Figure 1.-- This is Ruggiero in one of the sailor suits he often wore. We sure not sdure how his performance cistunmes varied with the the clothes he regularly wore. He kooks to be about 11 years old here. His parents billed him as 2 yeats younger. .

When Ruggiero proved to be a very talented violinist, the family realized his commercial potential as a child prodigy and they renamed him Ruggiero Ricci. Apparently a more European sounding name enhanced his appeal as a violinist. Ruggiero made his recital debut in San Francisco at age 10 years (1928). His professional orchestral debut was in London (1932). He performed Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. Although born on July 24, 1918, like Grisha, his birth year was moved forward to 1920 to extend his performing prodigy roles. It couldn't be moved much furher as Harding replaced Wilson as President in 1921. Ruggiero often wore sailor suits. Here we see him in one of his sailor suits at about 11 years old (figure 1). Time Magazine described his performance outfit. "Violinist Ruggiero Ricci appeared on the stage at Carnegie Hall for the first time dressed in a Little Lord Fauntleroy suit with flowing white bow tie and velvet kneepants. He was nine years old, and his hair flopped over his ears. With such classic equipment, he could scarcely have failed to make it as a prodigy—and he made it big." ["Music ..."] On the previous pase we see him in Germany wearing a cut-away jacket velvet suit with short pants. He was about 13 years old at the time. We think his is his performance putfit. Ruggiero's parents dedided to give him a youthful look, so he performned in short pants pants for his concert appearances. This would not have been all that unusual in Europe, but was a little unusual in America given his real age. This was reported in a 1934 newspaper article announcing his performance. ["Famous ..."] He was quoted as saying that he wanted to wear knickers instead of short pants 'when he turned 14 next year', i.e., 1935. In reality, he would have been 17 years old in 1935. As an adult he looked down on hkis child performances. Thuis is no unusual many child performers as adult think the same way. He says that the uninhibited critics 'called me the greatest violinist playing, which meant that I have had to fight Ricci ever since.' He also told Time "... that he was only going through the motions: 'I don't care what they say about how beautifully a child plays; the child himself does not know what he's doing.' Ricci believes that he went into a slump in his early teens. He told Time that 'as a child you have no inhibitions—you just do it. As you grow older, it's harder to be natural." Ricci says taht he was 'almost 20 before he learned to be natural once more.' ["Music ..."}

Sources

"Famous boy violinist rebels at short pants," The Berkshire County Eagle Pittsfield, Massachusetts (February 28, 1934), p. 4.

"Music: Prodigy at 41," Time (Septembedr 15, 1961).

Created: 8:19 PM 4/24/2021
Last updated: 8:53 PM 4/24/2021