Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

[Bernie Daniel]

I have been trying commit Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring the last movement of Bach's cantata, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, to memory -- I have about two thirds of the score memorized at this point.

But this morning I was struck with the question of what key should I be doing this work in? I have a version in the key of G major. Is this a useful key to use for the piece? Also what tempo should one ideally use for it?

I suppose it is done in at least several different keys because of the choral parts that have been written for it?

[bigskygirl]

I've been working on this myself, Emory Lester's arrangement in G which makes use of the open strings. Here he plays it on the Mandola, he's playing out of the same position we do it on the mandolin so this puts it in a different key on the Mandola.

[bratsche]

Here's a version of the whole piece that I arranged from the score for two mandolas, and this one's in G. Sound is not great, as I recorded it with the old digital camera I shot this on (and I could likely do it better musical justice today too, but it's over four years old...)



bratsche

[Bernie Daniel]

Thanks for that video. I guess he is playing it in the key of C then. It is nice playing for sure -- of course this is a "folk" version of the tune and he takes a lot of liberties with the melody line especially the last section. I am learning the note for note version as written for now. Once that is under my belt I'll probably play around with it too. Too bad the acoustics were not better for that recording with would have been interesting to hear that a little better.

This is a very nice version by David Hansen but I think he leaves out the third section of the work out (circa measures 34 - 56) and replays the first two sections twice? Not sure about that though.



Here is another version that I like a LOT and I think it is pretty much exactly as Bach wrote it. I like the tempo here too. I wonder what others think?


On thing is it looks like G is an oft chosen key anyway.

[DavidKOS]

Bach's original is in G.

http://conquest.imslp.info/files/img...olin1-oboe.pdf

http://imslp.org/wiki/Herz_und_Mund_...ann_Sebastian)

G is a fine key for mandolin, too, so I play this in G.

[bigskygirl]

Those videos are very nice! Here's a version I found on Musicnotes.com a few months ago when I was looking around for music and videos.

http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic...ppn=MN0086369&

[Bernie Daniel]

Here's a version of the whole piece that I arranged from the score for two mandolas, and this one's in G. Sound is not great, as I recorded it with the old digital camera I shot this on (and I could likely do it better musical justice today too, but it's over four years old...)

bratsche

That is really great! Thanks for reminding me of that one! I am pretty sure that I saw your video once a few years ago and it might be what started me thinking I should learn the work!

Part of what you are playing seems an octave down from the version I have? But I need to watch it and play along a bit with it first -- it is more confusing with the two parts being shown to track it one to one.

I also have a second part written for octave that I might transpose for mandola or mandocello -- have not started with that yet.

It seems like your mandolin has a really wide fret board? What kind of a mandolin is it and it is intermediate in size between a mandolin and mandola? The upper instrument actually looks larger?

[bratsche]

Thanks, Bernie. I wanted a second voice in there, because I didn't like the idea of simply stopping the flowing triplet line every time the choral part came in. I'm sure that could be done with any two instruments. And multi-track recording is fun!

It seems like your mandolin has a really wide fret board? What kind of a mandolin is it and it is intermediate in size between a mandolin and mandola? The upper instrument actually looks larger?

It's the same Big Muddy M11M (15.5" scale, normal fretboard) in both parts. Must be the camera angle, or something.

bratsche

[Bernie Daniel]

Bach's original is in G.

http://conquest.imslp.info/files/img...olin1-oboe.pdf

http://imslp.org/wiki/Herz_und_Mund_...ann_Sebastian)

G is a fine key for mandolin, too, so I play this in G.

Thanks David! The score that you linked to shows 70 measures for the work while one I am looking at has only 58 so I need to look at and see just what has been left out.

[Andy Boden]

My version from 2012, using an electric mandolin by Paul Shippey

Continuo part played by my computer !

Andy

[DavidKOS]

Thanks David! The score that you linked to shows 70 measures for the work while one I am looking at has only 58 so I need to look at and see just what has been left out.

You're welcome, I always check the original (or as close to that) as possible for "classical" (baroque) music.

Many transcriptions, arrangements, and editions of the master's works are quite good, but I still like to the the scores.

[Bernie Daniel]

My version from 2012, using an electric mandolin by Paul Shippey

Continuo part played by my computer !

Andy

That was a JOY (naturally it would be!!) of Man's Listening -- thanks Andy! I got lots of ideas from watching that too -- like your course/string selection on some of the passages -- more sensible and facile fingerings! The Shippley emando sounds nice. Maybe once I get it down I'll try my EM-150 on it.

[bratsche]

This also looks like it could be interesting:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...Man-s-Desiring

bratsche

[rubydubyr]

this book from amazon contains the score. http://www.amazon.com/J-S-Bach-Mando...=bach+mandolin

[Groooooove]

with Bach, it's quite common to change keys to suit an instrument. Bach himself did this pretty often, my favorite example is the double concerto written in D minor for 2 violins and C minor for 2 harpsichords.

anyway, i've seen it written in G many times, but would have no reservations about changing the key to suit a different instrument. I know the "solo time for strings" books have it in G for both violin and double bass.

[Hany Hayek]

Time signature's 9/8, how do you count this using the metronome, I play as triplets, but I need to know where to put the accents.

[DavidKOS]

with Bach, it's quite common to change keys to suit an instrument. Bach himself did this pretty often, my favorite example is the double concerto written in D minor for 2 violins and C minor for 2 harpsichords.

anyway, i've seen it written in G many times, but would have no reservations about changing the key to suit a different instrument. I know the "solo time for strings" books have it in G for both violin and double bass.

Transposing the key to fit certain instruments is indeed a time-honored practice.

In this case, though, G is an ideal mandolin key so I suggest keeping it in the original key.

[DavidKOS]

Time signature's 9/8, how do you count this using the metronome, I play as triplets, but I need to know where to put the accents.

It's a triple meter divided into triplets.

1 23 2 23 3 23

so set the metronome for a moderately slow 3/4 tempo and subdivide as shown in 3's.

Could be

1 23 4 56 7 89

but I find it easier to count the first way.

[domradave]

Has anybody made an arrangement of this piece for mandolin orchestra? I am sure the parts for mandola, octave mandolin, and mandocello would sound wonderful!

[Andy Boden]

I've scored it for 3 mandolins and guitar. Mandolin 3 could easily be played on mandola and the guitar/mandocello part can be double by a bass to get effect. If you would like the score and parts please pm me

Andy

[Mark Levesque]

Our version from 10 years ago:

[Eugene]

Reluctant to admit it, but I play weddings . . . and a fair number of them. If you are a part-time classical musician with some technical facility but without the virtuoso status of concert artists, you're likely playing weddings. *sigh . . . *

That said, I often play "Jesu" on guitar to accompany a flutist taking the lead role. However, if I do a wedding as a solo gig, and the bride asks for "Jesu," I much prefer to do so on unaccompanied mandolin. I made a solo arrangement to serve that purpose. My greatest criterion for doing so was that it be relatively easy to play convincingly on sight with minimal prep. I worked directly from the full score; this is thus obviously much reduced. It does have some brief duo-style passages, but they're pretty easy if you've ever dabbled in that technique. It is attached. I'm curious for your thoughts.

[Eugene]

I just noticed, Bratsche, that the version posted at the thread you linked is very similar to mine but perhaps a little "fleshier."

[DavidKOS]

Seems like a very playable version, thanks.

[Pasha Alden]

Have started trying this and I play it in G.