“Feasley’s guitar sounded, in the words of Segovia like “a small orchestra” is its variety of colors…”
–Joseph McLellan, Washington Post“World-class performer.. myriads of cascading notes at times belied their origin from one, lone six string instruments, creating full-stringed harmonic impact or lyrical melodic strains to dominate subtle accompaniments.”
–Otago Daily Times, Dunedin New Zealand“A fascinating recital by one the United States’ top Classical Guitarists…”
–The Canberra Ties, Canberra, Australia“He is gifted with a dominating technique and a sharp intellect.”
–Guitar Review Magazine“…dashing, virtuosic dexterity.. delicious inflections of rhythm and sound color. Feasley set off guitaristic fireworks so spectacular they were memorable by themselves.”
–Albuquerque Journal“…A commanding performance… dispatching each virtuosic work with panache and an unerring sense of style.. an extremely polished and satisfying recital..”
–The Press, Christchurch New Zealand“Feasley is a virtuoso. He has an incredibly high level of technique and the ability to perform a piece in the spirit in which it was composed. The sound of his guitar is warm, sweet and full of musical truth.”
–NEA Newspaper, Xania Greence“William Feasley is one of those virtuoso musicians who, while not deliberately setting out to to astonish the audience, succeeds in doing just that.. the whole recital was consumed as a glass of sparking water on a hot summer’s night…”
–Politika Ekspress, Belgrade, Serbia“My kitchen was alive with the sound of William Feasley’s scintillating classical guitar music on Monday night. The word “virtuoso” is synonymous with his name, and after sampling all 20 tracks from his “French Perspective” CD, I wholeheartedly agree. Ravel’s “Pavane for a a Dead Princess” and Debussy’s “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair” are just two examples of Feasley’s inspired and ornate guitar work. If a rainbow that appeared after a warm spring rain made sound, it would be that of Feasley’s guitar….”
–Portland Press Herald, Portland Maine
REVIEW EXCERPTS
William Feasley Plays the Guitar
The Press, Christchurch New Zealand
–David Sell
“This was a concert with a difference, entitled Echoes of Goya. American guitarist William Feasley integrated his playing with a commentary and a series of slides relating to the famous Spanish painter.
First, Feasley’s playing on its own was superb. Technically deft, he played his programme with a fine sense of musical style. At the same time, his knowledge of the Spanish cultural scene brought everything together in clear focus.
The programme ranged from music by a contemporary of Goya, Fernando Fernandiere, to a piece composed just last year by an American composer, Stuart Saunders Smith. The four little pieces by Fernandiere were charmers in their delicate simplicity, while the Gran Solo Op. 14 by Fernando Sor that followed it had almost a Beethovenian character to it.
Then there were the most attractive Goya-related pieces by Granados and Gilardino before the Webernesque piece by Stuart Saunders Smith. The highlight of the concert was undoubtedly the Six Caprichos de Goya by Castelnuovo-Tedesco. These musical portraits were beautifully crafted and played.
The slides of Goya etchings were new to me, and most interesting, especially with the brief quotations that were read before each item.”
Man in black paints colorful concert
Apalachicola & Carrabelle Times
–David Adlerstein
“A man in black played his guitar Sunday afternoon before a packed audience at Trinity Episcopal Church, but it wasn’t Johnny Cash and he didn’t sing.
Rather, at this installment of the Ilse Newell Fund for the Performing Arts concert series, classical guitarist William Feasley filled the sanctuary with rapturous textures from an accoustic instrument you might not have imagined was capable of such a variety of sounds.
In a concert titled “Echoes of Goya,” Feasley conjured with his chords, and his dexterous alternating of keys and rhythms, a beguiling homage to the great Spanish painter. Feasley was without the slideshow of works by the 18th century Spanish romantic painter that often accompanies concerts on this year’s tour, but it hardly made a difference. Feasley’s hands did all the painting that was needed.”
