Who did Mendez's father study with?

Blancolate

A friend of mine was telling me that his father studied with some well known French teacher in Mexico. Anyone know anything about this?

trpt.hick · Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2004 7:56 pm Post subject:

Maybe others know more about Maximino (Rafael's father) than I do, but he did study with a French musician who taught him solfeggio and several instruments. His favorite instrument was the mandolin. I do not know the name of this teacher.

After Rafael was making a good living playing in various music theaters in Detroit, he purchased a Gibson mandolin for his father. This instrument, which is now in the Rafael Mendez Library, was considered to be the Rolls Royce of its day.

DH

Mr.Hollywood · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Dec 2002 Posts: 1730

Hey Dave,

Its funny that you should mention a Gibson mandolin because I was up real late a few night ago watching the "Antiques Roadshow" when a guy turned up with one.

The appraiser went absolutley nuts over the instrument and valued it at over 20,000 dollars.

If the guy sells it, he just might have enough for a down payment on a Monette "Raja"...........

Chris

trpt.hick · Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2004 9:29 pm Post subject:

Chris,

I really don't know what the value of the one we have is. Bob Mendez told me a story once that a friend of the Mendez family was over for dinner one night. He owned a large music store in LA back then. Mendez had the mandolin because his father had passed away a few years prior.

Anyway, the man noticed it sitting in Rafael's home studio. He seemed to be quite surprised to see one in such good condition and said that it was worth quite a bit. Rafael had paid $800 for it new, so some 70 years later?? Who knows.

I should do some investigating. I can't imagine that it is worth as much as $20K, but that would be nice!

DH