Hope for our humble instrument

[Ali]

I thought I would share with you all my congratulations to a Postgraduate student of mine at Trinity College of Music, London: George Hadjineophytou. On the basis of his performance in his Final Recital Exam he was put forward to represent the WHOLE string Faculty (i.e. 'cello, violin, harp, guitar etc.....) at The Isobel Bond Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Performance. AND.....guess what? HE WON!!!! Not only is it a splendid achievement for George, but a splendid acheivement for our little instrument and shows how close it is getting to no longer having "fringe" status. Trinity were, incidentally, recently voted the Top Music Conservatoire in UK by the Guardian National Newspaper. WELL DONE GEORGE!!

There is hope for us all yet!
ALI

[margora]

Congratulations, a great accomplishment! I would be most interested in George's repertoire for this endeavor (and in general).

[Ali]

Well, for his actual final recital (required 40/50 mins performance) he played the Addiego Guerra Sonata in G, then L'avez vous vu mon bien aime by Leoni, then Kleine Suite No.2 by Oliver Kalberer, then Prelude No.2 by Calace and then finished weith the Beethoven Theme and Variations in D.
For the competition he was only required to play 20 mins max so he played the Beethoven and then the Calace (as above)
ALI

[Jim Garber]

It sounds like an excellent repertoire, tho I am only familiar with the Beethoven and the Calace.

BTW congratulations to Ali for attempting to spell George's surname. I wonder if Victor has some elucidations on the meaning of that name.

Jim

[margora]

Impressive! I've been meaning to order the Kalberer. The Providence Mandolin Orchestra (with whom I play) performs several of his arrangements.

[vkioulaphides]

[QUOTE]"I wonder if Victor has some elucidations on the meaning of that name."

As for local origin, I would guess Cypriot; Cyprus was, after all, a British protectorate in the past century, and many Greek-Cypriots emigrated to Britain in the course of events. Still, the clan-name is not exclusive (as, e.g. is Mytilenean Kioulaphides #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif )

Neophytos is, of course, a neophyte, someone newly initiated/converted; several saints bear that name, as they were more often than not prior non-Christians converted to Christianity later in life, hence neophytes. The "Hadji-" prefix is borrowed from the Muslims, who go on a "Haj" or pilgrimage to Mecca, and subsequently assume the suffix to their name as e.g. "Ahmed the Pilgrim". In the case of Greeks and Greek-Cypriots, of course, the historical indication is that some ancestor did make a pilgrimage to the respective Holy Land, i.e. Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Galilee, etc.

Cypriots especially, being ideally located for a quick pilgrimage by boat, bear names like Hadjiioannou, Hadjiandreou, Hadjigeorgiou, etc. very, very commonly.

All this by way of a guess. I am neither a linguist nor a pilgrim.

[Plamen Ivanov]

You are quite right, Victor - as usual! There`s no need to be a linguist or a pilgrim to know this. At least for the people of our region like you and me. The prefix "Hadji-" appears also in some Bulgarian names - Hadjinikolov, Hadjistoianov, etc. The explanation is the same and as I said - quite right!

Good luck!

[Alex Timmerman]

Hello Alison,


Wonderful to hear that your student is doing so well!

Congratulations!


Alex

[Ali]

You guys are way too clever for me. George will be most amused to hear how much debate his name has encouraged! He is Cypriot (Greek Cypriot) not sure how old he was when he came here. We do have a big Greek Cypriot community here in England, especially in North London.
I LOVE the Kalberer suite - its a great programme filler (something completely different) - its very evocative and has wonderful movement titles e.g. "Dance of the Drops" and "Funeral March of the Sunbeams".
ALI

[Bob A]

A signal honour, indeed, to be put forth to represent The Strings; honours also reflect the teacher's skills.

