. George Barker

WGS Newsletter No. 36 (Jan 1998)
    - Risa Carlson (concert review)
    - Recent WGS Concert Programs
    - Discussion of tablature on rec.music.classical.guitar (ds)
    - Tablature is fantastic (Let's all play violin!) (ds)
    - Tablature debate: continued by the WGS prez
    - Tablature debate: the Final Word (guess who gets it in?) (ds)
    - Sample tablature for Baroque guitar (in an odd tuning!) (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Menuet" and "Gavotte" by François Campion

WGS Newsletter No. 37 (Mar 1998)
    - Tips for using the Music Division of the Library of Congress (ds)
    - Bartlett Quotations with "guitar" (ds)
    - Selections from Bach's Sonatas for unaccompanied violin (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Andante" by J. S. Bach
        Music (pdf): "Adagio" by J. S. Bach
    - "Caprice No. 14" for solo violin by Paganini (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Caprice No. 14" by Nicolo Paganini

WGS Newsletter No. 38 (May 1998)
    - Lute music of Francesco da Milano (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Fantasia 7 - De mon triste" by Francesco da Milano (tablature)
    - Fun with German tablature (ds)
        Music (pdf): Lute piece from a 1556 "Lautenbuch" (German and modern tablature)
    - Final tablature thoughts: playing "upside down" tablature (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 39 (Jul 1998)
    - The Guitar in an Early Sears Catalog, Round 2 - 1896 (ds)
    - Sample piece from a guitar folio in the early Sears catalog (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Pansy Blossom Waltz" arr. Justin Holland
    - Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra "Russian Festival" memories

WGS Newsletter No. 40 (Sep 1998)
    - Photos of WGS members at play

WGS Newsletter No. 41 (Nov 1998)
    - "Les Cahiers de la Guitare" enjoys the WGS newsletter (even if no locals look at it)
    - Sight reading (with tablature slam: "AVOID TABLATURE!!!")
    - History of the lute

WGS Newsletter No. 42 (Jan 1999)
    - "Silent Night" arr. John Duarte (music)

WGS Newsletter No. 43 (Mar 1999)
    - Teaching, by Ray Bell
    - A response to the previous article
    - Opera and the 19th C. American guitar (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Prayer From Moses In Egypt" (Rossini) arr. W. L. Hayden

WGS Newsletter No. 44 (May 1999)
    - WGS Youth Concert program
    - Music (pdf): "Cradle Song - Wiegenlied" (M. Hauser) arr. Walter Jacobs (duet, American, 19th C.)

WGS Newsletter No. 45 (Jul 1999)
    - "Look At me!" by Kevin J. Vigil, for narrator and guitar

WGS Newsletter No. 46 (Sep 1999)
    - "Waltz of the p i m p" right hand study by Howard Vance (music)

WGS Newsletter No. 47 (Nov 1999)
    - Kennedy Center Millennium Stage recitals on the internet
    - "Guitar America" cd by Christopher Teves and Howard Vance (record review)
    - "Shenandoah" arr. Howard Vance (music)

WGS Newsletter No. 48 (Jan 2000)
    - Remembering Charlie Byrd

WGS Newsletter No. 49 (Mar 2000)
    - "Easy Classical Guitar Recital" by Benjamin Verdery (book review)
    - Three pieces from above (music)

WGS Newsletter No. 50 (May 2000)

WGS Newsletter No. 51 (Jul 2000)
    - 10 Steps to the Stage, part I

WGS Newsletter No. 52 (Jul 2000)
    - 10 Steps to the Stage, part II
    - Andrew Zohn (concert review)

WGS Newsletter No. 53 (Nov 2000)
    - Study #1 Opus 1, by Corey Whitehead (music)

WGS Newsletter No. 54 (Jan 2001)
    - Poem by Ellis Hooper (10-year-old guitar student)

WGS Newsletter No. 55 (Mar 2001)
    - Cavallaro/Sislen/Carlson (concert review)
    - John Feeley (concert review)

WGS Newsletter No. 56 (Jun 2001)
    - Douze Cordes (Michael Bard and Corey Whitehead) Middle East tour
    - On the Road with the Lake Braddock Guitar Ensemble
    - Amplifying a Classical Guitar

WGS Newsletter No. 57 (Sep 2001)
    - Remembering Chet Atkins
    - Remembering Abel Carlevaro
    - The spooky Neapolitan Sixth? (ds)
        Music (pdf): "The Galop of the Goblins" by Walter Fay Lewis (American, 1894)
    - World's First Guitar Marching Band?

