A (small) milestone

[vkioulaphides]

After picking/plucking mindlessly since age 4 or so, I decided a while back to assemble and gradually go through a few of the standard Mandolin Methods. Part One of the above intention materialized fairly easily; Part Two, i.e. finding the time to go through a method-book in a regular, systematic manner eluded me until recently.

Well, friends, I am happy to report that I have finally, finally managed to go through, cover-to-cover, Bickford's Vol. I. Prior to this, the only method I had studied in some detail was Calace's— Vol. I , again, as the later volumes quickly fly above and beyond my meager skills.

So... what next? (Duh... Bickford, Vol. II, of course) What else? In what order? In other words, what would be a good, pedagogically graded order of things? I await advice from those who have trodden this path before...

I am, of course, in no hurry. I view acquiring some sufficient skills at the mandolin as part of my retirement-planning. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif At latest count, that does not kick in for another 17 seasons. Until then, bass-playing reality is not too shabby, especially with Falstaff and a brand-new production of La Traviata coming up on the 2004-2005 season. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Bob A]

Congratulations on your application to your art, Victor. I, too, long for the fortitude and time to progress progressively thru methods until progress becomes apparent. Sadly, I'm too easily sidetracked into playing something just for the fun of it. I stand ashamed before such company as has successfully improved their skills; I know I'll never catch up now.

Oh well, perhaps I'll meet you at the end of Bickford I. Unless you have a copy of B II stashed with your hen's teeth, you'll not be plucking any feathers from that rara avis.

I've not got the Calace, but have tiptoed thru Cristofaro, and Pettine; I too have a copy of B I. Apparently HAVING them is no guarantee of increasing skill. Sadly, one must also do the work.

There's the rub, as always. The bright side is that I don't have 17 seasons to work thru to get to retirement, so my mandogoals are nearer to bearing fruit. Once I cultivate the garden, that is. At least the seeds have been planted. Meanwhile I play what falls to hand, poorly but with pleasure, mostly, and avoid the near occasions of tedium. Admittedly this is no way to study, but I no longer have the juice to pursue goals so single-mindedly as I once did.

We must meet in retirement, then, and see if my head-start will have permitted me to cover some of the ground you'll have left behind in your passage. Still, it will be something of the hedgehog watching the soaring eagle.

Pity the global village has contracted only in this one medium. I'm certain that propinquity is a desideratum for improved play. How better it would be if we were smooshed together geographically; or failing that, if there were more nearly a critical mass of mandolinists, as existed in the golden years, to provide the sort of stimulus that is such a major part of the development of musical skill.

Well, I certainly have obscured your milestone with all this dust. I apologise, and post anyway.

[Jack Roberts]

Falstaff?! Salieri's or Verdi's? LA Opera will be doing Verdi's in May, but I'd like to see the other.

Jack

[vkioulaphides]

Verdi. I, too, would be interested in seeing and hearing Salieri's— an unfairly maligned composer. Still, while I am intrigued by Salieri, I live for Verdi!

A publicist I worked with a few years ago suggested that I get a publicity picture of me taken (with the appropriate stack of staff-paper bundled under my arm and the requisite, aloof, Byronic look— on my patently UN-Byronic face) in front of the statue of the Maestro in New York's Verdi Square. I refused; it seemed sacrilegious and SOOOOOOOOOOO conceited to claim association, albeit visual. Said publicist promptly dropped me from her cadre as "a hopeless case".

Still, as I walk past Verdi Square every morning, the Old Man seems to be winking. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif Tutto nel mondo è burla...

[John Bertotti]

So did you find the Bickford volume 1 well thought out through the whole method? I have Bickford and Cristofaro. I am focusing on the Bickford because the explanations came in an order that actually made sense to me and seemed easier to grasp. I am only in the beginning so imagine a while to completion but would love to hear a critique from you, if time permits. John http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[bratsche]

Oh, Victor, you are so lucky! Verdi's Falstaff is the most fun opera I've ever had the opportunity to perform in! That was a while back, and unfortunately, the company I'm currently employed by doesn't have the resources to stage such a work (too many great principal voices required at once, or so I was told!) Have fun with it - I'm sure you will!

bratsche

[vkioulaphides]

John, I am perhaps the least qualified to offer a critique of Bickford— or ANY mandolin method, for that matter. Having played mandolin (badly) for an eternity, I have ingrained 1,001 habits into my playing already, habits that have nothing to do with proper mandolin-technique and everything to do with, ehm... habit. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif Any point, therefore, in which Bickford (or any XYZ Mandolin Method) differs from "mandolin-playing-as-I-know-it" is an almost insurmountable obstacle for me. Mind you, of course, that I am not preaching conservatism, only describing my own experience.

All in all, I found Bickford quite good. I have already voiced my objection/ puzzlement in the "That Last Up-Stroke" thread and elsewhere. But, for the other 99% of the book, I am all for it. My opinion, of course, is of next to zero value; for a more authoritative word on this, you might have to wait for some real mandolinist (e.g. RSW, Neil Gladd, Alex, etc.) to chime in.

Bratsche, yes, I DO feel most fortunate! One of the benefits of living in an enormous city, as I do, is that there is an equally enormous abundance of talent, hundreds upon hundreds of capable, talented singers already lining up this spring, answering the casting-call for next season. Of course, on the flip side, the mega-metropolitan reality also includes being viciously OVERemployed (to the point of near-death at times), being on the uppermost income-tiers of a generally wealthy, developed economic environment (a most uncommon occurrence in our profession), and still scraping by... But, as per my previous, personal digression, some day I might just cash in all those New York earnings on a tiny, teeny, little Greek island, sipping cheap retsina, nibbling on fruit straight off the tree— and blissfully picking my mandolin, of course! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Ali]

I'm just making sure that you are all mandolin players.... because the beautiful prose you write to describe your practice and mandolin methods sounds more like Shakeseare to me. I once got a school report that said "If Alison paid as much attention to reading and writing as she does to music she improve dramatically" or words to that effect. Mind you I scraped an C in English in the end....... (A in Music!)

[vkioulaphides]

*blush*

Well, Ali... the closest I ever get to Shakespeare is as described above: In the pit, playing Falstaff. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

In fact, however, (and more to the point of YOUR point), I find the present company far more verbally stimulating than the usual chit-chat of orchestra rehearsal breaks. That, in part, is why I am here... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Bob A]

Doubtless I speak for all in saying that WE're glad you focussed on music, Ali. Happily, you also seem quite literate enough in your native language to satisfy the schoolmasters and this select if eclectic community of ours.

[Ali]

Bob,
I'm kinda glad I focussed on music too!!
I'm also glad to be accepted by your little community even if I am a somewhat eratic participant.
Incidentally.....on the original subject.....
I've used Ranieri (all 4 books), Christofaro, Muiner (Lo Sciolidita all volumes), Calace, Wolki (VERY good for diction on tremolo), Pettine (Good for right hand), Marga Wilden-Husden (Good for arpeggio techniques), Gertrude Troester, but I spent most of my childhood and teenhood playing the violin studies of, Kreutzer, Dont and Mazas.
Also, there is a very good new (ish) book by Marlo Strauss (Marga's husband) called Aphorsimen which are a set of Study Pieces - he covers various arpeggio technique patterns, left hand pizz, natural and artifical harmonics, some duo style and sundry other musical issues in some very attractive, accessible and not too difficult pieces. I particularly like Marcia Funebre and Milonga.
ALI