William Bates, Eighteen Duettinos

[John Goodin]

Here is the link to a website that contains both PDF and Scorch scores for William Bates' publication Eighteen Duettinos for Two Guittars, Two French Horns, or Two Clarinetts printed in London around 1770.

http://academic.luther.edu/~goodinjo...ates18home.htm

You can decide for yourself but about halfway through this project I began to wonder if this music was worth the trouble. Much of it is very, very simple and is easy to criticize. Since I was well into it, however, I continued and I'm glad I did. I have played through all 18 several times and I like them better each time. Still I encourage you to take a look at them before you press "print".

If you enjoy these pieces take a look at the far more interesting music composed by James Oswald that I have mentioned here before.

http://academic.luther.edu/~goodinjo...d/oswald18.htm
http://academic.luther.edu/~goodinjo...d/oswald12.htm

Let me know if something doesn't load properly or when you discover errors.

John G.

[JimD]

John --

Thanks for posting these as well. I have a single English guitar student with whom I've used your editions of the Oswald pieces. Nice to have some new repertoire for using with him.

Several of my mandolin students have learned your mandolin arrangements of the Oswald too.

Though the Oswald pieces are more interesting, these do have a certain charm and will be useful at least for sight reading work.

Thanks again for being so generous with the fruits of your labors.

[Alex Timmerman]

Hi John,

Thanks for sharing these pieces. They are nice and very useful.

Best,

Alex

[Martin Jonas]

I have started a separate thread on the William Bates duettinos before I noticed John's 2006 posting. For posterity's sake, I'm crosslinking this old thread with my new one:

Link

My recording of Duettinos Nos. V and I:



Martin

[John Goodin]

I'm resurrecting this 2006 thread because I just this morning posted a link to a new recording of the 1st of Bates' 18 duettinos over at my So Many Tunes blog. More than once I have told myself I should just record them all for fun but then other fun (and sometimes the real world) gets in the way.

I will try and do at least a few more of these in the coming weeks. Here are direct links to the two parts of Duettino no. 1: pt. 1 - pt. 2

I should point out that Martin Jonas has recorded a number of these Bates duettinos in a more recent thread "18th century English guittar music" which features some fine discussion of this music.

I would agree completely that this and other "English guitar" music sounds best when played on the proper instrument using the appropriate technique. Barring a revival of availability and interest in the 18th century wire-strung guittar my goal is make some of this really nice old music accessible to those of us who are limited to owning the more common modern mandolin.

Today's blog post also features a recording of a new tune, Big Tree Down, and a duo from my Midwestern Mandolin Duos book titled Casselman by Rail.

[John Goodin]

I've just posted a new recording of Bates duettino no. 2 at my So Many Tunes blog, along with another link to the score.

Today's post also includes recordings and music for a new tune, "March in January" and another piece from my Midwestern Mandolin Duos book titled "Goslings Afloat."

So, three duets for those of you with duet partners. Have fun.

John G.

[John Goodin]

I'm continuing what has become a bit of a project to record these duettinos. It looks like I'm doing one per week. We'll see how long that lasts.

Today's recording is duettino no. 3, posted at my So Many Tunes blog. Here are direct links to the two sections of the piece: pt. 1 - pt. 2

The new blog post also includes a recording of my new tune this week, a hornpipe in C titled "Sometimes (the bear eats you)." Not sure exactly what that means but there it is.

I've also recorded the duo version of my tune "Bighorn River Sunset" from my Midwestern Mandolin Duos book as part of today's posting.

Finally, I have posted an ad over in the classifieds (Mandolin Accessories section) for my new solo mandolin collection Postcards From the Crater. Check it out if that seems interesting.

John G.

[JH Murray]

I first discovered your Bighorn River Sunset in Don Julin's Mandolin for Dummies book. The duet version is quite beautiful, yet also so very different. Thank you for both!

[John Goodin]

I just posted Mr. Bates' duettino no. 4 as part of today's So Many Tunes blog entry. Here are direct links to the two sections: pt. 1 - pt. 2

I also posted music and a recording of last week's new tune, a waltz titled "Grey Sunny Sunday", and a short solo piece of mine called "Gathering Echoes." I hope these are enjoyable.

John G.

[John Goodin]

I posted Mr. Bates' duettino no. 5 as part of today's So Many Tunes blog entry. That's 5 weeks in a row, pretty unusual for me. Here are direct links to the two sections:
pt. 1 - pt. 2

I also posted music and a recording of last week's new tune, a quiet solo piece called "From the Balcony." See what you think.

