Beautiful, rara avis of our cinema, “The sound of before”of Yael Szmulewiczis much more than the tracking of two old guitars in a restoration workshop, or the today amazing experience of recording on a 1905 phonograph with a wax cylinder and enormous horns instead of microphones.
Rather, it is a love song to the guitar, especially to the criolla guitara tribute to the impressive work of luthiers, a heartfelt recognition from today’s guitarists to the guitar makers of yesteryearwho left us, as if nothing had happened, so much beauty of their own on the six strings. It is a grateful memory to the Old Nunez Houseopened in 1870, closed this year. And it is a celebration of vocations and passions that are to last a lifetime, with “the bride” in his arms and his foot on the stool.
Szmulewicz and Patricio Cromcomposer and collector, put together the work. It all started with the discovery of a guitar with a pearly star soundhole like the one he used Gardel. Could it be Gardel’s? Many people have searched for it over time, there is even a 1949 film where the singer Agustín Irusta fantasizes about finding it.
In any case, what Crom He is interested in knowing how that guitar sounded, for which it must be repaired with the elements that were used before, and put sheep gut strings with copper wire. Work of a “cordero”, of which there are not many, and of a unique luthier, Sebastian Nunez (The film doesn’t say it, but this man spends half a year here and half a year in Utrecht, serving the needs of European early music ensembles.)
Adds up Mirta Alvarezwho plays an eleven-string instrument. The conversations with other musicians begin, the meeting with the Uruguayan Alfredo Sadia living memory of Rioplatense music, which began as a child 75 years ago and still continues, the recital of prodigious friends at the Roma in Avellaneda, the last theater where he sang Gardel before his final tour (and where his portrait is next to that of Pietro Mascagniauthor of “Cavalleria Rusticana”) and, finally, the recording at the home of the collector of old devices Guillermo Elías, who prepares everything with particular care.
In front of the horns, Juan Villarreal sings the Creole style of Gardel and Le Pera “Guitar, my guitar”the one that says “Courage, love and regret fly in your harmonies”and everything is said, and it is the wonder and the complete happiness when recording it, and when listening to it. They have sought, as someone said, “the value of things and the origin of the value of things” and they have found it between their fingers.
“Fire rods”, “Downhill”the anonymous “Dream of love””, played in the old style by five guitars, “20 and 20”, by the girl quartet The Forty, “Changing the strings”, the soft one “Silence”a dozen topics, the Tape Rubín, Moscato Luna, Cucuza and Mateo Castielloand other fine artists, in other times the film’s CD would be sold at the cinema exit. That soundtrack should not be missed, and the film even less so.
“The Sound of Before” (Arg., 2023); Dir.: Yael Szmulewicz; documentary.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
