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Thread: Italian mandolin music

  1. #1
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    I am hoping to add some music to my solo repertoire from the Italian tradition but am not sure where to look. Are there any available collections or method books that you would recommend? I am about an intermediate level player and can read music fairly well. Thanks,
    James

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    Terry Pender put together a collection of easy to intermediate italian mando pieces a few years ago. I believe you can order it from Elderly Instruments.

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    I have some Italian (and other) tunes here for free download.

    There are a few Italian methods but none of these are specific to playing only italian music. There is the six-part Calace method which I believe is still in print and available from trekel.de. There is a 2 part Ranieri method but that was cut down from a more extensive version published in the 1920s. There is also the Gervasio Method. There is the Curti Method available from our own John Craton's Wolfhead Music. And there is the Italian-American Pettine method: out-of-print but you can find it some places, sometimes even on eBay. There are other methods which are out of print like those of Carlo Munier. There is also a list of these and other methods at this page: FMI Method links

    Also, I am not sure if you are looking for Italian classical music or Italian folk or popular tunes.

    Here are a few other sites with Italian music:
    Patrizio

    FMI Sheet Music Links

    Some sheet music by and played by Giovanni Giovale.

    That should keep you busy for a little while.

    Jim
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  4. #4

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    i've never done this but i expect that if - as a foreign visitor to naples ... after checking-in to your hotel; having a relaxing bath; a change of linen and a fortifying glass of something nice ... you were to exit your hotel, of an evening, with your mandolin in hand and stroll towards the lights ... you would learn more than you ever would from any method book and be loved for it ...

    ... viva italia!

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    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Very nicely put, Bill and no doubt effective. There has yet to be a song 'Michigan Tutta Luce' but I am here at the same latitude as Roma and so this very breezy evening it is fair to say we are sharing some of the same light. What you say about context is all so true but on any summer's evening musica mette l'anima nella vita.

    Mick
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  6. #6

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    in michigan, the recipe calls for an additional glass of something nice and - on occasion - snowshoes.

  7. #7

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    Don't forget Sheri Mignano Crawford's Mandolin Melodies book (also available on CD)

    Mandolin Melodies

  8. #8

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    Ya know.... this thread has got me thinking....

    I played a solo strolling gig yesterday (Mother's Day) at a local upscale Italian restaurant. I'm always looking for music and other info (how to best market myself, what to charge, how to handle certain situations, etc). And here's this thread with another guy looking for music...

    So this may be a kooky idea since this is such a narrow interest area - but I'm thinking about creating a sort of Society of Strolling Mandolinists organization where we can help each other become better practitioners of this nearly lost art form.

    We could share info, lessons learned, etc. And maybe being members of a professional organization would add credibility to our marketing efforts. Before posting a thread on this I thought I'd poll the people who read this thread (sorry for the hijack James) to see if anyone is interested in such a thing.

  9. #9

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    i think the nuts and bolts of the whole "strolling minstrel" genre could be discussed - regardless of instrument.

    i have a vivid memory - circa 1958 - of mandolin player in a resturant in greenwich connecticut asking me - crew-cut, blue blazer and white bucks - if i would like to hear "davy crockett." i'm sure i caused him some offence by saying "no" ... and subsequently putting a dime in the juke box to hear fats domino sing "blueberry hill."

    i presume the gig is to simply "stroll" from one venue to another, dazzling all and sundry with your musical wizardry while someone ... ? ... passes the hat.

    frankly ... i just can't see that happening in mid-town manhattan or anywhere,. frankly ... even in the village in which i live now.

    what to do? is "strolling player" synonymous with "cafe society?" ... where might you find that these (i-pod) daze?

  10. #10

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    Ah - great grist for the mill even if slightly cynical.

    I actually have a MUCH narrower view in mind. Not all instruments and not all musical styles. Italian mandolin. Traditional Italian mandolin. Obviously there are limited venues and few players in this genre, but that is the scope of my interest for the potential professional organization I have in mind. If nobody else is interested - that's OK too.




  11. #11

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    apropos ...

    here's a series of photos of street musicians:

    http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=stre...usicians&w=all

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    Lots of guitars, fiddles, accordions, saxophones, even a sitar. There might have been a mandolin in there somewhere, but I didn't scan all 8000.

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    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    I've always enjoyed the street music culture in Europe: Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Firenze-less of it in Rome than I might have guessed. Even in the US-in NYC, Chicago and SF. Austin, where I'm from has much less, maybe because there are so many clubs. I don't know though, Jeff, the strolling musician thing over on the continent always kind of bugs me. Just when I'm sitting down and gazing deeply into my true love's eyes some guy is at my table wanting to play 'Guantanamera' (or something.) I usually ask for "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" which scares them away. The nicer places shoo them off or pay them a stipend to stand off to the side and play without pestering folks. There is great great music on the street but the strolling guys are kind of like mimes to me. (Now I'm sure to offend a lot of folks with that....) Probably some US restaurants and diners do go for that sort of thing, but if you see me waving some breadsticks-STAND BACK! #

    Mick

    (That all is jest-I hope the gigs keep turning out well!)
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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    I usually ask the Mexican guys (or anyone else) to sing their favorite song, not mine. I never want to hear tourist music.

