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Thread: Where to begin?

  1. #1

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    Any recommendations on where to begin with a classical mandolin recording collection? composers? specific recordings?

    I leave this question wide open for your suggestions. I'm finding some amazing music as a result of ngladd's myspace page and through his friends list. Thanks, ngladd!

    Thank you in advance.

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    The only mandolin works by major composers that I'm aware of are:

    -Hummel's mandolin sonata and mandolin concerto
    -Vivaldi's mandolin concerti
    -Beethoven's sonatinas and another piece or two
    -Schoenberg's Serenade has a mandolin
    -Mozart's Don Giovanni features mandolin at parts
    -Elliott Carter's piece Lumien has a mandolin as one of eight or so instruments

    There are also a few composers who are off the chart for classical music in general but whose works are central to the mandolin repertoire: Calace and Ranieri are notable examples of this category. These works aren't nearly of the same quality as the ones mentioned above but they are more focused on the mandolin and there are more more of them.

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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    The Hasse concerto is a nice one. He was roughly a contemporary of Mozart. Many of the only existing copies of his works were destroyed in the firebombing of Dresden, but his mandolin concerto survived.
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    Thanks Alex. I think I'll begin with Vivaldi.

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    Registered User Travis Finch's Avatar
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    Here's just a few more of many, many others:

    Prokofiev-Romeo and Juliet
    Verdi-Othello
    Mahler-Symphonies 7&8, Song of the Earth
    Shostakovitch-The Nose
    Henze-Jepthe (Performed this one with a chamber choir at college this year...interesting. Basically a re-setting of the Carissimi original.)

    Also, don't forget that Mozart wrote a couple of leider for soprano and mandolin. You can find them on www.mutopiaproject.org

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    Click here and here and why not here, for good measure..

    ...And amongst "major" composers, depending upon exactly what type of mandolin you're willing to concede is a mandolin, don't forget the Scarlatti sonata(s), Handel's Alexander Balus, Vivaldi's Juditha Triumphans, the Sammartini sonata, Paganini's three works for mandolino Genovese/Genoese, Crumb's Ancient Voices of Children, etc.




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    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (tpeter @ April 02 2008, 14:23)
    Any recommendations on where to begin with a classical mandolin recording collection? #composers? #specific recordings?

    I leave this question wide open for your suggestions. #I'm finding some amazing music as a result of ngladd's myspace page and through his friends list. #Thanks, ngladd!

    Thank you in advance.
    Why limit ourselves to music composed specifically for mandolin?

    The ubiquitous Bach cello suites, arranged for violin and very playable (and pleasant) on the mandolin are available here.

    I am partial to the 3rd suite right now, especially the Allemande.

    If you want, I have PDFs of some music composed for the mandolin in the "golden age" of the late 19th-early 20th century by a couple of Wisconsin fellows. It isn't very good music but it is original mandolin music. You can see a sample here to see what the music is like. UW-Madison has started putting a few of the scores in their music archives up on the Wisconsin Sheet Music Database.

    Have fun.

    John.
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    Registered User Nick Royal's Avatar
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    I have two specific cds to recommend:
    The Kansas mando quartet, Uptown Mandolin Quartet has a wonderful cd of French music; and Marilynn Mair has a beautiful cd of mandolin music from the 18th century with accompaniment by a string quartet and piano.

  9. #9

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    thanks folks. wonderful suggestions all! Thank you John for the Bach pdf file. Michael Hedges recorded a beautiful version of the Suite I in D Major. If I remember correctly this song required him to use a harp guitar in order to reach down to the F# in measure 20. Have you played this one on the mandolin? it's for violin so I'm assuming it can be done!

    Wow. There's a lifetime of wonderful Bach tunes right there. Eugene, I'm looking through your suggestions on the links you've provided. This is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

    Thanks again.




  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by (Alex Fields @ April 03 2008, 02:00)
    There are also a few composers who are off the chart for classical music in general but whose works are central to the mandolin repertoire: Calace and Ranieri are notable examples of this category. These works aren't nearly of the same quality as the ones mentioned above but they are more focused on the mandolin and there are more more of them.
    I have to take just a little issue here. For example, I think the light and fluffy Beethoven sonatinas for mandolin and keyboard or the Mozart lieder for mandolin accompaniment are more of similar caliber (and, I would argue, perhaps even lighter and fluffier) to the fine mandolin sonatas of Barbella or Hoffmann (a couple classical-era mandolin "specialist" composers) than they are to Beethoven's own 9th Symphony or Mozart's Requiem. ...And at least with mandolin specialist virtuosi/composers, you get a healthy dose of the state of the art of the era's mandolin technique that tends to be absent from the mandolin output of moonlighting "major" composers. Even as a tremendous fan of the giants of classical composition, I've never really understood the association of too much mystique to their output; their trivium can be as trivial as anybody else's.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by (Buckley @ April 03 2008, 11:14)
    Why limit ourselves to music composed specifically for mandolin?
    No reason to limit oneself at all, but there is also no reason to thoroughly neglect mandolin music in favor of more popular works composed for other instruments solely by virtue of their popularity. Guitar-centric, but for the truly patient, click here for one of Eugene's too-many, on-line transcription rants.

