Valzer di Mezzanotte

  1. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    I learned this Italian waltz many years ago from a recording by the late Matteo Casserino (1911-2001), the mainstay of the Italian sessions at Caffe Trieste in Berkeley. His original recording, and hand-written music chart, are available at:

    http://www.brucezweig.com/music/matteo/

    The same arrangement is also (in neater typesetting) in Sheri Mignano's invaluable book "Mandolin Melodies", with an added second mandolin part. Matteo used the title "Mezza Notte", expanded to "Mezza Notte (Napoli A)" in Sheri's book. I have only just found out that the tune was written by Frank Amodio in 1952 and is properly titled "Valzer di Mezzanotte". There are a fair number of Italian fisarmonica recordings on Youtube, and a score for accordion/fisarmonica is here:

    https://www.donquattrocchi.com/pdf/V...mezzanotte.pdf

    Played on my Vinaccia bowlback mandolin, double-tracked to play both mandolin parts of Sheri's arrangement, with tenor guitar backing.

    1898 Giuseppe Vinaccia mandolin (x2)
    Vintage Viaten tenor guitar



    Martin
  2. Frankdolin
    Frankdolin
    Very nice Martin! You've really captured the Matteo sound in this recording.
  3. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Wonderful Martin, oh the tremolo, thanks for the encouragement!
    Quite dreary at the moment here in the South of France, nice to have a brief bit of sunshine.
  4. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    Thanks, Frank and Simon. Matteo's style was expressive and strikingly direct, without being overly bothered by technical intricacy. I find his repertoire to be very attractive for that reason.

    Martin
  5. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    You always manage to come up with those wee gems, Martin. Such an evocative delivery on your Vinaccia.
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