"La Leona" Tornavoz Guitar of Antonio de Torres (1856)

[Che]

M. Thames called a challenge last week. In view of some comments with regard as to what a Tornavoz guitar really sounded like. That call went unanswered. Consider, both Miguel Llobet and Francesco Tarrega played a Torres Tornavoz.

Here is the original "La Leona" played by Wulfin Lieske.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9cRtzwf8f4

Notice, the tone has a more plangent, open sound. . . and consider just how old this guitar is.

These guitars were not around in my time. You can bet I'd had one or two if they were. Guitars are like potato chips, you just can't have one.

I don't talk about guitars very much. The reason is simple, most often we hear about cheap, off the shelf guitars and ears that are tuned to them.

There is also another famous La Leona I mentioned. Someone else can tell that story. I'm going to reread Lawrence Ferlinghetti's "Moscow in the wilderness, Segovia in the snow."

Che'

[dewach...@gmail.com]

Che, thanks for the interesting post, it shows perhaps there is some interest on this antiquated, incestuous forum, towards the finer side of classical guitar, and not the dumbed down bottom line. It reminds me of the fine shirts you wear, one must have self-respect and a taste for quality in life, in order to recognize this in animate, and inanimate objects.

Here is another example of a magnificent Tornavoz guitar, by Vicente Arias 1873 played by Frank Wallace.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eiFdw9wJgWI

Yes, it does seem on this forum bottom dollar cheap guitars are the name of the game here, it's like hanging out with too many valley girls.

[dewach...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, May 16, 2013 9:49:01 PM UTC-6, Che wrote:

It did not go un-noticed that no one contributed to your post.

[Benoit Meulle-Stef]

At the museum of musical instruments of La Havana, the have 3 Telesforo Julve with tornavoz, sadly they where in quite bad condition... One stile playable was quite amazing...

Benoit