Like a Sound of Silence
Nis, Yugoslavia
–Nardone Novine
“The audience of Nis has recently had an opportunity to attend the solo concert of the year. William Feasley, classical guitar virtuoso and world class musician from USA, performed at the art gallery “Serbia”. The audience gave him standing ovations and made him play several encores. It was a fantastic evening of music in which Mr. Feasley, playing an extremely difficult program, even managed to produce sounds of silence. His repertoire included pieces by John Blow, Albert Harris, Peter Madlem, Harry Lincoln, William Bolcom, Joaquin Rodrigo, Isaac Albeniz, and Paco de Lucia. Feasley is a quiet but determined person, like a dignified aristocrat in the world of music. As an artist, he is self-confident, sincere, and communicates warmly with his audience. This is his first concert in Nis, which was organized by “Jugokoncert”. “I’ll be back!” Mr. Feasley promised…”
Classical Guitar Concert Enjoyed
The Timaru Herald
— John McMillan
“For devotees of classical guitar music, American William Feasley gave a masterful display of guitar playing last evening — a well-attended concert and an appreciative audience.
Mr. Feasley, who has strong connections with the University of Maryland in Baltimore, is a strong exponent of Spanish-based music, but varies his tastes with older classics and some of the romantic composers, thus exposing an adventurous talent for a broadly-based repertoire.
The music stretched from the 17th to 20th centuries, delightfully introduced by the artist, the audience fully informed about the programme content in a relaxed and friendly manner.
I was particularly interested in two works — Sonata II by Eduardo Lopez Chavarri, a Spaniard whose musical intellect is a shade deeper than some of his compatriots. The work has a special flair with ample resource for the soloist whose fingering needed to be a flurry of dexterity throughout.
The other fancied work was the modern, almost jazz chordal style of American Sketches, by session musician Peter Madlem. The work comprised three movements, each with a styling quite distinctive in construction, but expressive and strangely haunting.
Francisco Tarrega, late 19th century Spanish composer, was featured twice on the programme, first with Variations on Carnival of Venice, the traditional homage to Paganini, and second as an encore, the well-worn but immensely popular Recuerdos de Alhambra. Both were met with general approval by the audience.
The remainder of the programme consisted of works by Sor, Aguado, Domeniconi, and a beautiful Cantilena Argentinian composer whose name I was unable to catch.
A delightfully captivating recital and certainly most welcome to the large crowd who braved the elements.”
Feasley Pleases
The Auckland Guitar Society Journal
–Helen Cullen
“His hat didn’t have three corners — in fact, William Feasley didn’t wear a hat all day.
But he gave us some fun, all the same, by including Tarrega’s party piece, “Variations on the Carnival of Venice” in a recital programme of familiar and not-so-familiar items. He played the “Variations” with skill and spirit, a rare command of tempo and an impressive display of Tarrega tricks.
Turkish Delight
Another first hearing for me was “Variations on a Turkish Theme” by Carlo Domeniconi, an ancient song tune with mythical associations. The piece, though chronologically modern, didn’t exactly blast through the blunt end of the Romantic era but, beautifully performed, it was an effective bridge between the very traditional Sor, Aguado, and Handel selections and the moderns on the programme.
I was delighted by the “American Sketches” of Peter Madlem. “Coyote” was very evocative of the rolling downs of the Mid-West (and no canine howls, either); “Spiritual” wove magic around snatches of old negro melody; “Blues” exploited the special voice the classic guitar can give to the ol’ 12-bar rhythm.
Slightly less “modern” in character was the “Sonata II” of Eduardo Lopez Chavarri, very Spanish, very demanding to perform and exciting to behold in the hands of such a skilled player as Feasley. So many notes in such a short time! Such verve!
Faultless Command
The Handel was very familiar — the D Minor Suite No. 7 — lustily performed and jolly with nary a lutish whimper. Sor’s Opus 5, No. 5 “Andante Largo” was well handled. Feasley again demonstrated his faultless command of tempo and phrasing and reiterated his afternoon lesson on making up for rubato. The “Adagio and Rondo” Opus 8, No. 3 & 4 of Aguado were similarly pleasing.
It was a long day for Bill at the end of his tour. His afternoon workshop was a marathon in concentration which stretched past its scheduled end-time and demanded plenty of mental switching. One player supplied a ‘cello score written on the bass stave, to which our hero was almost equal. But, resilient, he gave a fresh and vigorous recital without resort to paper. So who could mind that all he had left for an encore was “Recuerdos de la Alhambra?”