New piece from Estonian composer Tonu Korvits

[Ali]

Hi guys,
This nice Estonian composer (quite famous in his own country) contacted me a while ago telling me how much he liked the mandolin and my playing and could he write me a piece. So I said "of course" and within a couple of weeks he's emailed me this solo piece for mandolin or octave mandolin.
I premiered it in Feb and have played it in concerts here in the UK several times recently. Most recently I had a chance to record it with a decent stereo digital recorder. I play it on Beast and I personally think it is one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces I have heard in a long time so I thought I would share!
Its called Wake up, My Heart and is based on an Estonian Folk Tune from Vormsi Island. Tonu is hoping to write more for me including possibly a concerto.
Wake up my Heart 1..mp3
I hope you enjoy it.
Ali x

[JEStanek]

Very beautiful. Thanks for sharing it here.

Jamie

[John Goodin]

Ali, thank you so much for sharing this beautiful piece. It's a lovely, early spring Sat. afternoon here in Northeast Iowa. Though the piece may have begun in Estonia and found its interpreter in England, it definitely found a receptive listener here in the upper midwest of the USA. Truly inspiring!

John G.

[candy]

I thought it sounded a bit boring but it's not unusual with new works, not everything that is contemporary is quality.
What pick do you use Ali? The acciaccature didn't come very clean.

[Ali]

That's because I didn't pick them! More stylistically suitable to use hammers and pull-offs in a piece like that. They would have sounded too harsh if they were "clean". The composer loves the way I play it, so that's all that matters to me.
Its interesting you use the word "contemporary" because in many ways that piece couldn't be further removed from most contemporary music if it tried. I can see how some people could consider it a boring piece......in the same way that some people would consider sitting in the sun quietly reflecting also very boring. :-)
Oh well. Each to their own - thats what makes the world so interesting! If we all liked everything it would be a very strange place!
Ali

[candy]

Indeed, if we would all like the same things the world would be a very boring place to be. You're the only person who has played that piece so far, so it's obvious that the composer loves the way you play. You're the only one playing it. Any unknown composer would be delighted to see their pieces played even by amateurs.
But there are ways to play the acciaccature clean (even without picking them) but I respect it's your way of interpreting the piece, like you said, each to their own!

[Ali]

Just for the record - I'm definitely not an amatuer and he's definitely not an unknown composer!
Easy mistake mistake to make!

[Ali]

He's even got a premiere this month in USA http://calendar.bellinghamherald.com...baltic-elegies
and had a whole concert dedicated to his works played by Estonia's National Orchestra in March to honour him and his work. You can still listen to it online. When I gave the premiere of his piece (the boring one) in England, much to both our amusement, it made the National press and TV in Estonia!! I know its a small country but even so.....

[candy]

Speaking about bizarre, even Nicolas Cage's purchase of a small pyramid for a graveyard made news! Paris Hilton makes news all the time. Hey, even a silly video of some soldiers dancing to Lady Gaga made world news (as seen on Yahoo), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKL8w-_zC_s

Or were you trying to say that making news means quality? Easy mistake to make!

[Ali]

no but if you make the news - you are no longer unknown :-)

[candy]

I give you that! My bad for saying he was unknown.

[Jim Garber]

Candy: As a brand new member here, I think you come out with guns a-blazing. You are certainly entitled to your opinion but trolling is certainly not pleasant for any of us and doesn't make you look all that good either.

Having said that, let's start afresh: welcome to our corner of the forum. It would also be nice for you to make some sort of introduction. Who are you and what is your mandolin story?

[Mark Levesque]

I loved it Ali!
Your dynamics and the phrasing are all so interesting and the piece is quite beautiful.
A wonderful performance and interpretation.

Please ignore the toxic comments of the unknown.
I can't even imagine such rudeness from any adult who knows anything about music.

All of us want to stay up to date with your world class performances and recordings.

[Simen Kjaersdalen]

Thank you for sharing this piece. It's really more like music for the guitar than what you normally would expect for the mandolin, so soft and silent. I think this is a bold and refreshing way to write music for our instrument, and the composition is a real ear-opener. But of course, if you are looking for "arpeggios from hell", Yngvie Malmsteen or other "heroes" should be a better choice. Nothing is for everyone. Personally I find the playing superb! On the intellectual level I totally agree to Candy that everyting modern certainly is not "gold". Only time will tell what is and what is not, but before death do us part, let us be a bit polite to each other. We need critical voices here, yes, but I find Candy's polemic style a bit annoying. I would like to post my songs here without beeing afraid of rude comments. I think we are used to a more friendly and open-minded way to communicate here. But welcome anyways, gunslinger, maybe it's time to change your gun for a mandolin.

[candy]

Apparently you're all very sensitive to a little criticism. Unfortunately in the mandolin community there are many amateurs and self proclaimed professionals/top leading mandolinists; the later are often surrounded by other amateurs/beginners and aren't used to hear a different opinion other than "you play so well!" given by people who have no clue about the instrument or who simply didn't have the time or talent to practice.
And I'm not holding any gun, I just expressed my opinion regarding a new piece, you don't have to agree with me just like I didn't force anyone to agree with me.

