Vivaldi: Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, on mandocello

[Martin Jonas]

Antonio Vivaldi: Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, RV 43, Op. 14 (1740)
I. Largo

This is the opening movement of Vivaldi's third cello sonata. I am playing the solo part on mandocello, with the continuo realised as a mandolin quartet (two mandolins, mandola in G, mandocello).

I have adapted this from an arrangement for violoncello and string quartet by Naor Zadickario, available from:

https://musescore.com/user/1430676/scores/4254961

Suzuki MC-815 mandocello (solo)

Mid-Missouri M-0W mandolin (x2)
Mid-Missouri M-111 octave mandolin
Suzuki MC-815 mandocello

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Martin

[JeffD]

One of my favorite pieces.

[Randi Gormley]

Very nice!

[FranticTones]

I'd like to see the video of you playing, and not just the slideshow of imageries. Do you conform to the notated cello fingerings, or adopt those of your own?

[Martin Jonas]

I'd like to see the video of you playing, and not just the slideshow of imageries. Do you conform to the notated cello fingerings, or adopt those of your own?

I'm not sure my fingerings would help you very much -- I see from your Bach video that you have an Eastman mandocello, which has a 25" scale length. The scale on my Suzuki is only 22.6", and I get away (just about) with mandolin fingering, two frets to a finger. I wouldn't want to try than on the Eastman scale.

My mandocello technique is rather rudimentary. I'm primarily a mandolinist and use the mandocello to play fairly simple bass lines in mandolin quartet or orchestra arrangements which generally stay in first position. Solo cello pieces tend to be higher in the instrument's range. The Vivaldi largo is slow enough that I can shift into third position for the higher phrases and play them reasonably cleanly with not too much jumping about, but I'm not sure it would be considered sound cello (or indeed mandocello) technique. Took me a few takes, too (which is one of the reasons for no video).

Martin

[FranticTones]

I've been playing a lot of "classical" pieces off cello music so it really intrigues me what methods other mandocello players use. Yeah, the scale length of the eastman is quite a stretch to be applying mandolin fingerings; so I've been going off generally fingerings indicated for cello, which at the very least is instructive for muscle memory and developing comfort across the fret board... I notice at times in a lot of sheet music there's a kind of expressive quality to indicated fingerings, by virtue of continuity of tone or subtle glissandos... Whether it comes across or not is another matter. :-X The approach of economy of movement is definitely sound. I've been playing some Trombone music as well and tend to keep position when lines move into the higher register.

Anywho, thanks for sharing. Great performance of the vivaldi piece. The mandos bring an intriguing quality to the music!