Bolero

[berkeleymando]

Hi, I am trying to work out a mandolin adaptation of Ravel's 'Bolero' one of my favorite pieces. The repetitive melodical structure of it seems to come out sounding very ethereal, kind of mysterious in its tone. Has anyone else tried this on the mandolin. Is there an edition for the violin parts of the orchestral score that anyone knows of? Thanks in advance.

[Plamen Ivanov]

Hello!

The figure is nice, but the effect comes with the including and accumulating of different instruments. So, it depends on how big and what kind of an orchestra will perform the composition. It needs quantity and also quality - I mean different instruments.

Good luck!

[Neil Gladd]

It's been done. There was an arrangement of Bolero for a HUGE mandolin orchestra published by Durand (Ravel's publisher) in 1930. I looked at it decades ago in the Library of Congress.

[laurent]

The Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra played Bolero at a wedding a number of years ago. You might try contacting Joyce Adams about getting the parts.

I had the misfortune of playing mandobass at said event. I'm sure there must be a more awful, tedious bass part somewhere in the world, but I can't think of what it would be.

[Eugene]

No, unless you count early-mid 1980s heavy metal, I dont believe there is a more awful, tedious bass part.

[PlayerOf8]

I think I was at that wedding.

G

[Jim Garber]

At CMSA this year we played a piece by Yasuo Kuwahara called Pear-Shaped Dance that was very reminiscent of Ravel's Bolero.

While practicing the parts at home, even my 1st mandolin part seemed rather monotonous. When we finally played it it id come together and was a fun piece. I think you have to get outside your own part and hear the whole zen-like sound... or something like that... and out-of-mandolin experience. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jim

[Bob A]

An "out-of-mandolin experience"? I fear this thread is unRaveling.

[Jim Garber]

Bob:
I doubt either of us will be having an "out-of mandolin" experience with our closetful of instruments.

Jim

[Dolamon]

Bolero options - besides some forgetable perfume, Bolero per se is a tradtional Spanish dance. These are very playable pieces on a mandolin (or linoleum) and the ones which developed in Puerto Rico and Mexico (especially) are marvelous trio tunes with intricate rhythms and flowing melodies.

That said - if you are really wanting the orchestral effects of Ravel's bombastic piece, you need an ensemble of at least ten musicians and a sound engineer. I can't recall a small group ever trying it (Emerson, Lake and Palmer or maybe ELO?). Why not - it may be interesting as a Pocket Bolero - which brings up another thought ...

[Eugene]

Recently, I've taken to writing long tirades about transcription on classical guitar message boards. #The whole point of Ravel's rather slow and repetitive Bolero was to contrast differing tone colors across sections of the orchestra while providing practice for very long dynamic changes, neither of which is a strong point of the solo mandolin. #Don't let me dissuade you if you really love this piece and really want to play it on your mandolin, but be aware that you are playing transcription, not mandolin music, and will necessarily lose much of the nature of what makes the piece interesting.

Like Doloman alludes, there are boleros that are more suitable to or even composed specifically for mandolin. #Look into Calace's or a couple by Angy Palumbo (a possible penname).

[margora]

I agree with Eugene regarding Bolero on the mandolin which is why I really enjoyed playing the Kuwahara piece at CMSA. It was Bolero-like but not Bolero, and it was perfectly suited for mandolin orchestra.

[Jim Garber]

Like Doloman alludes, there are boleros that are more suitable to or even composed specifically for mandolin. #Look into Calace's or a couple by Angy Palumbo (a possible penname).
As per your suggestion, Eugene and Doloman, I have posted the Petite Bolero by Angy Palumbo on my sheet music page (http://www.paperclipdesign.com/19ctunes/). You can find it at the top of the page.

So, Eugene, who is Angy Palumbo, really?

Jim

[Eugene]

I don't think anybody knows. #The speculation I've read in a small online article by Paul Sparks is that Sig. Palumbo was [insert ca. 1900 Italian virtuoso of your choice here] who wanted to publish outside that which was permitted by a Draconian contract. #Thus, he concocted a penname and went right ahead in secrecy.

I love that Petite Bolero, Jim. It's great fun if you have a like-minded guitarist on hand.

