Beautiful songs played with mandolin......

[Duane Graves]

I heard "Yesterday" played with a mandolin the other day and I have been playing it since then and so enjoying the beauty of this delicious melody throwing in my own solo stuff....a tremalo here, etc. There are other songs that I can't think of but no doubt many of you play because, like me, you find the melody to touch you in a special way. I wonder if you could share (vids or other) some of those, well, you know, intimate, shall I say, songs like Yesterday set to mandolin that take you to another place so to speak. --dgg.

[smokyt81]

I find myself playing "Something" alot lately. All those pretty jazz chords give me a change from bluegrass all the time, and I'm working I'm misty right now.

[birdman98]

Recently picked up Butch B's "MANDOLIN HYMNS" instructional album and book.

Wow!

Just pick any track...doesn't matter that I am pressing down on the same frets on my mandolin as Butch was on his. Don't think I will ever get anywhere near the beautiful tone that Butch pulled out of his instruments.

Butch was a real treasure.

[Geoff B]

I played "Golden Slumbers" with our band's cello player for our lead singer's wedding. It was pretty when we finally played, but this video was a work in progress toward that. Sorry for all the flubbs and buzzing notes!

[Duane Graves]

....sweet....Geoff....thanks, I'll try that.....that's what I mean, songs like that are so touching--dgg

[esslewis]

I heard Sam Bush play Wayfaring Stranger at Wintergrass about 6 weeks ago in Bellevue WA and it was something special.

[lenf12]

In keeping with some of the artists already mentioned, the Beatles "In My Life" in the key of A is quite moving and Butch B's version of "A Place In the Heart" (last cut on the New Classics For Bluegrass Mandolin) in the key of D is a great melody that even sounds wonderful played solo.

Enjoy!!
Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[michaelpthompson]

I heard Sam Bush play Wayfaring Stranger at Wintergrass about 6 weeks ago in Bellevue WA and it was something special.

Here's a beautiful version with Sam and David Grisman.

[Kay Kirkpatrick]

Wow, Geoff, that was beautiful even without the cello. Thanks for posting

[Jim Ferguson]

Sweet Geoff!!!!! Nicely done on Golden Slumbers.
I've learned to play In My Life in key of G & love the sound of it.
Peace,
Jim

[Bill Burch]

I was inspired to learn "Heart of the Heartland" after hearing Peter Ostroushko's version from Prairie Home Companion. I tracked the guitar first in ProTools and then overdubbed the mandolin.



Bill

[Ed Goist]

Three songs I think sound remarkably beautiful on mandolin are Dixie, Battle Hymn of the Republic and Ashokan Farewell.
This is kind of the "Civil War trilogy of mandolin songs".

[JeffD]

I enjoying the beauty of this delicious melody throwing in my own solo stuff....a tremalo here, etc. .... no doubt many of you play because, like me, you find the melody to touch you in a special way. ... set to mandolin that take you to another place so to speak. --dgg.

Duane, great post. You got me thinking.

The real answer is that this is mostly what I do on the mandolin. The melodies being in large part the Celtic, Contra Dance, and Old Time fiddle repertoire, with a huge collection of waltzes. What I mean is that I am a mostly melody player, enhanced with tremolo and double stops and whatever else. I can't say that all of them touch me, or would be considered special, but the ones I playa lot sure do. I kind of make them intimate, especially in a small jam or when playing duets or by myself.

I might play chord backup as may be needed in a jam or performance, but most of the time I am doing what you describe, enjoying the beauty of a delicious melody, throwing in my own stuff where it makes sense, hoping my playing engenders some kind of transcendence.

At first I was thinking, no you mean tunes outside the mandolin repertoire, but in reality there is not much in the mandolin repertoire, not much, comparitively speaking has been written for the mandolin, really.

So my first answer is: that is what I do.

But I think you mean something surprising, outside of the folkie, or even classical tradition. Something "popular" in some sense.

So let me offer two that I have played and enjoyed:

This will date me. One of the first "popular tunes" I worked out on the mandolin. The theme from the movie Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I used to play this a lot and even know my fingers know it autmatically. A fun tune. This is the "classic" Rod McKuen version I learned the melody from. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m-3SgRKnB0

More recently, I fell in love with this melody. The Lonely Shephard (famous Zamfir flute tune from Kill Bill). I picked this up a year or so ago and cannot get enough of it. Here is the tune on mandolin and Andian pan flute (I think). And such a great use of the bowlback mandolin. The mandolin here is not just beautiful, but brings out all kinds of subtle changes in mood. I wish it were my playing, but no not yet. But a version I seek to emulate. Listen to the whole thing if you have time, its worth it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQpNURCMpBo

[Ed Goist]

...snip...
More recently, I fell in love with this melody. The Lonely Shephard (famous Zamfir flute tune from Kill Bill). I picked this up a year or so ago and cannot get enough of it. Here is the tune on mandolin and Andian pan flute (I think). And such a great use of the bowlback mandolin. The mandolin here is not just beautiful, but brings out all kinds of subtle changes in mood. I wish it were my playing, but no not yet. But a version I seek to emulate. Listen to the whole thing if you have time, its worth it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQpNURCMpBo

Jeff; thank you so much for the link to this video. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
Nougat is new to me, as is the mandolin playing of Ruth Roshan. That percussive tremolo she gets on her bowlback is just wonderful! I look forward to hearing more from her and Nougat.

