Ray Reussner: "The Old Castle" Modest Mussorgsky "Sound Of Guitar" Part 4 of 7

[megaflurg]

I had never heard this piece before. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Reussner maybe 20 years ago. I was just a kid and probably listened to him with a modicum of drool perched on my lip. I had no idea what a master he was. I still have an autographed CD of his saying, "...maybe you could teach me something sometime." This, after he allowed me to play "Love of my Life" by Queen for him (my own transcription) and probably on his OWN GUITAR! Wonderful song, beautifully played, by a kind man.

[TheSonikboom]

everyone needs to realize that all we ever had from these old pieces are the sheet music it wasnt til the early 20s when segovia actually recorded these pieces since the 20s we all as classical guitarrist have been interpreting segoiva and his style and sound he is the reason why we actually know how the piece sounds thats why he is the the father of the classical guitar

[jessyquedens]

It's been years since I heard it on guitar. Thank you, thank you!

[STIZEN9]

Oh Segovia was his teacher? Awesome.

[STIZEN9]

This is how I want to be able to play, this nicely! His right hand is awesome, just like the drawings in aguado's book. Wow.

[PIOTILO]

This version( by Segovia) has two major harmonic errors.One in 1:17 and 2:30.I really don't understand why!! Mussorgsky's harmony is superb in those places and in the whole work. Yamashita's version is a genuine one in those matters.A very sensitive guitarrist Reussner anyway.

[markusboyd3]

What is the tuning on his guitar?

[aaaBurke89]

The low E is tuned down to D.

[eduardosteppenwolf]

masterpiece

[ChromeWorks64]

Wow, this is beautiful! Keep it up! 5/5

[avietdung]

who notice E -string not well ?small man of John have good bass note.this guitar is not best in the world,only for concert it's good.recording no good.high note even so"ice"not sweet.

[morrel06]

i want that guitar

[Alejandrakoxxx]

do any of you aknowledge that this person is one of Andrés Segovia's finest disciples?

[slreza]

Hi Ray, very nice piece and well played... Your guitar sounds very beautiful and has a strong projection. Can you give me some information about this guitar, I might interested to have one if the price can fit my budget. Thanks !

[watch156]

Not every guitarist—and not every guitar!—can pull off this piece. Mighty nice. I wish I could do it.

[JuergenSchenk]

Perfect! Pure expression. Finally a guitarist who plays the guitar like an artist and not like a bureaucrat

[raulcalderonbird]

A great guitarist and a great guitar maker. Wonderful tone.

[zeleko59]

Gloriole...!

[BlackFeather713]

It looks so easy, and yet it's so complex...

[keffbanan]

Beautiful and very, very powerful right hand. I've been looking for a good video with this piece for a couple of years on and off. I'm glad to finally have found a good quality one.

[I2like2eatpies]

Yea yea,Ray,you a master guitar man,kudos bravo,and all that...

But its Modest Mussorgsky that composed the song,so,Modest is the man!

[ThomJBooth]

Absolutly amazing. This sounds so amazing on guitar. A truley skilled musician!

[gtrjon]

anyone know where i can find this transcription?

[DesultoryDilettante]

It's published by Columbia Music Co. Catalog No. CO-229

[25793812A]

For me this is a monumental work not just a piece of romantic music.

I searched for it in the Columbia site but the arrangement there is by S.Papas not A.Segovia...any ideas?

I have a K.Yamashita version but is too difficult and this one here ,looks much more reasonable for my 52yeo hands:)

[gtrjon]

@DesultoryDilettante Thanks you so much!!!

[Sohail288]

you don't know how much i like this song. I've had it on repeat all week.

[1952410]

Brilliant performance.

[tommyk77]

Very good. I didn't much like the part at 2:20. Rubato is good and all, but not so much when the pedal is such an important part of the piece. It hypnotises the listener. If that rhythm breaks, all is lost.

wichitaguitar, agreed. Great right hand!

[SoloGuitaristNet]

Well, we all have our opinions, but one might consider that Mussorgsky lived during the Mid Romantic period and that this is very much in keeping with the performance practice of that time. It is also just how Andres Sevovia transcribed and played this piece that was not written for the the guitar. Reussner's performance really is beyond reproach. Most would agree. This interpretation is full of depth and very much alive... and who are we to argue with Maestro Andres Segovia?

[tommyk77]

Yes, true to the period maybe. I think that Segovia applies this approach to some pieces inappropriately though. In Bach's Gavotte en Rondeua, he makes it sound like a 19th century piece, when i is a dance!

Still, he is a fantastic guitarist who flourished most in romantic music

[SoloGuitaristNet]

So then it stands to reason that applying the same critique to the performance of a work from a composer of the Romantic period to one by a founding father of the Baroque period might not be so fair? We are talking about this performance here, after all.

[LordxRequiem]

@SoloGuitaristNet Bach died in 1750, dude.

[tommyk77]

Indeed. My point was that Segovia often over-applies his romantic tendencies in places it isn't needed. That's all.

The pedal's rhythm is essential, to me at least. Reussner's (and Segovia's) rubato broke that atmosphere.

As I said, the rest of the performance is brilliant.

[GeraldBoyClassical]

First class!!!!

[21Mar08myChannel]

add &fmt=18 to the address in the address bar for higher quality

[wichitaguitar]

Incredible! What Tone! Ray has one of the most refined right hand techniques. Such great detail in this video. This is how the true classical guitar is supposed to be played. Bravo!!!