Ranieri recording of The Swan

[Rob MacKillop]

My YT comment:

Wonderful, Ralph, the find and the video, and of course the performance most of all. He plays it as we would expect a performer of his era would have played it. The tempo fluctuations are not excessive, with the swan always leading the way, not being pushed by the flow of the water. I was listening closely to his portamenti, wondering if - like Pujol outlines in his guitar method - the first finger glides so far before another finger hammers down. It is a technique that is best reserved for wide intervals. I've just looked at Ranieri's comments (before Lesson 58. in my Cranz 1959 edition) and he shows a small note in brackets where the sliding finger must stop before another finger plays a higher note, which is generally a tone away, but in the 4th-last bar of Ex.58, the interval is a 4th. Because of this hammer-on, the line is not completely chromatic between the start and end note. This seems similar to what Pujol is talking about, yet I've rarely seen discussed elsewhere. Maybe you could comment on this? He also does it when executing a descending portamento, as in bar 6 of Ex. 58. I'm loving your latest videos!

[Brian560]

Ralph marking up the sheet music in real time while the Ranieri phonograph is playing is priceless.

[Rob MacKillop]

Indeed.

[Bill Clements]

What fun.
Listening to Ranieri play beautifully by delicately tapering phrases with flawless tremolo on this 90 year old recording is a real treat. Ralph’s own performance is as usual, delightful. I found it interesting to hear about how recordings in those days were actually close to live performances.
Thanks, Rob.
Bravo, Ralph.

[Rob MacKillop]

Well, recordings were hugely expensive then, and no mistakes were expected, yet we can hear some in many recordings - I'm not thinking of Ranieri here. But I prefer the live feel of old recordings, much as I prefer "real" video performances on YouTube, over "official" multi-take promo productions.