Music for Ensembles (Duos, Trios...)
Repertoire for duos, trios, and larger groups with mandolin.
- Stegosaurus
- Canto Antigo
- Pieces of up to Grade 2 complexity
- Pieces of up to Grade 4 complexity
- Pieces of up to and beyond Grade 4 complexity
Stegosaurus
| Title of book: | Eine Kleine Saurophonie, for 2 mandolins | |
| Composer: | Marlo Strauss | |
| Publisher: | Vogt & Fritz, V& F 2009 |
The piece Stegosaurus is from a book which aims to portray different kinds of dinosaurs. Most compositions by Marlo Strauss are for educational purposes. Often they focus on a certain technique and putting these into a musical context. Stegosaurus features arpeggio techniques.
The Composer
Marlo Strauss is one of the best known German writers of literature for beginners to intermediates. He plays both guitar and mandolin and is married to Marga Wilden Huesgen, Professor for mandolin in Wuppertal Germany. This keeps him up to date with the latest developments in the mandolin scene.
Terms used
| hinter dem Sattel | behind the nut |
| met. or metalico | pluck the strings close to the bridge |
| nat. arm | natural harmonics |
| nat. | naturalis |
| alles klingen lassen | let everything ring |
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Canto Antigo
| Title of book: | Songs and Dances from Latin America | |
| Arranger: | Yvon Rivoal | |
| Publisher: | Henry Lemoine |
Canto Antigo, meaning "the Old Song", is a folk tune from Brazil which was arranged for two guitars by. It is from book C of the series, published by. The arrangement can be played on guitar and mandolin without any changes.
Back to topPieces of up to Grade 2 complexity
| Time period | Piece | |
|---|---|---|
| 18th Century | Pietro Fouchetti: Serenaden or Sonaten for 2 mandolin, nice pieces from Grade 1 to Grade 4 | |
| Classical Times | Scheidler, C.G: Sonate D-Dur für Mandoline und Gitarre, UE 14439 | |
| Romantic | Silvio Ranieri: L'Art de la Mandoline, Cranz, Volume 1: No 24 (Grade 1), No. 51 (about Grade 2) |
|
| Contemporary | Marlo Strauss: Funf Klangbilder, for 2 mand, V & F 3021, The composer
uses classical mandolin techniques and other sound effects to portrait
different colours Marlo Strauss: Eine kleine Saurophonie, for 2 mand, V & F 2009 Marlo Strauss: Vier Episoden for mandolin and guitar, GVH KM-2045, really easy but effective pieces |
|
| South American Folk | Mark Davis: Five Songs for the Cuzco Indians, Zimmermann 2568, pieces
of various difficulty Ives Rivoal: Songs and Dances from South America, in 6 volumes, Lemoine, for 2 guitars but playable on mandolin and guitar. Very good selection of pieces with interesting guitar parts - pieces from Grade 1 to Grade 4 Martin Müller: Die Reise nach Brasilien, a book for 3-4 guitars which is mostly playable for mandolin and guitars. Good pieces with interesting parts, from Grade 1 to Grade 4 |
|
| Popular | Klaus Schindler: Blues, Swing, Ragtime: V& F 2022: Just as the title suggests: entertaining pieces which are easy to play (Grade 1, 2) |
Pieces of up to Grade 4 complexity
| Time period | Piece | |
|---|---|---|
| 18th Century | Pietro Fouchetti: Serenaden or Sonaten for 2 mandolin, nice pieces from Grade 1 to Grade 4 | |
| Classical Times | Inge Kaelberer: Ausgewehlte Musik fuer 2 Mandolinen (selected music for 2 mand.) a variety of pieces from baroque to | |
| Romantic | Silvio Ranieri: L'Art de la Mandoline, Cranz, Volume 1:
No. 40 (Grade 3 tremolo required), No. 42 (Grade 3 tremolo required) Silvio Ranieri: L'Art de la Mandoline, Cranz, Volume 2: No. 16 (Grade 3) |
|
| Contemporary | Sebastien Paci: Drei Fluechtige Gedanken, for 2 Mandolins, GVH KM-2042 second movement is about Grade 4 level | |
| South American Folk | Ives Rivoal: Songs and Dances from South America (see above) | |
| Celtic Folk | Simon Mayor: The New Mandolin, Acoustics Records, a number of ensemble pieces including the very nice Buttermere Waltz | |
| Popular | Christopher Norton: Microjazz Boosey & Hawkes. A collection of short pieces. Some require tremolo and the ability to play complex rhythms |
Pieces of up to and beyond Grade 4 complexity
| Time period | Piece | |
|---|---|---|
| 18th Century | Tedesco: Sonate in G for mandolin and basso Continuo, Vogt &
Fritz V&F 34, A very nice joyful piece which requires good
alternate stroke, position playing and arpeggio techniques Domenico Scarlatti: Cinque Sonate, Berben - some sonatas are also available in an edition for mandolin & guitar. Addiego Guerra: Sonata in sol maggiore, Zimmermann ZM 32010 (mandolin & piano) three movements: 1st and 3rd movement are lively and require arpeggio techniques and fluent scales |
|
| Classical Times | L.v. Beethoven: Music for mandolin and piano, Henle Urtext, a standard
of the mandolin and piano repertoire from Grade 3 (Sonatine in c-minor)
upwards. Barbella: E6 Duos für 2 Mandolinen, Schott 7016/7017 |
|
| Romantic | Silvio Ranieri: L'Art de la Mandoline, Cranz, Volume 2: No. 16 (Grade 3), No. 23 & No. 52 (Grade 4, tremolo required) No. 34 (Grade 4, without tremolo), No. 46 (Grade 5) | |
| Contemporary | Sebastien Paci: Drei Fluechtige Gedanken, for 2 Mandolins, GVH KM-2042
These musically demanding pieces make use of various techniques to
portrait for example the Landscape in Fog in December or the Castle in
Spain Fritz Pilsl: Sonatine für Mandoline und Gitarre, V& F 32: This sonata is inspired by the poems of Dietmar von Aist (1142-1170), musically and technically demanding but very rewarding Paul Mitchell-Davidson: Street Scene for mandolin and piano, London Music Press, upbeat duo giving each instrument and interesting part Carlo Domeniconi: Sonatina Mexicana, Edtion Margaux, em 5301 Sebastien Paci: La Sacrifice, Ritual en 2 Moments GVH KM 2036 |
|
| South American Folk | Astor Piazolla: Histoire du Tango | |
| Celtic Folk | Simon Mayor: Celtic Mandolin, Acoustics Records. Solo pieces; can be played as duos using the given chords |
Find out about pieces for solo instruments and single-instrument groups on the Mandolin Repertoire and Guitar Repertoire pages.