This is my instrumental rendition of a song air by Robert Burns, played on mandocello with a tenor guitar accompaniment. Based on a setting by Klaus Stezenbach: http://www.kstez.de/Winter_It_Is_Past__The__Scot_.pdf Suzuki MC-815 mandocello Vintage Viaten tenor guitar The lyrics used by Burns are based on the older Irish folk song "The Curragh Of Kildare", although that song is these days usually sung to a somewhat different melody. The winter it is past, and the summer comes at last And the small birds, they sing on ev'ry tree; Now ev'ry thing is glad, while I am very sad, Since my true love is parted from me. The rose upon the breer, by the waters running clear, May have charms for the linnet or the bee; Their little loves are blest, and their little hearts at rest, But my true love is parted from me. Martin
I like this tune Martin and the excellent way you have played it. I like the mandocello - for a change of scenery and sound.
Thanks, Ginny. It's a very sparse tune, which is tricky to pull off on plucked instruments with limited sustain. Rather than going for tremolo, I decided to use the mandocello because of the longer sustain and because Klaus Stezenbach has notated the melody so low in his setting -- it would be mostly on the G string if played on mandolin. Similarly, I used a rapid arpeggio quaver accompaniment to keep forward momentum while waiting for the next melody note. It's a nice change to use the mandocello as melody instrument now and then, rather than simple bass lines or harmonies. Martin
The mandocello as a melody instrument is indeed sounding convincing. Nice melody!
