Need suggestions on piano mandolin duet to work on with daughter

My daugher is 11, and although not advanced, just completed 'Fur Elise' on piano, if that helps gage her capability. I'm looking for suggestions on a fairly easy piano/mando duet to try with her. I don't want to risk anything too involved- hopefully something easy that she won't burn months learning. (I'm the old #### playing mandolin, she's playing piano).

Any good suggestions that she might not be bored to tears with? I think it would be great to be able to do something like this. Thanks in advance!

What about a simple version of the Ode to Joy? If you have access to a church hymnal there is plenty of music there. The piano can be used and the mandolin can play along with either of the lines on the Treble Clef staff. The beauty of that, is many of the songs you two may already know and be able to hear the music in your head already (makes reading music easier for me, at least).

What is the target audience/venue for this?

Another alternative is to use the Beginner songs at Mandozine.com with TablEdit and print the notation. You can also preview a midi version in TablEdit so you can hear it too.

Jamie

If she is a fan of The Wizard of Oz, I think Somewhere Over The Rainbow probably can be found in an easy piano version or fakebook.

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Originally Posted by Nelson Peddycoart

If she is a fan of The Wizard of Oz, I think Somewhere Over The Rainbow probably can be found in an easy piano version or fakebook.

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Thanks- she already knows that, and doesn't see the value in having me 'hog the melody' on a song that she sees herself capable of playing. I know that during the 20's and teens, there were a lot of mandolin/piano duets released, but there are probably very few folks that play these actively today. Was hoping to run across either that sort of thing, or a piano/flute duet (or similar) where the two parts are distinct and need to be played together.

This is what I would pursue:
http://elderly.com/search/elderly?terms=Greenblatt
Deborah Greenblatt duets are available in a variety of genres. I have the Irish fiddle tunes and O'Carolan tunes for two mandolins, but they are not limited to Irish music. Basically you have two treble clefs. Very enjoyable. Fun to play. Maybe she can do chords with her left hand.

Best of luck.

How about either of Beethoven's Sonatinas for mandolin and piano? (I've seen the sheet music for both somewhere on-line before, but for a taste, check out tracks 2 & 3 here)...

I would also recommend Ode to Joy, also I would recommend Ashoken Farewell. Have fun.

Does your daughter like Scottish airs or dance tunes? I have several I have arranged for harp and treble instruments, such as Highland Boat song and Arran Boat song. They would work on piano. If you would like to try one, please let me know and I will send a version with the harp fingerings removed.

How 'bout "Lara's Theme' from the film 'Dr. Zhivago,' or perhaps the 'Godfather Theme?'
Really, find a cheap piano fake book and have at it.

If she can play Fur Elise (the whole thing), then she can handle Mozart's sonatas for violin and piano. Even played somewhat slower, the fast movements still groove.

Mozart is easier than Beethoven, note-wise, but can be more challenging to play well because of the simplicity of the writing. "Less is More" also means you can't fake it as easily.
It's easy to read, easy to understand, easy to learn, difficult to play perfectly, and lots of fun in between.
And, as said, it grooves.

I second Beethoven's Sonatinas for Mandolin & Piano.

Did you ever find good sheet music for the mandolin and piano? I am looking as well. My wife is starting piano and we thought duets would be a nice way to fill the time during the quarantine. Would love to hear what you found.
Thanks
Sandy

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Originally Posted by Mark Marino

My daugher is 11, and although not advanced, just completed 'Fur Elise' on piano, if that helps gage her capability. I'm looking for suggestions on a fairly easy piano/mando duet to try with her. I don't want to risk anything too involved- hopefully something easy that she won't burn months learning. (I'm the old #### playing mandolin, she's playing piano).

Any good suggestions that she might not be bored to tears with? I think it would be great to be able to do something like this. Thanks in advance!

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Mark last posted in spring of this year. Hopefully he will see your post. However his daughter would be about 21 now. Then again we can certainly revive this thread.

One place to start and at least get a sense of the variety to be found in the mandolin/piano rep, chiefly from the 1890-1920 era, is the Library of Congress. If you go to https://catalog.loc.gov/ and search ( score "mandolin and piano music" ), you should retrieve about 450 hits. The ongoing issue with LC, of course, is that this is a bibliographic database, not a cache of digitized music. Nevertheless, looking through the titles and composers may give you ideas about what to search for in, say, IMSLP.

Joe

Imslp.org is a very large and extensive repository of all sorts of sheet music. There are some mandolin pieces but also look at violin or flute and piano.