Still, it seems to me that our humble instrument is perhaps further from inclusion in the orchestra today than it was in its golden heyday. I have little knowledge of how such things work, but it seems to me that, to be included in that august body, there needs to be a repertoire necessitating the instrumentation, and a large enough pool of players at at professional level to fill the seats required.

I could hope that we might approach such a position: I don't believe either is near enough to fulfilment at this time.

An appropriate, if grandiose, question: how can we assist in bringing this thing to fruition?

[michaellampert]

Congratulations!!

Michael Lampert

[Ali]

Bob,
Thats a tricky question you raise. You're quite correct about numbers of players etc..... I find it extremely frustrating that so many mandolin parts in the big London orchestras are played by violinists or guitarists who are really not (often by their own confession) very good mandolinists. BUT and this is where I fully understand and even agree with them......
What is better?
An instrumentalist who can follow a conductor, keeps time/rhythm, sight-reads brilliantly and is comfortable in the company of a large symphony orchestra.....
OR
A mandolinist who is extremely talented and plays well but has little or no experience of symphonic work, finds followwing the condustor a challenge and is unsure of himself.....
The problem is not players neccessarily but musicians who play the mandolin to a good standard......or mandolinists who are steeped enough in music to cope.
My recommendation to serious young players of both mandolin and guitar is always to learn a second instrument and make it an orchestral one....that way they can join the youth orchestras and gain valuable experience in that field.
In London most of the orchestral mandolin and guitar players of note learnt an orchestral instrument through school and college (I played trumpet).
I could go on for a long time about this but thats very boring.....
In Germany of course they have at least partly addressed the problem in that most players have come through the ranks of the mandolin orchestras...which is a massive step in the right direction.
Caterina Lichtenberg for instance plays orchestral mandolin parts with some of the European orchestras and seems very happy and comfortable to do that.
I'll stop now....
ALI

[margora]

I agree with Ali re: mandolin orchestras. It would be nice if guitarists/mandolinists all played an orchestral instrument to orchestral standards, but the guitar (and mandolin) is difficult enough. The mandolin orchestra is a good compromise (not a perfect one, because the repertoire is quite different); one develops the necessary skills -- to count, follow a conductor, sight read, etc.

[Plamen Ivanov]

Hello,

Congratulations to George and Ali! I have never thought that there`s no hope for our humble instrument. Even though I come from a country, where a lot of mandolin orchestras felt apart before my eyes and many of the great performers don`t play active anymore, because of different reasons. As a former member of a semi professional mandolin orchestra I agree totally with Ali about what she says. And the German experience is also quite significant. I would be happy to discuss this matter further. So, Ali don`t stop.

Good luck!

[vkioulaphides]

I am reminded of the truth of all Ali said every day... A guitarist currently performing a chamber work of mine, called the other day to ask "What on earth does V.S. stand for?" Answer: volti subito, i.e. turn (page) quickly! As common in orchestral parts as down-bow, up-bow.

I am, of course, not bringing this up in order to put down a wonderful artist; it just reminded me, once again, what different and indeed segregated worlds we live in. To a guitarist or mandolinist, the mysterious, stenographic orchestra parts we play from at the opera might as well be hieroglyphics; the incessant cues and cut-offs —Wait for Tosca to come down the stairs, stare at Scarpia, THEN the half-note sforzato, off when he turns and notices her!— would handily defeat the best intentions of anyone but the most seasoned players.

In general —and this is just my own bias— I think that the orchestra of plucked/picked instruments, summarily and brilliantly put together into the wonderful, German term Zupforchester, is the optimal medium for the development of the art. My bias, while not fanatically so, is in favor of music written FOR plucked/picked instruments being played ON such, as opposed to a plethora of trancriptions. (Let us, however, not step into the old, worn, and tedious polemic on the broader subject.)

And, should a shortage of such Zupf-repertoire be felt, well... *shameless self-promotion*... I can think of people who might be inspired to address this matter in a creative way. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[aero_space]

Wasn't it Berlioz who suggested that the Guitarist or Mandolin Player in an orchestra be seated right next to the Conductor. The conductor could then cue the player by using the baton to nudge the player.