WGS Newsletter No. 58 (Dec 2001)
    - Guitar orchestra session and impassioned plea for participation (ds)
    - The guitar in "The Dictionary of Musical Themes" (ds)
    - Tips from Manuel Barrueco master class (ds)
    - The Neapolitan Sixth in works of Fernando Sor (ds)

WGS Newsletter No. 59 (Mar 2002)
    - The guitar strikes again - on a U.S. coin! (ds)
    - The Minuetto from Verdi's opera, "Falstaff" (ds)
        Music (pdf): Minuetto from Falstaff (Verdi), arr. Amelie Luigi
    - "Floating Ancillary Ants" WGS guitar orchestra session memories (ds)
        Sound recording: "Floating Ancillary Ants" by Rex Willis (YouTube)
    - Rex Willis comments on his "Floating Ancillary Ants" for the WGS
    - Nicki Lehrer (recital review)
    - Concert Reviews: LA Guitar Quartet; Martha Masters

WGS Newsletter No. 60 (Jun 2002)
    - "Tango Estampie" - WGS Guitar Orchestra memories (ds)
        Sound recording: "Tango Estampie" by Luq Le'vesque (mp3 file)
        Sound recording: Rehearsal highlights, featuring Phyllis Fleming (mp3 file)
    - The Mystery of the "Fisherman's Song" by de Falla (ds)
    - The Guitar Strikes Again - in early issues of some men's magazine (ds)
    - De Falla quotes Debussy in the "Homenaje" (ds)
    - Carlos Barbosa-Lime (concert review)
    - Three New CDs from Ben Verdery (record review)

WGS Newsletter No. 61 (Sep 2002)
    - Alexandria Guitar Festival run-down
    - Alexandria Guitar Festival reflections by John Politte (*very nice; read this*)
    - Alexandria Guitar Festival miscellaneous memories (ds)
    - Delightful August WGS members Recital (ds)
    - WGS Guitars record Praetorius, led by Bob Wysong (ds)
        Sound recording: "Ballet des Coqs" by Praetorius (mp3 file)
        Sound recording: "Bransle de la Torche" by Praetorius (mp3 file)
        Sound recording: "Volta" (with Bob's direction) (mp3 file)
    - Kent/Sauter duo guitar CDs - making the rounds (ds)
    - Amateurs, and music for the love of it
    - Stuart Weber recital, with memories (ds)
    - Making Teachers Talk (a threat?) (ds)
    - "Sweet Land of Liberty..." (on an unhappy anniversary) (ds)
        Music (pdf): "America (My Country 'Tis Of Thee)" - three venerable guitar arrangements

WGS Newsletter No. 62 (Dec 2002)
    - WGS Guitars record "Summerset Follies" (ds)
        Sound recording: "Summerset Follies" by John Duarte (mp3 file)
    - "La Folia" - a famous tune (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Folias" by Gaspar Sanz (original and modern tablature)
    - Piotr Zielinski (concert review)
    - Concert Reviews: Vincent Airoult; Roland Dyens; Aldo Minello; Duo Erato (Carlson/Masters); Brazilian Guitar Quartet

WGS Newsletter No. 63 (Mar 2003)
    - A "messy" WGS Guitar Ensemble session (ds)
    - Letter from the Aleutians, and the Russian Guitar (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Polonaise" by Andrei Sychra
    - Justin Holland - still unknown in the Black History world (ds)
    - "La Folia" - a couple more comments (ds)
    - Recent D.C. Area Guitar Happenings
    - Concert Reviews: Nicki Lehrer; Kathrin Murray; Raphael Padron; Troy King; John Feeley; Tomatito; Alexandria Guitars (trio)