Here is another great video from them:



Thanks again Jeff.

There is so much great mandolin playing out there in so many different and exciting styles. It's a great time to be a mandolin aficionado.

[Bob Scrutchfield]

Duane,
Great subject,
Like most, I have some songs that just touch me in a special way when I play them on the mandolin. Usually I play them when I am relaxing alone and just want something that is soothing to the soul. Mostly old time fiddle tunes, gospel, and waltzes.
One that does give me that feeling is "Lara's Theme" from the film Dr. Zhivvago. It was actually played on tamburitzas (sp?) but it sounds really nice on the mandolin especially if you like to do tremelo like I do.

I play it in the key of C... here is the TablEdit for it;
Lara's Theme TablEdit

Here is an awsome Utube clip of Tim Allan playing it on his octave mandolin that is tuned to mandola tuning. He is such a wonderful musician.

[JeffD]

That percussive tremolo she gets on her bowlback is just wonderful! ...

Isn't it great. And the subtle changes in intensity that build the drama of the tune. It is an inspiring bit of playing.

There is so much great mandolin playing out there in so many different and exciting styles. It's a great time to be a mandolin aficionado.

Ed you got that right.

One really cool thing is that the mandolin isn't well known in the popular culture and imagination, so there are so very many ways the mandolin can be deployed that will surprise and delight the regular fans of any particular kinds of music. Eddie Vedder's use of the mandolin on "Rise" is an example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Js2Ef5Ojg where the use of an instrument surprising to the regular Vedder fans just adds to the impact of the tune. In ways the mandolin on that tune is the perfect choice. I have heard guitar versions and they don't punch in as much, don't get the job done.

[JeffD]

Yes "Lara's Theme" is a great one. I can only get one balalaika at a time though. Tim Allen is performing magic on that mandola.

"Never On Sunday" is another tune I learned early on, with the prompting of my family who wanted me to do something "mandolin" like.

Another one I did in those days was Herb Alpert's El Solo Toro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16B5Xm8_IKw At first I played only the brass part on mandolin. Later I realized there is a mandolin in the harmony already and I bent that around my fingers.

[Ed Goist]

Here are two more pieces by Nougat that feature exceptionally beautiful mandolin work:
Waltzing with a Mandolin
A great version of the classic Gypsy Dance song Czardas
Wonderful!

[Duane Graves]

Duane, great post. You got me thinking.

But a version I seek to emulate. Listen to the whole thing if you have time, its worth it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQpNURCMpBo

.....ah, ah, so nice here....the sweetheart on the bowlback, when she plays there it is like she is a being from the deepest part of heaven....I see here touching the fretboard with such gentle percission and eloquence.....I learn once again from vids like this for I find I have the ear for some parts in peices like this but work so so so hard to get it pressing so intensly on the fretboard that my entire arm grows sore.....but then this wee anglic figure just "touches" the strings and such music is produced....yes, very good, Jeff, very good --dgg

[Bing Cullen]

it seems a lot of Beatles or Paul McCartneys song lend themselves to instrumentals and the mandolin in particular. I always liked to play Those Were the Days..nice sort of gypsy feel to it.

[mfalkner]

I like to play Summertime (a la Doc Watson) on the mannlin. Ashokan Farewell and Wayfaring Stranger have already been mentioned; I've also heard Soldier's Joy played in either Am or Dm and called Soldier's Lament - way cool. Haven't worked that one out yet.

[Duane Graves]

I was inspired to learn "Heart of the Heartland" after hearing Peter Ostroushko's version from Prairie Home Companion. I tracked the guitar first in ProTools and then overdubbed the mandolin.



Bill

....just wonderful, Bill..... --dgg

[Dobe]

Back on the Beatles: The studio version of this is awsome, not too bad here though. You can get the idea:

[Duane Graves]

Here is a great song and I can remember as a young man in 1971 when this came out that we would play it over and over in the juke box at the local hangout about town. Some interesting history of the mandolins part in this gem --dgg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RqcL...eature=related

[Ed Goist]

...snip...
One really cool thing is that the mandolin isn't well known in the popular culture and imagination, so there are so very many ways the mandolin can be deployed that will surprise and delight the regular fans of any particular kinds of music. Eddie Vedder's use of the mandolin on "Rise" is an example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Js2Ef5Ojg where the use of an instrument surprising to the regular Vedder fans just adds to the impact of the tune. In ways the mandolin on that tune is the perfect choice. I have heard guitar versions and they don't punch in as much, don't get the job done.

Jeff; thank you for mentioning Rise in this thread.
Every time I hear Rise I'm impressed a little more by how hauntingly beautiful and profound it is as a song.
It's probably my favorite mandolin song of all. I love how it shows that one need not be a virtuoso to impact people with our wonderful little instrument.
Here is a great live performance by Vedder.