George Swift - La Capricciossa

[davewerden]

This is a very old recording, but a real eye opener! I had no idea people played like this in 1938:

https://youtu.be/jsH6dkvjFRI

[Snorlax]

And there was no splicing or fixing it in the mix, either!! Amazing.

[dsurkin]

And there was no splicing or fixing it in the mix, either!! Amazing.

Composed by Franz Reis for violin and piano. The original is in concert E, with the highest note being B6 in scientific notation. My ear for absolute pitch is mostly nonexistent, but I'm guessing that Mr. Swift took this down to Eb, a more friendly trumpet key. That means that his top note in this piece was Bb6, or "double-C" as trumpeters call it. Pretty astounding in range, evenness of tone in the altissimo range, and in the technique.

If I remember correctly, Didn't Snooky Young, also active as early as the late 1930s, have a double C?

[davewerden]

If I remember correctly, Didn't Snooky Young, also active as early as the late 1930s, have a double C?

I hadn't heard that before, but he certainly was considered a top player so it is not hard to believe.

[Snorlax]

It ends in concert B flat, so the high note is a concert F.
Still amazing.

[dsurkin]

It ends in concert B flat, so the high note is a concert F.
Still amazing.

Your ears are better than mine!