Looking for Classical Music Recommendations

[Sherry Cadenhead]

My teacher has suggested I look for a book of classical pieces. I'm an intermediate player, not quite yet proficient in third position.

The challenge is finding a collection that's somewhat between hard and easy.

A google search by my teacher shows these possibilities:

J.S. Bach for Mandolin
Mandolin Medicine: Solos for Evening Solace: A Collection of Tunes Arranged for Solo Mandolin (Very good reviews on Amazon, indicating there is a mixture of intermediate and advanced pieces)

Is anyone familiar with these 2 books and/or have other suggestions?

[DavidKOS]

Perhaps a look at some of the older, meant-for-bowlback mandolin method books would also help...both European and American.

[Bruce Clausen]

Another possibility: there are loads of books containing light-classical hits arranged for violin plus keyboard (or guitar, or a second violin) that won't go past third position. They'll all work on mandolin, and could be played with your teacher or friends. The sort of classical pieces one plays at weddings.

[Dick Dery]

My teacher has suggested I look for a book of classical pieces. I'm an intermediate player, not quite yet proficient in third position.

The challenge is finding a collection that's somewhat between hard and easy.

A google search by my teacher shows these possibilities:

J.S. Bach for Mandolin
Mandolin Medicine: Solos for Evening Solace: A Collection of Tunes Arranged for Solo Mandolin (Very good reviews on Amazon, indicating there is a mixture of intermediate and advanced pieces)

Is anyone familiar with these 2 books and/or have other suggestions?

One suggestion: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=first+les..._ts-doa-p_5_21

Written for the piano, but it's easy to learn to ignore the piano fingerings. There's also a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNNRXELF1nw

[Louise NM]

Get thee to the Mel Bay website! Lots of choices. John Goodin's book of Telemann excerpts would be fun for you, as would his transcriptions of James Oswald's suites. Several volumes of Bach, some O'Carolan (born 15 years before Bach), baroque and renaissance collections. Marilynn Mair's The Complete Mandolinist has lots of pieces from different eras and Volume 2 is all solo and duo literature.

August Watters's method book Exploring Classical Mandolin has plenty of pieces interspersed with etudes, and he has a new book, New Solos for Classical Mandolin. Carlo Aonzo has a new book of solos.

Any of these books would have pieces you could start on now and others to grow into.

[Beanzy]

If you go to Astute music you'll get some great options. (available as downloads too)
https://www.astute-music.com/store/c8/Mandolin.html#/

Their solo mandolin pieces are graded by ability which makes things very straightforward
https://www.astute-music.com/store/c...in_solo.html#/

And the technique book section has some freebie sight reading downloads.
https://www.astute-music.com/store/c...6_studies.html

I reallylike the Mandolin Companion exercises, though it pays to read the intro to each section in detail to make sure you really get the ideas being taught & what they mean/need

[Lucindalin]

I’m also a fan of Marilynn Mair’s The Complete Mandolinist. It is a lot of fun to play with the CD (probably a digital download these days). I haven’t tried book two but I surely will. Her book really got me comfortable with using my pinky.
There are some Mel Bay books by Robert Bancalari, Two Part Inventions For Two Mandolins and a book of Vivaldi duets too. I particularly love the Bach duets. I either play with another mandolin, a violin, or I record myself playing one part and play with myself.
Please let us know what you find and what you think!

[Sherry Cadenhead]

I will definitely check into these suggestions! In the meantime, the mention of Marilynn Mair's works reminded me I have a book with a classical piece section. It's Bud Orr's Anthology of Mandolin Music, which has 49 "Classical and International" pieces. I believe I'll start there, then come back to this thread. More recommendations are welcome.

[Woody Ukepicker]

I’m also a fan of Marilynn Mair’s The Complete Mandolinist. It is a lot of fun to play with the CD (probably a digital download these days). I haven’t tried book two but I surely will.

Volume 1 is more a method full of exercices.
Volume 2 is 100 classical pieces from easy (not beginners) to difficult. Mostly duets. Neither CD nor MP3. No tab, scores only.

In your case volume 2 is what you are looking for.

[grassrootphilosopher]

You could also check with Caterina Lichtenberg: https://caterinalichtenberg.com/education/
I guess if you sent her an email with your question you would get invaluable advice.
If you would then post here what she will tell you, you´ll then be a multiplier.

[DavidKOS]

https://www.mandoisland.de/eng_index.html

Then click on the left "Mandolin Methods"

"you will find many historical mandolin methods which are generally not available today."

https://www.mandoisland.de/bilder/sc...lo_munier.html

and more

[grassrootphilosopher]

https://www.mandoisland.de/eng_index.html

Then click on the left "Mandolin Methods"

"you will find many historical mandolin methods which are generally not available today."

https://www.mandoisland.de/bilder/sc...lo_munier.html

and more

How could I forget... Indeed Michael Reichenbach, who is a member here has a vast and very valuable collection of all kinds of things mandolin. His (old) website is in German and English. Don´t hesitate to take a peek.

[mandoisland]

Thanks for the links to my sources for mandolin methods and sheet music.

I am trying to publish most free scores that I scan in the Petrucci Library and as well on musicaneo.
In some cases (when it is not possible to make clear that a score is public domain already) I am publishing scores on my website or in my blogs.

The overview of mandolin methods on my website should lead you to the place where you can get the methods.

I have just compiled some links that I had already in German in an English version.

At the moment I enjoy playing selections from the methods by Jean Pietrapertosa and Branzoli. I would also recommend the German method by Theodor Ritter as a source for nice classical mandolin pieces.

I have recently started to use musescore for editing music. On the musescore site you can find also many free scores. Scores might only be available for registered (paying) users. I have found scores by Leone, Calace, Munier and have already added some scores and exercises.

I would also recomment to check my youtube channel - I am trying to make videos of interesting classical and Italian mandolin pieces, and normally I say something about the source for the sheet music in the description.

[rdelyser]

You might try "J. S. Bach The Cello Suites for Mandolin: the complete Suites for Unaccompanied Cello transposed and transcribed for mandolin in staff notation and tablature Paperback – March 11, 2014" by Daniel Sellman. It's available on amazon. The suites go from easy to difficult starting from 1 and going through to 6.

[JeffD]

Lots of great suggestions.

Two books that I find to be gigantic, and perhaps just what you are after.

Exploring Classical Mandolin: Technique and Repertoire by August Watters

Classical Mandolin Solos: 20 Authentic Repertoire Pieces Arranged in Standard Notation and Tablature by Carlo Aonzo.

I would get both, (and pursue many of the suggestions of everyone above as well), because as you chase the beauty, you find you want all the help you can get.

Good luck. I find the journey addicting, and have to catch myself for not being obsessive. It is like some kind of impossible knights quest written by William Butler Yeats, all the more beautiful for being unobtainable. I mean, one can get better, and theoretically even get good, and quite possibly even real good, but one cannot "arrive". There is no top to this hill. Its just a forever exhausting exhilarating climb to a further incline. Which, when I think about it, is exactly what I want.

[JeffD]

Working on third position is really a secret door to a lot of this.

Wohlfahrt Op45 Sixty Studies for Violin Complete Books I and II is a wonderful help. The second half is third position. I hate this book the way an athlete hates an exercise bicycle or free weights or that track, here are the keys to the kingdom, everything but the hard work. And I find it very hard. Approachable, doable, exhilarating, but not in the same universe as easy.

But should anything so beautiful be easily obtained?