"Lagrima" - Francisco Tarrega

[Carlos Gomes SJK-SP]

I am working in an adaptation from acoustic guitar to mandolin style for the classic song "Lagrima" composed by spanish guitarrist Francisco Tarrega. (The guitar tablature is available on: http://www.guitaretab.com/t/tarrega-...sco/18927.html ).

My initial arrangement sounds very well, but I have to work hard yet. Basically I have put down the key one tone and have considered fingerpicking techniques ( i.e., play using fingers and thumb, without pick).

I wonder if someone already tried to play this classic song on mandolin before.

Musical Regards,

Carlos Gomes SJK-SP

[Carlos Gomes SJK-SP]

...completing my preview msg:

A standard notation score is available on: http://www.free-scores.com/PDF/tarre...grima-6985.pdf

An youtube video played on acoustic guitar is available on: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgVDl_tElzk

Enjoy.

Carlos Gomes SJK-SP

[Bruce Clausen]

Nice idea. I've just tried it in D and it works very well. The challenge will be to sustain three clear parts when the music calls for that, as in the first section. Aside from playing with fingers, I can see two other options for the passages in tenths: jump the pick quickly across from the D strings to the E strings, then get the open A strings (or whatever note) on the up-stroke; or play a three-note chord on each beat, so that your middle part has six notes per bar, instead of just three notes on the upbeats. Or some combination. Another decision might be whether you want to use tremolo on the top part.

Good luck with it. I hope you'll share the results when you're happy with your arrangement.

[Jim Garber]

Very nice Carlos. I will love to hear what you come up with. I could not access the links you have above but found multiple versions on IMSLP.

I am trying to imagine it on mandolin but hear it in my head played on a lower ranged instrument, possibly alto mandola or octave mandolin or tenor guitar.

I am not sure about the tremolo on the top line, tho. It sound (to me) lovely with its sparseness and relaxation.

[Carlos Gomes SJK-SP]

Hello Bruce,

Tks very much for your worthy comments. Excellent tips, but I have an intermediate mandolin level yet. In comparisson to acoustic guitar performance, my main concern is the adequate reproduction of the "lower" notes, since they are low and have long duration characteristics, proving a good sustentation (a pseudo-chord base) for melodic solos.

You have shown me a good alternative, "the tremolo". Maybe it would be cool to prepare a new arrangement for "Duo" style (that is, acoustic guitar and mandolin or two independent mandolins).

Certainly I will share my final arrangement with group members.

Tks

Carlos Gomes SJK-SP

[Carlos Gomes SJK-SP]

Thanks Jim for providing your personal suggestions and posting IMSLP weblink.

Certainly this instrumental song is too beatiful and I also would like to hear it played on mandola or on another lower-ranged string instrument.

The correct (active) link for music sheet on standard notation is http://www.free-scores.com/download-...c.php?pdf=6985

Carlos Gomes SJK-SP

[Carlos Gomes SJK-SP]

Hi Colleagues Mandolinists,

Find attached my initial arrangement (for mandolin) of romantic song "Lagrima", which was composed by Spanish guitarist Francisco Tarrega. I did my best to provide a most friendly “fingering scheme”. However, the double stops contained in the compass nº10 require a good performance of mandoplayer. I think there are likely other convenient solutions. Thus, feel free to correct/adapt or improve.

Your feedbacks are always welcome !!

Musical Regards,

Carlos Gomes SJK-SP

[margora]

Hi Carlos,

I played through your arrangement this morning. I played it duo-style -- it lays out well on the instrument, and sounds very nice this way. Congratulations!

Some small comments:

--in measure 10 I tremolo the top note of the double-stops (so, continuing the duo style)

--in measure 14 I moved the G in the bass (beat #1) up an octave (D string, 5th fret) or else you can double the bass with the octave.

--in measure 15, I dropped the open A in the first double stop, it is not needed and doesn't work with a duo style treatment

You might take a look at Michael Troster's piece, "Tears of the Mandolin" (pp. 24-25, of Gertrud Troster's Technique on Eight Strings, Volume 2). This is an arrangement of the same Tarrega piece that also includes a few idiomatic variations. Michael's version illustrates another way of arranging pieces from the classical guitar literature for mandolin -- he adds inner voices to fill out the chords which also makes the piece work for the mandolin without duo style. So, for example, he adds a open A pedal in measure one (the very first chord is D-A-Fsharp, adding the A in the middle allows the chord to played with a downward stroke of the plectrum in the usual manner).

[margora]

Addendum: I changed my mind about measure 15, keep the A but a different fingering (melody note is played as is with the first finger, the double stop that immediately follows is played on the G and D strings (the F in the bass is played at the 10th fret of the G string with the 4th finger and the A is played on the D string at the 7th fret).

[Bruce Clausen]

Thanks, Carlos. Arrangement seems to work very well. One little error: in ms. 12 the third beat should have A not G. It could be played as an open string, but to use a change of string (which Tarrega wanted there) you would need 7 not 5 in the tablature.

One other idea: on the first beat of ms. 11, the chord (D-F-A) could be played with F on the G course (3rd finger), with D and A played open. That way the high D is within easy reach, and can be played without dropping the lower parts.

Well done!

[Mando.Hobo]

Thanks for this. It's a pretty tune. It will be welcome to play something from classical guitar which I am used to.

[Carlos Gomes SJK-SP]

Dear Mandolinist Colleagues,

I appreciate very much all improvements/suggestions/corrections posted by you. Thanks for spending your precious time working in my challenging personal task. Certainly some slight changes over the my initial arrangement will provide huge facitilities for fingering performance and a pleasured sound result.

I feel grateful for taking advantage of your mandolin expertise for my final arrangement of this amazing romantic piece.

Musical Regards,

Carlos Gomes SJK-SP