RM came to Woodrow Wilson Junior High School for a seminar when I was an eighth grader learning my second year of trumpet. I got to do a duet with him and hear his advice. I am 71 years old now in 2020 and still playing trumpet because of his inspiration. He was the greatest in my book and always will be!
I live in a small city very near from Jiquilpan, where he born, but I feel him distant in the mists of the past, today, thanks to your commentary, he is getting closer.
Recuerdo que mi padre que en paz descanse, tocaba esa pieza en la plaza de toros Monumental Monterrey, y a diario tocaba su trompeta en la casa, fue un excelente trompetista, era invitado a tocar a muchas bandas, incluso la Sonora Santanera lo invitó a tocar.
I first heard this recording 55 years ago when in jr. high, and have listened to it on & off since then. I still play at age 70, but never as good as Raphael Mendez! He is indeed the trumpet meister par excellence!
Hay que ser salame para bajarle el pulgar a esta versión!!!! No cualquiera lo hace, ojo!!!. Rafael Mendez, una verdadera maravilla con la trompeta. Gracias Mexico por dar algo asi.
Maybe in this genre, but I'd have to list Maynard Ferguson among the greatest as well, but Maynard was not a classical or Spanish genre trumpet player. I've been following Rafael Mendez for a few years.
@@eddarby469 Maynard Ferguson is one of the best But Mendez is the best. At the age of six he took lessons from the solo cornet player in Sousa's Band and by the time he was seven of eight could not be taught anything else. By the way my school mate Jay Chattaway revived Ferguson's career with one of his arrangements.
Nooooo excelente!! Qué Gran trompetista fué. La destreza al ejecutar cada nota. Los matices, los retardandos a su gusto, la delicadeza ( cero estridencias) y además esas notas estacatas muy lindas. Las otras notas dudadas bellísimas. Los acelerandos. Me gusta. Me gusta mucho
I agree, this guy Mendez has been the best by far during decades. Perhaps could be being the best through centuries? Solo basta escuchar esas semifusas parejitas como si estuvieran entrando a tus oídos un ejército de notas que te hacen pensar en nada más que admiración.
This has to be the best version of this on RU-vid. I especially like the strings added to this arrangement. Very powerful, even without Don Rickles entering on stage. Mucho gracias!
When I had dinner with Mendez he told me that he was sick. Didn’t say what he had. He still could play! He was a great person. I asked him at what age he thought he was the best, and he said when I was forty, I could play anything. That is one reason he played violin solos. Trumpet music was easy for him. I am now 86 yrs. old . I was a fan of his when I was in high school. My uncle new about him and he got me hooked on him. I saw Rolf smedvic and I said you sound like Mendez and he said I should because he was my teacher. Wow . Rest In Peace Rafael
This is a very clean recording but Doc Severinsen performed this live with the Boston Pops and that version is pretty incredible. Doc exploits his superior high register. Both are phenominal.
I'm a former sax player but I enjoy all instrumentalists. My all time favorite trumpet player is Doc Severinsen with Allen Vizzutti and of course "Diz", Clark Terry and the rest of those "cats" but Raphael Mendez, is the gold standard for his genre!
I like Doc a bunch, but I think Rafeal Mendez is pretty fantastic. However, nobody can touch Maynard Ferguson. I can't believe how lucky I am to be able to enjoy such great musicians during my lifetime, and I still have some legs left.
@@eddarby469 I love Maynard, too--but...what criteria are you using to judge that nobody can touch him? He had a unique and amazing upper register sound when he was "on", and he was the most exciting showman...but as far as musicality, consistent tone quality, pitch, phrasing...he was nowhere near someone like Doc, Allen Vizzutti, Harry James, Rafael Mendez, or a dozen other of the truly great trumpet players.
@@jaredbrame5639 We're blessed to have many greats during our lifetime. Maynard played with real fire in his sound. He had many great musicians with him. He had some fantastic arrangements. I played his albums as a kid until the grooves were almost gone. You have to view the whole thing. He brought so many things together. And, not that it matters, he played high schools so we could see him. Yes there are thise that can play higher. There are several that play with masterful technique from G in the staff to the G two octaves above that. But Maynard, with his power slides in the stratosphere, was doing something nobody else does.
He is by far the best trumpet player in history in terms of technique, tone and musicality. Marsalis will also fall down if Mendez is in front of him. It is fortunate for all modern trumpet players to be able to watch the video he plays on the Internet.
I heard him in person at Bacone College (Ok) in 1960. He’s better than anyone I’ve heard since. Compare his time to play Moto Perpetuo with that of any other trumpeter.
You are not Alone. In 1958 I attended a summer music school in Stockton, Ca. We had never heard of Rafael, for a week he was our sectional leader. Saturday night concert he played the flight of the bumble bee. What a amazing trumpet player an person, I will never forget.
Dº Rafael Mendez es un maravillosos trompetista (No hay más que escuchar esta grabación para comprobarlo) ¿ Pero porqué se olvidan de poner claramente en el encabezamiento que los autores de ésta bella melodía son los señores: Dº Bernardino Bautista Monterde y DºAntonio Ortiz Calero.?
Compositores Bernardo Bautista Monterde y Antonio Ortiz Calero. Me gusta porque creo que esta versión es lo más acercado a la interpretación cantada en lo que se refiere a la trompeta. ¿Qué orquesta es?
I would love to hear a guitarist interpret this song as expertly as was done by Mendez on the trumpet. Sabicas came close. Maybe Paco could have done it.