[Ali]

mmmmmm.....re: Berlioz's supposed plan (although I have to confess to never having heard of it!)..... I suspect it was more to do with volume and audibility (is that a word?)....also it may have been something to do with what I rather cynically call "Performing Poodle Syndrome" - any mandolinists or guitarist who has sat in an orchestra and had the entire orchestra turn and stare as soon as they start their first entry at the first rehearsal will know exactly what I mean.....or the arrogant conductor who decided to do Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev) with only two mandolin players (more commonly done with 4) standing up (not the most comfortable playing position) in bright red shirts (rest of the orchestra were wearing normal concert D.J's). We made a grand entrance and then stood like a pair of plums high above the brass section in the Albert Hall. (not our idea I assure you) We were also required to memorise the part in a matter of hours as no-one had warned us of his plan until we arrived at the afternoon reh on the day....oh well....and we wonder why there are not more orchestral mandolinists and guitarists?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
ALI

[vkioulaphides]

Oh, what fools those conductors be!

— Not-quite-Shakespeare

I have made my own share of on-stage appearances in utterly ridiculous garb... Still, Ali: "I feel your pain", as common parlance would have it. *ugh*

I find that symphonic conductors get particularly inflated. In the pit au contraire, with 101 conductors rotating in and out, none seems to assume all that much self-importance. Many minor fools seem to be more manageable than one, major one. Then again, there is the positive counter-example of Klauspeter Seibel (of the Munich Opera), who was most understanding and gracious towards the mandolinist when I did Don Giovanni with him, oh... 25 years ago.

As per Ali's original topic title, there IS hope... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Eugene]

This is excellent and exciting news! #Will George be committing his skills to commercial releases soon?

[Ali]

Best ask George, Eugene
But excellent news it is indeed!
ALI

[michaelhooper]

Further regarding mandolinists in orchestras, I would argue that playing chamber music outside the mandolin orchestra world is good training (in my case, a mediaeval music group, and lots of contemporary music) . In these circumstances, mandolinists will learn lots of those orchestral skills. In my experience, undertaking teritary study lead to a plethora of these opportunities. Many performance degrees offer concerti (and the like) to their students as part of the course.

Michael

[Plamen Ivanov]

Hello,

And the V.S. was usually followed by !!! or even !!!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
I was sitting from the inner side of the music-stand, so it was my duty to turn the pages of the scores. Sometimes I bent the lower right end of the right page to grip the sheet more conveniently and to turn it faster.
Playing in the orchestra was a great experience and fun!
Here is a winner`s badge, which I got as a member of the orchestra which took first place in a mandolin festival in 1989.

Good luck!

[vkioulaphides]

We are all very proud of you, Plamen!

And, regarding volti subito... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ... you are SO right! Occasionally —and formally— we see V.S.S. , for volti subito subito !!!!!!!!

The funniest hand-written marking I saw in Italy was on a bass part of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, with its interminable and darn-near-unplayable, chromatic runs— waaaaaaaay over the head of any player in whatever Italian pit this was last used before landing in my hands. The wistful, previous user of this bass part had quoted Dante in his utter resignation, right before the first page of chromatic runs: Abbandonate ogni speranza... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Ali]

reminds me of one of my favourite Italian tunes - Speranza Perdute........... great tune - do you know it?
Just to pick up Michael's point..... I don't think anyone for a moment is saying that playing in a mandolin orchestra is BETTER experience than playing in symphonic or chamber orchestral settings but is simply the most available and convenient opportunity for many mandolin and guitar players and goes at least some of the way to giving one the skills one needs.....
Any collaboration and experience playing with other instruments from the symphonic world is extremely valuable and exciting!

