I’m working on a sheet music edition and performance video for Etude No.1 in C Major by Giulio Regondi (1823–1872) so have been watching performances on YouTube and thought I’d share them with you. Below are three videos performed by Tariq Harb, Thomas Viloteau, and Gabriel Bianco. Regondi was born in Switzerland to a German mother and Italian father but was mainly active in France and the UK. He was a known child prodigy of the guitar and in 1831 Fernando Sor dedicated his Souvenir d’amitié op. 46 to Regondi who was nine years old.
Tariq Harb via his YouTube at Grand Salon de Guitare. This one is my favourite so far. I like the balanced approach, letting the music speak for itself but adding the occasional special touches here and there. I also enjoy how he holds back on some of the push and excitement until the end of the work where the music calls for it.
Thomas Viloteau via his YouTube on a Lacôte-inspired guitar made by Mark Usherovich for the Peabody Institute. I really enjoy the amount of rubato used here and some of the interesting articulation and bass muting.
Gabriel Bianco via Guitar Galeria on YouTube played on a Rene Lacote, France 1840. This more zippy performance has a bit more push and pull of the others but still very tastefully performed and phrased.
I imprinted on the recording of the etudes recording by the late great John Holmquist on Naxos, but these are excellent! Great contrast in styles. I love Harb’s playing–always tasteful. I’ve found some of his instructional videos on youtube to be helpful too. He seems to have an extra joint in his thumb–I certainly can’t get my thumb to do that. Viloteau and Bianco are excellent, and those are lovely instruments.
I am happy that more players are discovering Regondi. I highly recommend the recordings David Starobin has put out on Bridge. I bought the music when Matanya Ophee published the etudes–must be close to 20 years ago. I hope to be able to play some of it before I cast off this mortal coil.