This week's winner is Black Mountain Aire (Air), which has had a run here in the group as an "Other Tune". Here is the link to that discussion. Marcelyn wrote up this ABC: X:1 T:Black Mountain Aire K:D |:Aag|f3ae3a|dcdef3d|B2cdA2d2|fg/f/edeAag| f3ae3a|dcdefdfa|gfeddcBc|d2dcd:| |:zf/e/d|B3AF3A|BdAFE2FA|B2cdA2F2|FG/F/EDE2FA| B2cdc2de|f2b2a3f|gfeddcBc|d2dcd:| Here are some videos from that earlier discussion:
I backed David Hansen up with guitar, as he played this beautiful tune on his Mandonator.
Lovely
So, so pretty...
Very pretty. The mandonator has a very rich tone.
Lovely tone from that mandolator, fellows, and a very sympathetic arrangement. David, thanks again for the chords, which I used in my version.
Double praise for the David Hansen Band and Duo. Marcy, pretty arrangement and playing. And John, again, clear and clean as a Scottish mountain brook. Here is my effort. For the first time as a slide show. No, these are not the Blue Ridge Mountains. Most of these pics are from my beloved home region in Bavaria. And sorry, my accompaniment is Band-in-a-Box. I am so busy with the mandolin that I just don't have the time to practice and record the guitar.
It's beautiful, Manfred! I hesitate to post a video that's just me and the mandolin after seeing these gorgeous videos...lol
Topher and David, you guys are such a tight duo. The sounds you get are so impressive. Manfred, don't appologize for your backup. Your tone and ornamentation stand alone. And you're kind Manfred, but my old version has been bugging me ever since it resurfaced last week. I haven't seen it for a year and a half now, so here's one that's a little more current.
Beautiful arrangement and a wonderful performance Marcy. Thanks
I had not heard of this tune before! You all have done a wonderful job in presenting it. Each different and each creating a wonderful mood. I dream of being able to play with such skill and emotion.
Marcelyn, that was just lovely! It is hard to make a solo mandolin sound full, but you did a great job. Well done! I had not heard this tune before the other night, and I am falling in love with it.
Manfred, great job as usual and your pictures are just beautiful. Marcy, lovely solo performance and I like the tempo you chose and the ornamentations you used.
Marcy, beautiful. You did it again: Created your very own version with your slides, drones and tremolo.
Thanks so much for the encouragement. It is fun to see how you improve in a year and a half. I remember Eddie once posting a tune he called a mile marker (Autumn Leaves I think), and his intention to try it agin in a year. When he did, the difference was astounding. I sort of happened upon the exercise by accident, but can highly recommend it.
Manfred, I really enjoyed where you took the melody line toward the end, and your slides are beautiful; they really fit the tune. Marcelyn, your embellishments were a wonderful addition, and even though I liked your original post, this one tops it. I appreciated your tempo, and am trying to slow mine down after playing so many other tunes at a faster pace.
Marcelyn, That was a very impressive solo arrangement. Your latest version really captured the emotional voice of the tune. Excellent. Manfred, the trills and variations at the end made your version extra special. Did you come up with those embellishments on your own? Topher and David, that was yet another beautiful duet from the two of you.
Very nice, Laura. Gentle tremolo works great. Thanks everyone for the kind words. Laura, I had already practiced the tune with tremolo, but then tried out the trills and liked them, too. Yes, the embellishments are all mine. I also added the ending, which is only a two-ocatve arpeggio. However, the 'variation' in the last few measures where the melody goes up to 3rd position, is from Butch's 'Mandolin Tunes for Practice and Repertoire'. I got this book with CDs only recently and really like it. There are some really fine tunes there.
Somehow I missed some of the earlier performances! What a treat when I went back and listened to them. I'd pay actual money to hear Topher Gayle and David Hansen perform together. Their Black Mountain Aire is just what an aire should be -- delicate and just beautiful. Manfred's excellent arrangement and mighty fine playing are a treat. Laura's old Gibson sounds exactly right and very wonderful on this one. (And I still think Marcy's solo arrangement and playing are terrific!) The bar is set pretty high on this one...
That's some pretty tremolo and guitar backup, Laura.
Manfred- Excellent ornamentation and variations. Marcelyn- slides double stops and tremelo all sounding really good. Laura- Rock solid and nice guitar back up. My version features guitar and mandocello on the first section and mandolin on the second with pictures of the Black Mountains in Wales.
Nicely done everyone! The A part of this tune reminds me of Pachelbel's Canon in D for some reason. That's my Gibson F2 mandolin and my Bauer parlor guitar on this one.
Harmonics to start- very tasteful.
Very nice, musical arrangement and playing, Michael. Is there a second mandolin track, too?
The more I hear this tune the more I like it! Well done everyone. Michael - I was wondering why the tune seemed familiar, the Canon! I really like how the mood of the tune allows one to drift away for a few minutes.
Yes Manfred, there's two tracks of each instrument -- guitar and mandolin. One mandolin plays the melody the other plays backup stuff. One guitar plays the backup and the other plays the melody towards the end of the song. Guitar has a capo on the second fret and plays the chords as if in the key of C, which is really the key of D because of the capo.
I hear Pachelbel too now. That's a gorgeous arrangement.
Very well done indeed. Nice trick with the capo for a different flavor.
I can just hear that as a wedding tune. I'll have to give it a shot on the dulcimer.
I've said it before and I'll say it again...one of the prettiest songs ever! It is sheer delight to come to this thread and listen to all of you.
I have got to ask again where do you get the sheet music for this piece it is such a great piece of music ,right now i am trying to memorize it to play along but i read sheet music and that would help greatly
steven, if you download abcexplorer from here: http://stalikez.info/abc/abcex.php then in abcexplorer you create a 'new tune' and paste the 'abc' notation at the top of this page into the 'tune' section of abc explorer, you will have the notation all written out for you, title and all!. if you save it as a file.abc in notepad then you will have a file you can import into tabledit for tab, so you have choices it is an amazing tune that i hadnt heard before.
A very cool Mark Schatz tune. Luv it
I'm late but what the heck
nearly eight years late...
Pierpaolo - I think I spell your name wrong on YouTube..however just wanted to comment on the excellence of this piece you did today. It sounds like one I should have also done a few years ago and then never got around to it.
Pierpaolo – you played the tune very well on all your instruments. The mandolin carries the melody beautiful. And your arrangement works very well, too.
I enjoyed this too, Pierpaolo. Your arrangements are always very tasteful and well executed. I'm learning from them, so thank you! Looking at the older postings above yours makes me wonder what these formerly active members are doing now.
