Who do YOU think is the greatest classical guitarist of all time — and where does Yamashita rank for you?

The world was not ready for someone like Yamashita. He was too scary to the most of critics, and the public. He was emotional and technical. He could do anything on the guitar. He could play as fast or even faster than Paco de Lucia, or as slow as a turtle. He could reproduce any sounds or effects on the guitar. He was light years ahead. RIP MASTER

I believe this video captures a performance at a classical guitar festival in Toronto from back when he was a young man, barely in his twenties. Yet, it was this very concert that made him the victim of envy among his senior guitarists—a fate that forced him to spend the rest of his life enduring immense underappreciation and ill repute. John Williams went so far as to label him a "disease," and others followed suit, dismissing him as a "technique-obsessed performer lacking musical maturity." What a truly sorrowful world.
I doubt we will ever again witness a performer of his caliber—on any instrument, in any genre. May you rest in peace, Maestro Yamashita.

Yamashita taught me that my posture isn't terrible like everyone who's ever seen me hold a guitar says. It's actually perfect.

Before AI there was Yamshita

His nickname in Japan was simply "The King " How fitting it was. What a shame he passed away so young. 🙏

I wish I could meet him. I cried after learning that he was really caring for people enjoying his music online like us. He was editing most of his videos himself.

I didn't know he had passed away, way too young.
He was The Greatest. Nobody could match his technique, colour range, innovation, feeling, and the courage. I remember back in 1982, reading in the classical guitar magazine, when the Pictures record came out. Then, the famous John Duarte said, - get that record, put it on, sit down in a comfortable armchair - very important, - and listen.

This is sad news - didn't realize he had passed - discovered him in '25 - absolutely astonishing - no one comes close to his skills - what an inspiration & gift he gave the world - heartfelt condolences to his family.

I had the good fortune to share a bit of time with Yamashita as a fellow student at Música en Compostela, and fellow contestant at some of those competitions (he was about 16?). He showed clear mastery then of the conventional repertoire, but I, at least, did not foresee how far he'd stretch the instrument in coming years...omg, what a brilliant journey it became. Thanks, Cody, for this tribute.

I am Shocked to Here that HE is Gone already in His Early 60is, What a Loss, What A GREAT GENIUS,  NO ONE COMPARES TO THIS MAN ❤

Can’t believe I did not know about him!! His right hand is just out of mortal realm!! Closest to ultra instinct I’ve ever seen! Bravo!! 👏

0:20 how can I actually hear every single note 😭

"does this music belong to the guitar?" is such a wild concept. music want to be played, stories want to be read, ideas want to be expressed. in any shape, form, sound, colour.

As a massive Yamashita "fan", I always like to remind people that he did a lot more than merely play these enormously ambitious arrangements and in fact largely abandoned that approach after the age of thirty or so. Anyone interested in this extraordinary musician needs to listen to his recorded legacy. He made something like 84 albums in his lifetime and recorded almost the entire guitar repertoire. His recordings of Ponce, Castelnuovo Tedesco and Moreno Torroba are marvellous, especially the 24 Caprochos de Goya by Castelnuovo Tedesco, with Yamashita being the first guitarist to record the work in its entirety. His recording of the 12 etudes by Villa Lobos is also fascinating in how brings the group together to feel like one work. He performed all six Bach cello suites in a single concert and premiered numerous new works for the instrument. I could go on but you get the idea. There were a great many facets to the man and his death came way too early. Hopefully he will continue to inspire future generations to extend the boundaries of what the classical guitar can do.

I saw this man live in Portugal, around 1993 or so, unaware of who he was. I remember that performance to this day. It's a shame there are no good quality videos you can find of his performances. His playing just blows you out of the water...

To this day, having watched him perform Pictures at Festival de Guitarra de Stº Tirso, was the single greatest guitar performance I ever saw and probably will see...

For those of you who are interested in his right-hand technique, he performs a very fast run after the 2:40 mark. He rapidly plays the A string using his thumb and index finger while simultaneously executing an upper scale run with his middle and ring fingers. It is incredibly difficult.

Cannot believe he wrote this arrangement when he was 18 years old.

Rip Yamashita... you went way too soon... but you maxed out the time you were given.

Thank you for leaving us with a few moments of brilliance...