    In any case, add Montreal and Quebec City to the list of great street music. The only think I found missing in QC was an appreciation of authentic French Canadian music. There was one old guy with a button accordion but most folks ignored him. He was very good too.

    Jim
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  15. #15

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    I totally agree with the "no pestering" stance. Being a musical pest to squeeze tips out of people is not my idea of fun. In fact, I have a theory I have not tested yet but am eager to:

    At the restaurant gigs I get paid an hourly rate anyway. So I want to try putting out table cards indicating that I am there for entertainment and tipping is not expected.

    I am willing to bet that freeing people from the social awkwardness of the tipping expectation will do two things: A) make it more fun for me since people won't feel the need to avert their gaze and pretend I'm not there, and B) I think it will actually increase tips. People who tip musicians will tip anyway. People who don't usually tip may do so to show appreciation at having the "extortion" pressure removed. At least they'll feel free to enjoy the music even if they don't want to tip. I'd much rather play for someone who enjoys the music than someone who ignores it in some sort of silly financial power-struggle.

    This is an entirely different approach from wandering around in public trying to coax tips out of people at random. No interest in that at all.

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    Registered User Martin Jonas's Avatar
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    I have played as dinner entertainment to an Italian gala dinner, and will play at another one next month, but in both instances as part of a group rather than solo, and sitting down rather than strolling. I guess that's a rather different social context, really. It's certainly different from a concert setting, not least because sound monitoring is a serious problem -- playing into a noisy dining room unamplified makes it hard to determine whether the diners can hear you at all, or indeed whether you're overpowering their conversation. Then there is the question of applause -- simply by your demeanour (and by the way you are introduced, or not, by the MC or maitre d') you can determine whether you get treated as background music and just play one tune after the other, or whether people stop to applaud after each piece. In the context of dinner entertainment, blending into the background isn't necessarily a bad thing, and it means that when you do get positive feedback form individuals it's honest rather than forced by convention.

    Martin

  17. #17

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    most of the buskers i've seen here in italy are gypsies and i have to say that - by in large - they're despised.

    i was looking at a huge book today devoted to the french artist jacques callot:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Callot

    ... if there's ever a time machine invented and i can travel back in time THOROUGHLY innoculated for EVERYTHING! ... and be allowed to carry my charango - i'd choose france, italy and spain in the early baroque period.




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    Interesting that the thread went in the direction of strolling musician, which I never mentioned in the original post but was actually on my mind when I posted. There is a farmer's market near where I live and I would like to play there on Saturday mornings, unobtrusively in the background, (with case open but no pressure), and would like to play different styles of music. Also I could see playing in a corner at some wine bars, just for atmosphere, but not to stroll around the tables and make people nervous at dinner. Jazz standards, Italian folk or light opera arias, show tunes, fiddle tunes etc. What else would be appropriate for solo mandolin in such places?

  19. #19

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    I think the locale influences the musical selection. At a farmer's market you could play almost anything. I try to play at upscale Italian restaurants, so I focus on traditional Italian folk songs, operatic arias, dances, etc. The other day I did get a request for the Barney song, which I had to politely decline.

  20. #20

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    ok, here's the scene:

    i'm thirty-years younger and bald-less. #i'm working this upper-crust revel over on the westside, laying down some soft and serious bosa-nova on my charango as i pick-up scorchingly hot market tips from the clustered tables of the well-to-do. # #

    suddenly ... there she is - elegant and revealing ... swaithed in crushed silk and channel no. 5 and in radiant wealth.

    "requests?" i murmer.

    "'all i want is you'" she whispers back.

    i jive insouciantly into a "twist and shout" riff and reply ...




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    I dunno, Bill . . . maybe it's the formaldehyde fumes from the charango?

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    Registered User Neil Gladd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (billkilpatrick @ May 16 2007, 05:02)
    "requests?" i murmer.

    "'all i want is you'" she whispers back.

    i jive insouciantly into a "twist and shout" riff and reply ...
    Twist and Shout? So, are you saying that you don't know how to play "All I Want Is You?"

  23. #23

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    no-no-no ... you've got it all wrong.

    i won't tell you what i said (witty it was, too) but she said:

    "who's eddy duchin?"

  24. #24

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    ... *ahem*...

    Assuming we are speaking of the Italian "popular" tradition, I can only recommend what I do, and others may freely disagree, to wit: collections/anthologies of Italian songs are readily available; get some, pick your favorite tunes, and come up with your own "Fake Book" of such, scored in (again, your own) shorthand of mandolin and generic accompaniment (perhaps chord-symbols, perhaps guitar tablature, whatever...)

    When done creatively and with an open mind, this will make you a better performer, arranger, and musician in general; it will, I would hope, also "personalize" your rendition of such well-known "standards". So, why not?

    Cheers,



    Victor



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  25. #25

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    Exactly Victor! And BTW, I can count on many oohs and ahhs over the De Meglio - it not only sounds great but it is a fabulous conversation starter while strolling.

    Another thing I do which is fun for me and a great crowd pleaser: I carry some simple percussion instruments (shaker eggs, ribbed sticks, etc) in my pocket and when the situation seems right I get a couple people (especially older kids) to accompany me. Parents LOVE this and it tends to generate tips too. It also seems to loosen up people at the other tables and makes them more receptive.

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