[Jim Garber]

reminds me of one of my favourite Italian tunes - Speranza Perdute........... great tune - do you know it?
Great tune! One of my favorites and in my repertoire for a few years now. I actually got an email some time ago from the grandson of the composer.

I know... Ali's reference was to the Lost Hope of our humble instrument. But times and interests do change. Years ago you could say bluegrass to regular folks and they wouldnt know what you are taking about. Mandolin has certaibnly increased in popularity.

Of course, the classical world is slower to change and may never. However with folks like Ali, Michael, Alex, Richard and others and enthusiasts like many of us on this list, who knows?

We are certainly not going to give up.

Jim

[John Bertotti]

I have no concept of what is meant of follows the conductor. It sounds involved and I'll assume the baton swinging means something. I don't expect anyone to describe all the intricacies in this post but would like to be lead to a book or text or web site that may describe it. I can't help but wonder if getting the mandolin into high schools across the US and abroad couldn't help propel it's popularity. John

[Ali]

Jim, Is the composer of Speranza Perdute still alive? I've played that tune in many a restaurant/wedding function and even Marks and Spencers!! (our equivelent of J.C Penny or any other slightly high end Department type store!) - I was sitting in the outdoor furniture and Barbeque department near the pizza section of the food department and sandwiched in between the children's clothes - what a glamorous life we lead!
I like your fighting talk Jim! - give up? NEVER!
ALI

[vkioulaphides]

John, Samuel Adler (himself a terrific, "adacemic" conductor) has a good, thorough text on the "art & science of conducting" or something of the sort—#I forget the title. Look it up, if you wish...

Oh, Ali... don't even get me started on the glamours of the opera-pit... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Jim Garber]

Jim, Is the composer of Speranza Perdute still alive? I've played that tune in many a restaurant/wedding function and even Marks and Spencers!! (our equivelent of J.C Penny or any other slightly high end Department type store!) - I was sitting in the outdoor furniture and Barbeque department near the pizza section of the food department and sandwiched in between the children's clothes - what a glamorous life we lead!
I like your fighting talk Jim! - give up? NEVER!
ALI
Ali:
The composer was A. Morelli. Unfortunately, I may have deleted the email from his grandson and with it any additional information. The grandson did not have an Italian surname tho. Maybe he will read this and respond.

I played that tune recently at a fund raiser for an aquarium near us and before that solo for a travel package company's open house. I'll bet you can't guess what country i was representing. I did play the appropriate instrument tho... my Pandini (world premiére).

Jim

[John Bertotti]

Are you referring to one of these books Victor. Choral Conducting, an anthology (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1971), second edition (Schirmer Books, 1985); Sight-Singing (W. W. Norton, 1979, 1997); and The Study of Orchestration (W. W. Norton, 1982, 1989), and
Thanks John







Thanks John

[Jim Garber]

Speaking of hope for our humble instrument, I was unaware that Ali has a new solo CD, Con Espressione. I was wondering how we in the US can buy a copy.

BTW she plays Calace's Piccola Gavotta, a piece that I have been working on for some time, as well as other romantic works for Solo Mandolin by Calace, Munier, Pettine, Nakano, Persichini and others

Jim

[vkioulaphides]

John: No, those three are some of Adler's other, equally worthy publications; in addition to these, he has a text specifically referring to orchestral conducting. I would gladly look it up for you but I am in pre-vacation frenzy. It should not be too difficult to find.

Jim, I, too, would LOVE to have and listen to Ali's CD. Dig on... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Ali]

My new CD - sound samples available at my website (http://www.alisonstephens.com) - click on CD's and then on the Con Espressione cover. The CD will be available to buy outside UK shortly via an online music shop:Astute Music (http://www.astute-music.com)- you'll be able to pay by credit card. Anyone who wants to buy from within UK should email meinfo@alisonstephens.com.
Thanks for all your interest.
ALI

[Eugene]

I knew it was coming, but I didn't know it was here. This is yet more exciting news!