SILVIO RANIERI - Mandolinist, Conductor and Composer.

[Alex Timmerman]

Hi all,

I thought it would be interesting to post this 'sound-video' about the celebrated Mandolin virtuoso Silvio Ranieri (Rome, 1882 - 1956, Bruxelles) here.



It is a video of a recording on a rare 78 RPM disk made in 1905 in Brussels with music for Mandolin and Piano by Jean Gabriel-Marie and Louis Ganne performed by the Italian Mandolin virtuoso Silvio Ranieri. Unfortunately it is not known who accompanied Ranieri on the piano, but perhaps that will surface some day.

During the sound reproduction I placed a number of relatively unknown photos of Ranieri, and pictures of the 1st pages of most of his original compositions for mandolin solo, mandolin in combination with other instruments etc., as well as a selection of the many arrangements he made for Mandolin orchestra.

Near the end of the video you'll hear (also on a 78 RPM record) 'The Belgian Mandolin Orchestra' (the Mandolin section of the 'Grande Harmonie Royale Bruxelles' conducted by Silvio Ranieri. A Mandolin Orchestra of which the plectrum instrumentalists all played on 'high end' Luigi Embergher instruments). Here they perform the famous Intermezzo 'Cavalleria Rusticana' by Pietro Mascagni in a recording made around 1925.


Enioy and best greetings, Alex.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk5QU0Uqpqs&t=22s

[Rob MacKillop]

I'm loving all the research into Ranieri you and Ralf are doing, Alex. Keep it up. I really enjoy the sound of the mandolin section with other orchestral instruments, such as oboe and flute. It seems to take the edge off the mandolin sound. It's a pity these performances were not better recorded, but at least we have them - that's amazing in itself.

[Tim Logan]

Wow. Thank you.

[Frankdolin]

I came across this yesterday, never seeing this post. Small world. I was fascinated and cannot wait to learn more!

[Christopher Stetson]

Thank you, Alex, for this. Are his compositions shared anywhere, or are they still under copyright?