John G.

[John Goodin]

Six weeks in a row is more than a little unusual for me but I have now posted Bates' no. 6 on my So Many Tunes blog.

pt. 1 - pt. 2

I also posted my new tune of the week, another Norman and Nancy Blake inspired number titled "The Cairo Sessions."

John G.

[John Goodin]

I have just posted a new recording of Bates no. 7 on my So Many Tunes blog. Here are the links:
pt. 1 - pt. 2

I also posted a new piece in my Deer Tracks series (which I thought was retired, but apparently not), "Deer Track, February 20, 2017".

This week's tune of the week is "Two Red Hawks", a pretty simple reel in D.

John G.

[John Goodin]

Bates duettino no. 8 is now up at my So Many Tunes blog. Here are direct links to the two parts of the piece:

pt.1 - pt. 2

Also new this week on the blog is a new jig that I've titled "Bear on the Beach", not to be confused with "bare" on the beach. I imagine that someone else (maybe William Bates?) has already written that one.

John G.

[John Goodin]

Bates no. 9 can now be heard on my blog, or directly from these links:

pt. 1 - pt. 2

Nine weeks in a row. I'm in uncharted territory.

John G.

[John Goodin]

I hope no one lost any sleep last week because Bates' duettino no. 10 didn't appear here at the forum. If you thought to check my So Many Tunes blog you would have found it there on Monday but, due to technical difficulties while traveling, I was unable to post here last weekend.

So here are duettinos no. 10 and no. 11.

No. 10 pt. 1 - pt. 2

No. 11 pt. 1 - pt. 2

New at the blog today is another jig, no. 4 in what has become my Tolley series.

Last week's new tune was a slow reel titled "Paws Down."

With luck I will post Bates no. 12 next week.

John G.

[JH Murray]

Beautiful as always. Perfect music for a Sunday afternoon.

[John Goodin]

It's a bit grey and rainy here in northeast Iowa today but Bates' no. 12 is a little bit of sunshine.

No. 12 pt. 1 - pt. 2

Today's So Many Tunes blogpost also offers a new, upbeat tune in D called "Old Annapolis".

John G.

[John Goodin]

It's Sunday once again and I have succeeded in posting no. 13 of Mr. Bates' duettinos to my So Many Tunes blog. 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18 yet to go.

No. 13 pt. 1 - pt. 2

This week's new tune is a brand new Deer Track piece. Check it out if you are looking for something a little off of the beaten path.

John G.

[Leo37]

Thank you, John,

I startet with the first Duettino. Unsure about the correct tempo interpretation I thought Allegro must be faster than Andante, and so I did. Maybe anybody can clear it up, if I am wrong.

The instrument is shown in the jpeg, microphone is a AKG C414 B-uls. Recorded with Studio One 3 and Focousrite Scarlett Solo.

https://soundcloud.com/leo-dilemma/w...no-i-gibson-a0

Leo

[John Goodin]

Leo, these are beautifully played. I love the sound of your old Gibson. Thanks for sharing!

John G.

[John Goodin]

Another Sunday, another duettino by William Bates. Today I have posted no. 14 on my So Many Tunes blog, this leaves 4 more until the end of the set.

No. 14 pt. 1 - pt. 2

I've also posted a new jig that some might enjoy.

I hope you are enjoying some pleasant spring (or autumn, depending) weather, wherever you are.

John G.

[John Goodin]

Not a big surprise but I've just posted Bates' no. 15 at So Many Tunes. Here are the links to the recordings:

No. 15 pt. 1 - pt. 2

Three more of these to go and then I'll take a break from Mr. Bates for a while.

I also posted a new, mid-tempo reel in G titled "Conway to Lincoln."

John G.

[John Uhrig]

Thanks for the new tunes that you share with us every week.

[John Goodin]

Two weeks left after today, two more installments from the William Bates collection that is.

No. 16 pt. 1 - pt. 2

The main feature of today's So Many Tunes blogpost is a tune I've titled "No Need for Argument." Maybe next week's tune will be called "There's No Argument at All?"

Plus there's a fun photo of a house being moved through my neighborhood a few days ago.

John G.

[JH Murray]

No argument here, but an agreement that the Bates pieces and your new composition are great music for a slow Sunday afternoon.