Back to Previous Page

1942 Interview with Julian Gomez Ramirez (1879-1943)

Interview in English, French by Marc Blanquet, edited Randy Osborne

by: Randy Osborne - Published 05/31/2023 9:31 PM and updated 08/04/2023 3:46 PM

Julian Gomez Ramirez on Saturday June 20, 1942 from page 1 of the daily newspaper "Le Matin" published in Paris.

After these five I could do more the last luthier craftsman in Paris tells us lovingly turning the ribs of his last guitar.

You don't know the last Parisian luthier? Let's go! A hundred times you have walked past his shop. But it stands out so little from those where the cobblers mend our more than ever precious shoes that you never lent pay attention to it. Nor to him. It? It's only a 2 meters by 3 meters shop, without water, gas or electricity. Him? He is simply a magician. The most famous virtuosos in the world have sat on this old chair, the only seat in the place. Some spent hours, days there maybe to beg Julian Gomez Ramirez to open for them. For such is the name of this man who, coming from his Spain native some thirty-five years ago years, to teach Parisians the secrets of his art, he tried, in vain, to train apprentices and continued his work alone. I never wanted to accept more orders than I couldn't do, he told us yesterday, but in a good year, or bad year I make about seven to eight instruments. This year, unfortunately, I can only produce five. I have no more wood.

And stroking with the back of your hand the panel whose planning he had interrupted to greet me, the brave man sighed.

Say, it will be maybe my last guitar. You will see how marvelous it will be!

But immediately he delighted.

They will be marvelous all five, sir, because if they weren't... I wouldn't have the right to call myself Ramirez.

And he took up the plane again, because he is not talkative. Why would he be? besides, when his guitars speak so eloquently and so much these glories, to his, rock-clad walls, undertake to sing his own! I left him to his noble task. Near the door, among so many others, an autographed photo a moment still held me back

What Him too!

Yes. here Him too. But he does not interest me, he doesn't play!

'Cause if he isn't talkative, Gomez Ramirez is witty.

Marc Blanquet

Interview

You may also like this article:

Entrevista con Santos Hernandez (1878-1943) de la revista Estampa Enero 1, 1929
Back to Previous Page