[berkeleymando]

I see that www.trekel.de has sheet music of a version of Bolero for solo guitar. I understand that Ravel wrote it as an orchestral piece, however while some find the melody repetitive I really like it. I would like to play it in a group setting eventually, the full on mandolin orchestra would be great. Thanks for all the insights, and Jim's page of scores was a really nice thing to share! I am about to print them out and give 'em a try.

[Plamen Ivanov]

Hello,

Dion, wasn`t it the "Pictures from an Exhibition", that was made by Emerson, Lake and Palmer?

[Dolamon]

Plami - not totally sure about who did that version. Whoever did it was very hip and very skilled. The version I'm thinking of was really true to Moussorgsky's original score ... now you've got it buzzing around in my brain. One of the best jazz guitarists I ever heard - listened to it with me (decades ago) and uttered a two word comment 'too cool'.

Too true -

I got wrapped up in it to the extent I found a reproduction of the catalogue for the actual exhibition and as I turned the pages could envision what the composer felt. An amazing tone poem.

[Plamen Ivanov]

Hello,

Dion, very interesting indeed! I have also a story connected with this piece. When I was 6-7 years old I listened to my father`s tapes, which was full of music of the 60`s and 70`s - Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Animals, Cream, etc., etc. (What tapes were they?! You could listen one tape all day long - I remember there were three speeds and if the record was mono, the whole tape could play more than 8 hours, because there were 4 tracks - two on each side.) So, I listened the piece, that we are talking about for the first time on one of these tapes. I was schocked then, because after the intro it was getting too hard for my child taste and I listened to it no more. In the next years the tape-recorder disappeared or crashed, but we kept the tapes. The piece left in my head and a decade later, when I already knew the Mussorgsky`s original I went to a friend, who still had a tape recorder, to hear through the tapes in order to find exactly this version of "Pictures from an exhibition". I was also impressed! Your friend is quite right, it`s pretty cool! I don`t have it, but I can hear it on some radio stations sometimes and I feel very happy!

Here (http://www.plami.com/temp/Bolero.mp3) is a Balkan version of the Ravel`s Bolero, for everyone who might be interested.

Good luck!

[Dolamon]

Outstanding recording Plami! Both the vocal part and the microtone inversions are delightful. It sounds almost like a BIG (and very talented) Klezmer orchestra combined with a rock or jazz rhythm section. Thanks for the link ...

[berkeleymando]

I loved the Balkan version of Bolero, too. I think this is a really interesting adaptation, albeit quite modern and electrified!

Anyone have the sheet music for Bolero Op.26 by Rafaele Calace?

[Jack Roberts]

Bolero at a wedding? You're kidding, right? Could you find out if they are still married?

[Neil Gladd]

...which reminds me that Frank Zappa did a recording of Bolero (http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1203227). (I have it on a CD single with Stairway to Heaven.)

[NYClassical]

Recently, I've taken to writing long tirades about transcription on classical guitar message boards. #The whole point of Ravel's rather slow and repetitive Bolero was to contrast differing tone colors across sections of the orchestra while providing practice for very long dynamic changes, neither of which is a strong point of the solo mandolin. #Don't let me dissuade you if you really love this piece and really want to play it on your mandolin, but be aware that you are playing transcription, not mandolin music, and will necessarily lose much of the nature of what makes the piece interesting.

Like Doloman alludes, there are boleros that are more suitable to or even composed specifically for mandolin. #Look into Calace's or a couple by Angy Palumbo (a possible penname).
haha! i'd like to see those. you probably went off on that guy that did mussorgky? where did you post them?

[Eugene]

Here (http://www.classicalguitar.nl/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=6906) and here (http://www.classicalguitar.nl/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=6893) are a couple. #I was actually more polite to Yama####a's over-the-top outrageous transcription than I should have been.

[Plamen Ivanov]

"Euge-o-rama", ha ha! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif I like that! Where does this come from? From "Panorama", from "Hare krishna, hare rama..." or what?

[Eugene]

That's my default user name when the simple "Eugene" has already been claimed by some other Eugene. I envision it as much more "panorama"-like than "Hare rama"-like...although I do have a fondness for Indian cuisine and a number of outstanding Indian persons.