WGS Newsletter No. 64 (Jun 2003)
    - (Patriotic) Songs of the Season (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Maryland, My Maryland!" and "Ode to the Hon. Henry Clay" (American, 19th C.)
    - WGS Members Recital program (ds)
    - My First Year with the Washington Guitar Society, by John Politte (*very nice; read this*)
    - Concert Reviews: Yuri Liberzon; Eric Howard; Linn Barnes & Allison Hampton

WGS Newsletter No. 65 (Sep 2003)
    - WGS Members Recital program (ds)
    - Handel's oratorio "Saul", and the famous "Dead March" (ds)
        Music (pdf): "Dead March from Saul" by Handel, arr. W. L. Hayden (American, 19th C.)
    - A Guitar Music Gold Mine: 19th C. American guitar publications on the web (ds)
    - Alexandria Guitar Festival memories
    - Guitar Jeopardy (ds)
    - Concert Reviews: Kevin Vigil; Nathan Fisher; Risa Carlson; Ken Meyer; Marija Temo; James Piorkowski; Larry Snitzler and Chuck Redd; Julian Grey; Nicholas Goluses

WGS Newsletter No. 66 (Dec 2003)
    - Secrets of a Successful Concert
    - Concert Reviews: Miguel Cerruto; Marija Temo; Pepe Romero; Ana Vidovic
    - Reviews: Peace Poetry and Classical Guitar; Bailes Ineditos (flamenco)
    - Berta Rojas on Barrios
    - The Future of the WGS [Nobody asks, "Where are the guitar players??? What's with the teachers???"]

WGS Newsletter No. 67 (Mar 2004)
    - Interview with Col. Harry Lehrer [Thinks money is the cure for abysmal WGS membership and involvement.]
    - How many guitar teachers and students in D.C. area? [Thousands... while WGS meetings get 5 or 6.]
    - Reviews: WGS open stage; International Guitar Night (Wolf Trap); Ricardo Marlow (flamenco); WGS open stage; Paco Pena; "Bliss" (Weyanoke Elementary School); Robert Belinic

WGS Newsletter No. 68 (Jun 2004)
    - WGS Newsletters at the Library of Congress! (yeah, right...) (ds)
    - Intrigue at the First World Guitar Congress... (ds)
    - Our beloved guitar? (ds)
    - Los Romeros
    - Reviews: Benjamin Verdery master class; Larry Snitzler
    - 8th Annual Mid-Atlantic Guitar Ensemble Festival memories
    - Carlos Barbosa-Lima (concert review)

WGS Newsletter No. 69 (Sep 2004)
    - Tim Healey gets "Who wrote the earliest known guitar music?" wrong.
    - Reviews: Gray Snead; Marc Ribot and the NSO; World Guitar Congress
    - 2004 Alexandria Guitar Festival memories

WGS Newsletter No. 70 (Dec 2004)
    - Developing a Good Tremolo
    - Reviews: Angel Romero; Pedrick/Hutson Duo; WGS open stages

WGS Newsletter No. 71 (Mar 2005)
    - Larry Snitzler discusses his concert program
    - Guitarists - "abysmal readers"? (Soundboard letter reused for WGS Newsletter Forum) (ds)
    - Reviews: "Concierto del Fuego"; Sumi Guitar Duo; John Feeley; Gray Snead and the McLean Symphony

WGS Newsletter No. 72 (Summer 2005)
    - Basic Hand Anatomy
    - Gaspar Sanz, master of the Baroque guitar
    - Reviews: Larry Snitzler; Rico Stover; Chris Anderson; Margarita Escarpa; Robinson HS Orchestra; Class on coping with performance anxiety

WGS Newsletter No. 73 (Autumn 2005)
    - Manuel M. Ponce
    - David Russell composes for tv and films (our David Russell???)
    - First World Guitar Conference (Towson, Maryland) memories
    - The FINAL musical selection for the FINAL WGS newsletter :-( (ds)
        Music (pdf): Four Short Waltzes by Luigi Legnani (19th C. European)

And, with that, another incarnation of the Washington D.C. Guitar Society fades into smoke, in this case without a single person - friend, foe, or stranger - joining me in the happy vision of a guitar society simply there to provide a platform for guitarists to come out and have a wonderful time playing with, and for, each other.

R.I.P.

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