[Travis Finch]

Ummm...wow, Candy. I'll agree with you to a point about some of the 'hero worship' that may occur to some degree around any instrument and that the mandolin community does indeed draw its fair share of that type of behavior.

I'll also add that I may be a little biased in this particular thread as I moved over to London to study with Ali at Trinity College of Music almost four years ago.

However, Ali is just one of many professional mandolin players who posts on this forum. Do the homework and you will find many of them out there, not only in the States but across Europe, Japan, Israel, Australia, etc. etc.

What's nice is that this forum exists and provides a means for players of all levels and of all genres to communicate and share. Of course most of the comments you will see are positive...it's a positive community. I praise you (and I'm reasonably certain Ali would as well) for your open and honest critique of a recording someone posted. We need more of that!

What we don't need are threads (and this applies to everyone) that spiral into trolling and hostility, nobody wants that.

[Eric L]

One would think that with a user name such as "candy' that the comments would be sweeter.

Please tell us candy, what are some of your favorite performances or recordings of classical (or not) mandolin music.

[JEStanek]

I don't think we need hijack Ali's thread any further. A critics credentials need not be presented when they wouldn't enhance the quality of the critique. Differences in style and taste have been noted, I would rather the focus remain on Ali's performance and Mr. Kõrvits composition.

Jamie

PS. Frankly, a flame war does no one a service, even under the best of intentions, and, is a violation of the Posting Guidelines.

[Ali]

Well said Jamie. I posted this piece here purely for peopele's general interest and so you all knew about it. As has been noted, it is a slightly more unusual way of writing for our little instrument but I personally think it's very effective. I was merely sharing. In a funny kind of way, I quite enjoyed my little exchange with Candy this morning. Neither I nor Tonu are in the least bit offended by his/her comments....we are both professionals who, by the nature of the industry have been through the mill and come out the other side. I take great interest in what people genuinely think. Mostly I am more intersted in what normal everyday audiences think as they are the people I play for and the ones who effectively get me booked for concerts and festivals. The mandolin community are always a tough bunch to please because we all have a common agenda and have strong feelings and opinions about our lovely instrument. I make my living playing mostly to people who know little about the mandolin but who love (mostly!) what I do. Who am I to argue.
You guys here are a lovely supportive bunch whose presence and opinion I do value but as they say "the proof of the pudding is in the eating" and I know that mostly people I play for think my "pudding" tastes great. Call it arrogance or quiet confidence- I don't mind.
Now, back to the subject in hand. Please have a listen to Tonu's unusual but, I think, haunting piece and make your own mind up. Comment or don't. Either is fine. I just wanted to share. That's all.

[KristinEliza]

Thanks for sharing Ali (and Tonu!)

A nice soothing, relaxing piece. It makes me want to head out to the back patio with a beverage of choice and enjoy the evening breeze!

[mandoisland]

Hi Ali, thanks for sharing this wonderfull music - I like it very much! Great sound!

[Alex Timmerman]

Thanks Ali,

for posting the mp3 here of this new piece "Wake up, My Heart" for mandolin (or mandola). It is really wonderful music and I like the way you play it very much! I would love to play it myself one day.

I did some Internet browsing on Tõnu Kõrvits and found that he is quite known already and of the 2nd generation of Estonian composers after the famous Arvo Pärt who I think needs no introduction here.
More info about Tõnu Kõrvits can be found here: http://www.erpmusic.com/p_TonuKorvits.htm

Best, Alex

[vkioulaphides]

In addition to Ali's lovely performance, I also very much enjoyed Tonu's Prelude for guitar, posted on the site that Alex was kind enough to direct us to. A fine composer, with a beautiful "voice" of his own.

Cheers,

Victor

[Alex Timmerman]

Absolutely so Victor! And, if it all comes down to us as Alison mentioned, perhaps even a new concerto for mandolin is a possibility!

Cheers, Alex.

[Ali]

Hi Alex and Victor
Thanks Alex, for doing some more research on Tonu and his other lovely music. I am really excited to have made friends with him. I really like his "voice". He is really determined to try and get me over to Estonia to do some sort of project with him - probably a concerto. Guess it may not be for a while, but a very exciting possibility and I'd be really excited to hear what he would write for a concerto for mandolin.
You see, our wonderful little instrument is getting more and more just deserved attention!
I am doing another solo world prem in Aug by a British composer called Peter Copley, Craig and I are doing a duo prem by Andrew Keeling at the great Bridgewater Hall in Manchester in Jan.....and Victor has something VERY exciting up his sleeve for me and Sebastiaan De Grebber for October!
Alex, Astute Music are going to publish Wake Up, My Heart soon......I'm sure Tonu will be thrilled that you would like to play it.
Ali xx