Santa Lucia, mandolin quartet (with score)

This arrangement of Santa Lucia as a mandolin quartet (two mandolins, mandola, guitar) is from the repertoire folder of our group, most likely by the late Tony Judge.

I attach the parts to this email. Note that there is a printing mistake in the second mandolin part: the last line of the first page (bars 37-40) is repeated as the first line of the second page -- if you're using these parts, cross out the repeated line. I'm not normally playing the second mandolin part and it took me a while last night to figure out why the parts were not lining up on my recording takes...

1890s Umberto Ceccherini mandolin
Mid-Missouri M-0W mandolin
Mid-Missouri M-111 mandolin
Vintage Viaten tenor guitar

Our mandolin and guitar orchestra play that. Not my cup of tea, but it passes eventually. ;-)

Oops: I forgot to actually link my recording. Here it is:



Rob: it's part of the standard repertoire for mandolin orchestras, and the audience expects it. I know what you mean -- it can be rather clicheed. I think the harmonies in our arrangement are quite nice, though, and liven it up a bit.

Martin

Very nice - sweet, simple, yet lush, suiting the piece perfectly. Squisito

I enjoyed that, we'll have to give it a bash, thanks Martin.

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Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

Our mandolin and guitar orchestra play that. Not my cup of tea, but it passes eventually. ;-)

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Thanks Martin.

Rob, if you want to try another version, have a look at my Italian Medley which you will find on my mandolin music page

http://www.andyboden.com/music.html

It's a medley of 3 Italian tunes with Santa Lucia as the middle one. You might find some Scarlet Ribbons in there as well if you listen carefully !!

Andy

Thanks, Andy, but it's not a melody that the arrangement could save :grin:

Sweet and well played. Will need to work on my tremolo before playing that one!

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Will need to work on my tremolo before playing that one!

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You could work on your tremolo WHILE playing that one, Pasha.
For a start, just tremolo the half notes and play the rest non-tremolo.
When that works, start tremoloing the quarter notes,
Attachment 147434
This basic version is on GuitarNick's Website.http://www.guitarnick.com/santa-luci...uitar-tab.html

I played a mix of tremolo and staccato on my version of it.
It's not as artful as Martin's version, but maybe it also makes you feel like eating a Pizza Neapolitana.;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngaXLFYnaW8

Martin.
I left a comment about this on you tube. I am now here. Thanks for the score. I can play the instruments but need some assist to find a program that is easy to use for multi-tracking. How do you tackle it.
All the best.
Eddie

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Originally Posted by Edster

Martin.
I left a comment about this on you tube. I am now here. Thanks for the score. I can play the instruments but need some assist to find a program that is easy to use for multi-tracking. How do you tackle it.
All the best.
Eddie

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Hi Eddie,

Thanks for your comment here, and on Youtube. I use Audacity for the multi-tracking -- it's free and pretty easy to use once you got the hang of it. All audio programs have a certain learning curve.

For multi-tracking, I find that I need to put down a click track first, then record the melody part to that click track as a guide. Adding the other parts is then fairly straightforward. As a final step, I delete the original melody guide track and re-record the melody while listening to the accompaniment on headphone.

I'm a bit torn on the pros and cons of click tracks. Without them it's really difficult to align rhythm tracks, but they do force a strict tempo timing which is fine for dance tunes but not so great for these Neapolitan songs which really need some rubato. We do that when playing with our group, but I haven't come up with a good way of playing rubato when doing home multi-track recordings on my own.

Martin

Thanks Martin it's great to be here. Your you tube site is full of amazing material. I just need to getting cracking I suppose. All the best.
Eddie

I missed this post. Thanks Martin as always. This was my first Italian song soooo many years ago and has a permanent place in my heart.:mandosmiley:

I'm re-recording some of my old stuff at the moment. Here is Santa Lucia, this time with more rubato than my 2016 recording and more of a "live" feeling. Same arrangement.

1890s Umberto Ceccherini mandolin (x2)
Mid-Missouri M-111 octave mandolin
Vintage Viaten tenor guitar



Martin

Thank you, mi amigo.
You made our evening that much happier.
I can't tell you how many times I've said "Baby, come listen. It's Martin...."

Mick

Thanks, Mick -- much appreciated! Santa Lucia may be a clichee, but it's great fun to play. I'm trying to develop a less rigid recording style which allows for rubato and expressiveness while still keeping the accompaniment aligned, and Neapolitan songs are great test pieces for that.

Martin

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Originally Posted by Martin Jonas

Thanks, Mick -- much appreciated! Santa Lucia may be a clichee,

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

... but it's not a melody that the arrangement could save :grin:

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"Santa Lucia" may be a cliche tune, but that's because it is a great, memorable melody. Sorry we disagree, Rob.