I'm tackling this for the first time (with the mandolin). I am assuming that all of the 32nd notes throughout the first movement are pulled off. And that in the 16th note legato phrase in measure 11 each of the notes are picked individually? Thanks.
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I'm tackling this for the first time (with the mandolin). I am assuming that all of the 32nd notes throughout the first movement are pulled off. And that in the 16th note legato phrase in measure 11 each of the notes are picked individually? Thanks.
Good piece. In both passages, it's really your decision to make. Have you listened to some other players playing this on mandolin? What did they do in those spots? And what tempo are you trying for?
Of course, if you're playing with a group, everyone should do the same the articulation.
By the way, posting the solo part here in the thread would make discussion a lot easier. :)
I agree. It's your decision, unless you are playing in an ensemble, in which case it it needs to be unanimous.
Looking more closely at the music (when all else fails, right), it looks like it wants the first three measures played legato, which I would think means pull offs?
Look for the YouTube videos of Catarina Lichtenberg or Avi Avital. They both appear to be picking those notes rather than pull off. But certainly is your choice.
Of course, the original designation is for "leuto" (lute) with no concept of plectrum technique or wire strings of any type in mind. Thus, performing RV 93 on modern mandolin functionally is transcription/arrangement/etc. I think a lot is thus left up to the interpretive choices/abilities of the performer and what works best in the context of whatever ensemble is at hand.
PS: Unplucked slurs are much less common to mandolin than to other, longer scaled plucked instruments in "classical" contexts. Plucking each note (even within trill-like ornaments) is the classical-mandolin status quo. Tied notes are often taken as an indication of phrasing (not necessarily as a slur), an indication to cross strings with a single pick stroke (only for dedicated mandolin repertoire, usually in shorter note values, and usually pretty evident when it occurs), or (especially in the case of longer note values) to connect notes via tremolo. You'll note, as Peter alluded (you could add Julien Martineau to the list of those with easily found video), that most trained mandolinists who take up the lute concerto RV 93 approach those note groups as discrete all-plucked phrases.
Easily and more conveniently seen here (rather than have to search elsewhere). Caterina's video is easier to see, Avi's is so dark...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSdHYMWv33E
More than one of Avi is posted. This one's less dark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62amdppCBtU
When the camera is on him, Julien's business is really evident:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pjtWvaEj-M
But the end sound of that is a more percussive sound, rather than legato, at least on the mandolin, at least in my opinion, by plucking that D, you can get the ringing of the open d strings which makes it sound much more legato.Quote:
Originally Posted by timrobwall
I disagree with myself. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffD
Listening to the videos posted by Eugene and Jim, as well as some others, I think for mandolin, plucking each note sounds more appropriate. There is a recording with John Williams on guitar, and another with Julian Bream on lute, with pull offs , for contrast.
But I think the mandolin is just a pluckier instrument. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwgHv9DCoOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyY5pB2a0cU
The manuscript show slurs in the solo part as well as for the orchestra, and the string players are definitely using one bow for each of those little figures. Julian Bream gets good definition with pull-offs, but A) he's Julian Bream and we're not; and B) it's a lute. I can't imagine getting good clarity and the proper emphasis on those Ds with pull-offs on a mandolin.
Also, the '70s called and they want those yellow turtlenecks back.