Classical Newbie..or Not ? !!

[Heymate]

Just wanted to share how excited I am to have rediscovered the Classical Mandolin after many years. I have played violin for 48 years plus..traveled the world as a musician and now (in my later years) have rediscovered this wonderful instrument. This forum seems to be full of wonderful people so I just wanted to say hi from an old British fiddler now living in California!
Currently I am working through The Mel Bay Book..Baroque Mandolin. Some great stuff there.
My favourite player us Caterina Lichtenberg..her recording of Baroque Music for Mandolin and Lute has shown me that the mandolin, in the hands of a real artist can have all the variables of tone normally reserved for a bowed instrument.
Anyway sorry for rambling on......Thanks for having me on the forum!!!!!!

[JeffD]

Excellent.

Often when I pick up the mandolin I have no particular music in mind to play, so I pull out some Bach. I am no great shakes at it, but there is a thrill having the musical ideas created over two and half centuries ago showing up under my fingers.

[Heymate]

Thanks! That is just how I feel. Being from London (way back) I always found a ton of good info. on the BBC. This show is very interesting...two shows a week on Early Music

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tn49

FYI I play an old Gibson A50

For those that do not read music the Mel Bay book has tablature too. I would mention that I developed tendonitis in my right thumb after trying to play too fast on the mandolin...what a mistake! If you can't play it slow you will never play it fast! So playing these classical tunes has increased my strength and guess what....thumb is better. So much mandolin playing in the bluegrass and Celtic world seems to be a breeding ground for tendon problems or that is what happened to me.

[Henry Girvan]

Hello Haymate,

I was unaware that the late Mr Bay had published a book about the baroque mandolin, but I am glad to see that there is some interest in the subject. While you are some distance away from Britain now, you may like to know that as part of next year's British BMG Federation Summer School which will be held at the Benslow Music Trust in Hitchen, Frances Taylor will be teaching a course on Baroque Mandolin.

[SternART]

Heymate.....You know Caterina Lichtenberg has played in California with Mike Marshall, before and after teaching at the Mandolin Symposium in Santa Cruz, the past few years. Maybe you can catch her next time. Where in Calif. are you living? Most of her performances have been around the SF Bay Area.