Rondo Galante

[vkioulaphides]

Greetings, all.

I trust that everyone on this forum is aware (and, most likely, a great admirer) of the collaboration of Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg. I need say no more than is already known, and duly applauded by mando-aficionados worldwide.

A while back, this remarkable duo approached me, requesting that I write something expressly for them; their intention is to record a new CD (probably this coming summer) with duets written especially for them. I heartily agreed, and got to work immediately.

As always, I did my "homework" in advance of writing this piece, hoping to come up with a work as tailor-made for them as possible. As I listened to various performances of Mike and Caterina, I tried to define what exactly it is that makes their collaboration so wonderful, so remarkable. Is it the ease, the sheer facility with which they tackle some terribly difficult pieces? No, not just that. Is it perhaps the variety of repertoire? No, that alone is not enough. What IS it, then?

After much mind-twisting and soul-searching, I concluded that —at least in my own, humble opinion— it is the joy with which they play together that makes them like absolutely NO other mandolin duet in the whole world. They enjoy playing together, and it shows; joy is, after all, contagious. It is also uniquely personal: each person's smile is different!

So I came up with (and delivered, as of today) my Rondo Galante, on a theme by Ignaz Josef Pleyel. It is technically in rondo-variations form, in that the repeated motto is fragmented, and each fragment varied individually— but such stuff is only for stuffy professors of formal analysis, and the public can be fairly presumed to have zero interest in such trivia.

I chose this theme because of its character, more than anything else. Pleyel was perhaps THE heir to the style galant, Haydn's star-student, eminently francophile Viennese cosmopolitan (with a famed business-venture in London, the Pleyel Pianos Co.), with all sorts of clubs, societies, and musical associations, on both sides of the Atlantic, devoted to the perpetuation of his music.

So I hope that I have captured some of the essential character of this unique mandolin duo with this piece, in the sense that it is made of 100% pure, not-one-cloud-in-the-sky joy and good cheer. I have no doubt that Mike and Caterina will do it justice—and then some!

Cheers,

Victor

[Jim Garber]

Victor... that is great news. The collaboration of you three has great potential for lovers of mandolin music. I look fwd to hearing this piece. I think you are correct that the joy and (should this be a verboten term in classical?) joy with which these two play together is a wonderful thing.

Here's where my mind goes... maybe it was someone in my past life -- I thought the topic of this post was someone named Ron Galante.

[Tom Wright]

Congratulations!

Are you going to keep the score under wraps until they finish and release it?

[Mark Levesque]

Hi Victor,

I'm looking forward to hearing your Rondo Galante, congratulations!

[garypaynephoto]

Very exciting! I know that Mike and Caterina very much enjoy each others company, and you are right, that comes out in their music making.

[Ed Goist]

Victor;
This is cool beyond words.
Congratulations, and thank you so much for sharing this exciting news with the Mandolin Cafe community.

[vkioulaphides]

Are you going to keep the score under wraps until they finish and release it?

Thank you all; it goes without saying that I am thrilled beyond words by the whole prospect.

And, yes, Tom: as is my customary practice on such occasions, I will keep this score private (i.e. between Mike, Caterina and myself) until the CD comes out. That is only fair. After that, I will be happy to offer it to anyone who asks for it, just for the asking. It is not some backbreaking, finger-twisting tour-de-force, so it should be usable to many more than those two stellar performers. The parts are 100% equal —as they should be— and lie comfortably under the fingers. The "key ingredient", of course, is having fun with it, and conveying that to the audience. That, at least, is my own, fondest hope...

Cheers,

Victor

[vkioulaphides]

This



was part of the "listening assignment" I gave myself in preparation for this composition. Seriously, folks... what is NOT to absolutely LOVE about these two?

The above clip goes under the (looooooooong) list of pieces I so wish I had written.

Cheers,

Victor

[Jim Garber]

Ah, yes, Victor... the sublime joy of choro! Written by Zequinha de Abreu andn populized by Jacob do Bandolim. Wonderful rendition...

[Alex Timmerman]

That's fantastic to hear, Victor.

I'll bet this will be another gem in your long list of wonderful compositions for our instrument!

Cheers!

Alex.

[vkioulaphides]

Thank you, Alex.

My somewhat humbler hope is that it will be, like Pleyel's own works, a precious little Viennese/Parisian jewel-box. The gem "inside" will be Mike and Caterina's playing. I'll be perfectly contented with my modest role as jewel-box-maker. After all, how much more than that can a composer ever expect?

Cheers,

Victor

[KristinEliza]

Congrats Victor! I can't wait to hear it...and, eventually, play it!

[Simen Kjaersdalen]

Lichenberg has always been my favourite player of the classical mandolin, and the duo with Marshall is as good as they come. You are sure a very lucky composer! On the other hand they are also very lycky performers to have a pice by you made for them. I would say this can't go wrong.

[vkioulaphides]

You are sure a very lucky composer!

Thank you, Simen! I gratefully and wholeheartedly agree; in fact, it is my "secret" of whatever success I may have had over the years: write for the finest PERFORMERS. Everything else falls into place.

Cheers,

Victor

[Jim Garber]

...and conversely, Victor, if you compose something for me, will I then become one of the finest performers?

[KristinEliza]

ooo...I conducted a piece...does that make me one of the finest conductors???

[vkioulaphides]

Well, Jim... all those mandolin solo pieces of mine that you so generously post on your website are intended for the Betterment of Mando-Society, no? And, Kristin... the Riegelsberg Suite that you so ably conducted was written for a tiiiiiiiiiiiny, regional German orchestra, much like the "training orchestras" we have here, where young talent first cuts its teeth.

So there IS in fact a certain reciprocity ;-)

Cheers,

Victor