Ruggiero Ricci dies

[Guest]

The great Italian/US violinist Ruggerio Ricci has died at the age of 94.

He was still active and writing and teaching well into his nineties.

Another one of the very individual greats has gone. Sad but inevitable.

His parents Americanised his name to Roger Rich when they first arrived in the US, but when he started to be recognised as a prodigy at age eight they reverted back to Ruggerio Ricci.

He has written some excellent books on fiddle playing.

Of the great 20C violinists this only leaves Ida Haendel if I'm correct - aged about 85. Oh, and Gitlis of course, who I believe is about 90.

[salymap]

Morning Ariosto, yes, as you say, sad but inevitable. And Roger Rich wouldn't have done much for his reputation.
Funny how the changes of name to and from another language come and go.

What about a thread on who changed their name, one way or the other?

I'm afraid I never saw RR but have many good memories if Ida Haendel, a wonderful violinist.

[Richard Tarleton]

I see from the sleeve note in my CD of the 24 Caprices that his final performances were in 2003, at 85, which is pretty impressive. I was lucky enough to see him in 1979 at an intimate recital at an NT property.

[cloughie]

I see from the sleeve note in my CD of the 24 Caprices that his final performances were in 2003, at 85, which is pretty impressive. I was lucky enough to see him in 1979 at an intimate recital at an NT property.

His Bruch/Mendelssohn LXT5334 was my introduction to those works all those years ago.

[Ariosto]

A great violinist. I have always preferred his performances to those of Jascha Heifitz - and he was a much more agreeable person too.

His solo Bach is a benchmark for all young violinists to aim for.

R.I.P

Hornspieler

He was certainly a great player, although personally I would put him just a notch under the great Jasha Heifetz, who is probably a violinists' violinist.

Ricci visited Heifetz not long before Heifetz retired from teaching (as he was already from playing) - and Jasha offered him a glass of whiskey. Ricci was however disappointed to see Heifetz go behind the bottles of single malts and pull out a cheap blended make! (This was told to a friend of mine by Ricci and passed on to me).

I liked Ricci's teaching methods a lot (from his books) and I've also had conversations with a recent young pupil of his, a very fine player, and a stunning looking young lady.* (Leader of the Badke Quartet). (*Naughty, I should not have mentioned that ...)

[Roehre]

Sad news indeed.
What I do appreciate very much in Ricci's personality, is that he not only did the great war horses of the repertoire, but also lesser known works, and performed/recorded them with the same bravoura.
I only want to mention his recordings of Beethoven's Duos WoO 27 (in this case: for violin and cello). Who of the other great violinists did this (or make a Brahms concerto or Beethoven one with a whole range of candenzas the listener can chose from by programming his CD-player?)

RIP Ruggiero Ricci

[amateur51]

Sad news but a great musician.

His recordings gave me much pleasure when I was starting out listening to music in the 1960s and they were easy to find in my hometown's record library.

[gurnemanz]

I only saw him him once - with the Gewandhaus under Masur in Leipzig in 1973. It made a big impression, not just because of his presence and musicianship but also because, as a 23-year-old, it was my introduction to the Stravinsky concerto. I later bought an LP of his famous recording of the Paganini Caprices on Decca's cheap Eclipse label. I still have it but have since upgraded it to CD. I shall certainly be playing it today in his memory.

[aeolium]

I was very sorry to hear this. His recording of the Beethoven concerto was the first I heard (not sure who the conductor & orchestra were!) and I loved his recordings of the Prokofiev concertos - I'll play one of them today.

[HighlandDougie]

Sad news about RR - ACL 9 (the Beethoven Violin Concerto with Boult) was my introduction to the work.

Of the great 20C violinists this only leaves Ida Haendel if I'm correct - aged about 85.

I'm not sure if Ariosto rates him as one of the greats but the very talented Ivry Gitlis is still with us at the grand age of 89 (and fast approaching his 90th birthday).

[gurnemanz]

Sad news about RR - ACL 9 (the Beethoven Violin Concerto with Boult) was my introduction to the work.

I'm not sure if Ariosto rates him as one of the greats but the very talented Ivry Gitlis is still with us at the grand age of 89 (and fast approaching his 90th birthday).

Also still with us:
Hermann Krebbers born 1923
Erich Gruenberg born 1924 (I remember seeing him in the Beethoven under Boult at the Proms in the early 70s, standing in for an indisposed Josef Suk.

[Ariosto]

Sad news about RR - ACL 9 (the Beethoven Violin Concerto with Boult) was my introduction to the work.

I'm not sure if Ariosto rates him as one of the greats but the very talented Ivry Gitlis is still with us at the grand age of 89 (and fast approaching his 90th birthday).

Sorry HighlandDuggie but I edited my post earlier to include the fact that I'd forgotten Ivry Gitlis - I actually thought he was 90 already - but yes, I would definitely include him.

[John Wright]

I saw Ricci perform when I was at Edinburgh Uni. The concert was supposed to be David Oistrakh but he died a few days before, and Ricci stepped in, so the date was the last week of October 1974. It was a very moving concert, though I can't remember what was perfomed.

I did buy vinyl, and looking on my shelves they are mono Decca LPs, concertos by Beethoven, Bruch and Mendelssohn, sadly neglected by me now, but I will play one this week.

[Ariosto]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2012/08/06/158197808/remembering-ruggiero-ricci-a-virtuoso-soloist-spurred-by-army-service

An interesting article with audio of him as a child prodigy.

[PJPJ]

Also still with us:
Hermann Krebbers born 1923
Erich Gruenberg born 1924 (I remember seeing him in the Beethoven under Boult at the Proms in the early 70s, standing in for an indisposed Josef Suk.

And Michel Schwalbé born 1919.