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    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by
    No reason to limit oneself at all, but there is also no reason to thoroughly neglect mandolin music in favor of more popular works composed for other instruments solely by virtue of their popularity.
    I didn't suggest Bach's cello suites because they are popular, but because they are great music, a joy to play, and much more appealing to my tastes than most of the mandolin music I have heard. #

    I'd read the rant to which you linked Eugene but I don't really want to. #

    Quote Originally Posted by
    Thank you John for the Bach pdf file. #Michael Hedges recorded a beautiful version of the Suite I in D Major. #If I remember correctly this song required him to use a harp guitar in order to reach down to the F# in measure 20. Have you played this one on the mandolin? it's for violin so I'm assuming it can be done!
    Always glad to share free stuff. #

    I play this suite all the time on the mandolin and enjoy it very much. #If I, a mediocre mandolinist at best, can play it, just about anyone can.

    -John.



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    Quote Originally Posted by (Buckley @ April 03 2008, 14:13)
    I didn't suggest Bach's cello suites because they are popular, but because they are great music, a joy to play, and much more appealing to my tastes than most of the mandolin music I have heard.
    As a tremendous fan of Bach, I agree that this is great music and would never want to imply otherwise. I am not opposed to transcription, but rather opposed to the neglect of an instrument's dedicated repertoire which is far too common in the world of post-Segovian pluck. Note that one of the links I'd provided earlier was packed full of recommendations for recordings of Bach transcriptions.

    Quote Originally Posted by
    I'd read the rant to which you linked Eugene but I don't really want to.
    That's OK. That material will not be on your final exam.




  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by (tpeter @ April 03 2008, 11:49)
    Eugene, I'm looking through your suggestions on the links you've provided. This is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.
    Pleased to be of service.

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    Any suggestions for bach other than the cello suites (and the violin partitas)?

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    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (West @ April 03 2008, 15:05)
    Any suggestions for bach other than the cello suites (and the violin partitas)?
    How about the Partita for solo flute, BWV 1013.
    Ah! must --
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  17. #17

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    That's a cool work (especially if you don't have to concern yourself with breathing in order to phrase it!). However, the setting at the Icking site (which I've also downloaded) makes a funky jumble of pickup measures at repeats. I suspect the typesetter isn't familiar enough with the software s/he used to hide automated time signatures designations where appropriate.

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    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (Eugene @ April 03 2008, 16:08)
    That's a cool work (especially if you don't have to concern yourself with breathing in order to phrase it!). #However, the setting at the Icking site (which I've also downloaded) makes a funky jumble of pickup measures at repeats. #I suspect the typesetter isn't familiar enough with the software s/he used to hide automated time signatures designations where appropriate.
    Yeah, I've noticed that too. It's a little annoying. I'm sure there's a older, better, public domain copy at the library across the courtyard from where I work, but I can't go over there and scan it until I have been off the cigarettes a little longer.

    -John.
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    Registered User Neil Gladd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (tpeter @ April 02 2008, 14:23)
    I'm finding some amazing music as a result of ngladd's myspace page and through his friends list. Thanks, ngladd!
    You're welcome! I'm on MySpace mainly for networking, so the people I send and accept friend requests from are (1) Mandolinists of any variety, (2) New music and chamber groups that I wouldn't mind playing with (3) Composers whose music I like and wouldn't mind if they wrote a mandolin piece (4) Performers who might potentially play my music (5) Anyone else who is doing something that is inherently cool!

    Many of the people in my top friends are either classical mandolinists or composers that have already written for mandolin, so I am happy to promote them all, and am glad you found some music you liked! Many of them have CDs out, so those and the ones that Eugene linked to will get you started.

