2 Mandolins and Guitar recording project seeks support

[John Goodin]

I don't think I'm breaking the posting guidelines by pointing out that the Ragtime Skedaddlers are seeking support, via indiegogo, for their 3rd CD of "golden era" mandolin music. The Skedaddlers use the actual early 20th century sheet music and are possibly unique in their devotion to this repertoire, at least in the 2 mandolin and plectrum guitar format. (I'd love to know if there are other similar trios focusing on this music on a regular basis.)

Many of us know that the ratio of gems to sludge in this music is pretty low but I think that the these guys do a great job of finding the better stuff. I would encourage interested mandolin players to check out the indiegogo site (as well as their first 2 recordings). I'm guessing that the Skedaddlers (kind of like a public radio fund drive) are more interested in the number of supporters than in the amount of money that people can give.

Disclaimer: I have exchanged emails and music over the years with Nick Robinson but I don't have any financial stake in the group or this project. I'm just thinking that some regulars in this forum might be interested. (I haven't made my contribution yet either, but I will.)

Here's the link:
http://igg.me/at/skedaddlers

John G.

[Beanzy]

Why in "Classical, Medieval, Renaissance" section? surely the ragtime section would get more support.....

[John Goodin]

Ah Eoin, thanks for this question. I hoped someone would ask something along this line.

As a longtime member of the Classical Mandolin Society of America this is a topic near to my heart. The meaning of the world "classical" as it relates to the word "mandolin" is always good for an interesting discussion among our members.

For the fun of argument I will contend that what the Ragtime Skedaddlers do is play "classical mandolin music." It's music written (or at least arranged) for mandolins and guitar during the era of the mandolin's greatest popularity in North America.

Often the debates about classical legitimacy revolve around whether the music is written in standard notation or not (God forbid that it be "written" in tablature). If someone writes a piece for mandolin orchestra using themes composed by Bill Monroe it may be considered "classical" by some. But I digress...

If the Ragtime Skedaddlers changed their name to "The Turn of the Century Classical Mandolin and Guitar Trio" they could still play the same music. I respect their choice to align themselves with the word "ragtime" but to me they are one of the few groups around who are keeping alive a classical mandolin tradition that was once "all the rage."

Again, thanks for asking the question that allowed this response. I mean this to be a good-humored and friendly reply. I hope it makes sense.

John G.

[Beanzy]

Yes, but ragtime is & has it's own category, mandolin orchestras and ensembles just tend to be more open-minded than mainstream orchestras about their repertoire (and always have been).

Classical is a particular genre of music (as you'll know) often lumped together with baroque and romantic; being an orchestra, trio or quartet sourcing repertoire from notation doesn't make everything you play mutate into classical music, even in the wider baroque through romantic sense of the term. So from the point of view of promoting a rag-time trio you're hobbling that effort, by mis-categorising their music as "Classical, Medieval & Renaissance". They play ragtime, which often gets played by mainstream orchestras too. But orchestras and ensembles don't get confused and suddenly think it becomes classical music anymore than when they play another form of jazz it wouldn't suddenly become classical.

It seems that you're confusing the term classical with orchestral or ensemble playing from scored or tabbed music.
The orchestra I play in would never describe itself as Classical or Baroque just because a couple of Vivaldi or similar pieces get played. In fact given our focus on repertoire typical of the 'Golden Age' I consider myself a bit of a freak in pursuing classical music on the mandolin, the more I do the harder it seems to do with classical music, baroque and folk pieces often seem innately more 'plucky'. Many of the players in our orchestras come from a folk-orchestra background. Baroque, jazz (especially ragtime), folk and modern music genres seem more normal sources than classical for most plucked orchestras.

I always wondered why the CMSA chose 'classical' in their title.
Now maybe I know.... confusion