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    Registered User Neil Gladd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (Eugene @ April 03 2008, 13:27)
    I think the light and fluffy Beethoven sonatinas for mandolin and keyboard or the Mozart lieder for mandolin accompaniment are more of similar caliber (and, I would argue, perhaps even lighter and fluffier) to the fine mandolin sonatas of Barbella or Hoffmann (a couple classical-era mandolin "specialist" composers) than they are to Beethoven's own 9th Symphony or Mozart's Requiem. ...And at least with mandolin specialist virtuosi/composers, you get a healthy dose of the state of the art of the era's mandolin technique that tends to be absent from the mandolin output of moonlighting "major" composers.
    This is exactly what I have thought for years. Is a minor work by a major composer necessarily "better" or "more important" than a major piece by a lessor known composer? NO! I think the Beethoven pieces are charming and fun to play, but they are very early Beethoven and hardly his most substantial music. Now listen to the Arauhal quartet for mandolin and strings that I just posted on my MySpace page. Here is a composer that is completely unknown: no information on the web, no music in print, nothing commercially recorded, and it's a great piece. At LEAST as good as the Beethoven pieces, and Arauhal is not a rare exception. There is plenty of good, worthwhile music written for the mandolin, by composers both past and present, that don't have a lot of (or any) name recognition, but that can stand up on any classical program. A few examples:
    Carlo Arrigoni's Sonatas in D and e for mandolin and continuo, a beautiful neoclassic concerto for mandolin and strings by Canadian composer Morris Surdin, and Elizabeth Vercoe's Herstory IV for mezzo-soprano and mandolin, the best piece written for mandolin and voice, IMHO. There are hundreds more, more than I will ever have time to perform, and that is without even including Munier, Calace and their contemporaries.

    Not enough mandolinists have made the effort to explore the repertoire, but this music is out there, just waiting to be found, played, and loved.

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    Quote Originally Posted by (Eugene @ April 03 2008, 13:27)
    I have to take just a little issue here. For example, I think the light and fluffy Beethoven sonatinas for mandolin and keyboard or the Mozart lieder for mandolin accompaniment are more of similar caliber (and, I would argue, perhaps even lighter and fluffier) to the fine mandolin sonatas of Barbella or Hoffmann (a couple classical-era mandolin "specialist" composers) than they are to Beethoven's own 9th Symphony or Mozart's Requiem. ...And at least with mandolin specialist virtuosi/composers, you get a healthy dose of the state of the art of the era's mandolin technique that tends to be absent from the mandolin output of moonlighting "major" composers. Even as a tremendous fan of the giants of classical composition, I've never really understood the association of too much mystique to their output; their trivium can be as trivial as anybody else's.
    Well, I agree with you about the Beethoven and wasn't even aware of the Mozart. I was thinking more of the Mozart/Carter pieces, which are clearly masterpieces.




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    Quote Originally Posted by (ttamsivart @ April 03 2008, 07:07)
    Here's just a few more of many, many others:

    Prokofiev-Romeo and Juliet
    Verdi-Othello
    Mahler-Symphonies 7&8, Song of the Earth
    Shostakovitch-The Nose
    Henze-Jepthe (Performed this one with a chamber choir at college this year...interesting. Basically a re-setting of the Carissimi original.)

    Also, don't forget that Mozart wrote a couple of leider for soprano and mandolin. You can find them on www.mutopiaproject.org
    I wasn't aware of the mandolin in the Prokofiev or Verdi pieces. I knew about the Mahler but didn't think of it when typing that list (I actually listened to his Symphony No 7 recently and made a point of listening for the mandolin but didn't hear it--does anyone know where it is?). And I didn't know about the Shostakovich but then that's one of the few of his pieces I don't have a recording of. A shame, as he is one of my top few favorite composers (I'm listening to one of his symphonies as I type this). I'm not sure I would call Henze a major composer...

    I have at least one recording of every known work by Mozart, but apparently the one set of his lieder that I have (which is a period performance) uses keyboard for those lieder and not mandolin.




  23. #23
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (Buckley @ April 03 2008, 11:14)
    If you want, I have PDFs of some music composed for the mandolin in the "golden age" of the late 19th-early 20th century by a couple of Wisconsin fellows. It isn't very good music but it is original mandolin music. You can see a sample here to see what the music is like. UW-Madison has started putting a few of the scores in their music archives up on the Wisconsin Sheet Music Database.
    I tried those links but they both go to an error page. I typed in 'mandolin" in the search box and got a listing of pieces. But is there any way to access the files on this list? I seem to just get a more detailed listing of the pieces and descriptions.



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    Quote Originally Posted by (jgarber @ April 09 2008, 07:45)
    Quote Originally Posted by (Buckley @ April 03 2008, 11:14)
    If you want, I have PDFs of some music composed for the mandolin in the "golden age" of the late 19th-early 20th century by a couple of Wisconsin fellows. #It isn't very good music but it is original mandolin music. #You can see a sample here to see what the music is like. #UW-Madison has started putting a few of the scores in their music archives up on the Wisconsin Sheet Music Database.
    I tried those links but they both go to an error page. I typed in 'mandolin" in the search box and got a listing of pieces. But is there any way to access the files on this list? I seem to just get a more detailed listing of the pieces and descriptions.
    My apologies for the crummy links.

    This link to the Wisconsin Sheet Music Database should work.

    As for the specific piece, I'm not sure how to get a link that won't time out. Hmmm..., the piece is called "Under the Lilacs" by the infamous Charles Brunover.

    There are not a great deal of pieces posted on this site yet, but from time to time they add pieces. I believe it is simply an index with some electronic samples of the sheet music.

    -John.
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