Django
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Oud transcriptions
I've sent out the first batch of Baroque oud transcriptions for beginning and early-intermediate players, and you should be getting them witihin the
week, depending on where in the world you live. My next book, selections from the Cantigas de Santa Maria, will be for more experienced oud players,
and will be accompanied by a CD. I'll play oud, and I will be accompanied by flute, rebec and percussion. Since the cantigas were composed in 12th
century Castile y Leon, the best instrument would be a gut-fretted oud. The medieval lutes that are being replicated today (by some marvelous
luthiers for very high prices) are copies of lutes from, at earliest, the mid 14th century. The iconography of the cantigas - the beautifully
illuminated manuscript commisioned by Alfonso X - shows a large lute-oud, but the only benefit of having one made (which I've considered for the
recording) would be aesthetic - since the measurements and construction would be completely an exercise in total imagination! That's not sufficient
reason..for me, anyway, to shell out a couple thousand dollars!!
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zalzal
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You know that in the baroque cathedral of Valencia, Spinn a discovery has been recently done on renaissance paintings with angels playing XVIth
century instruments.
The Valencia autonomous gouvernement has launched a reconstruction project for these instruments, some never seen before, don't even known how could
they sound.
There are experts luthiers fm europe who have been invited to reconstruct these "angelical" instruments.
Ouds will be reconstructed by.....Spyros.
It is 4 to 5 centuries ahead fm Cantigas, but may be things did not change as much since XIth to XVIth than fm XVIth till now.
So what Spyros will give birth to would probably be the nearest to Cantigas sound, wouldn't it ???
isn't it
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Django
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There are wonderful reconstructions already existing of earlier lutes (mid XIV century). If you Google "medieval lute" you will find some very
interesting instruments created by extremely talented luthiers. Best of luck to Spyros!
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sydney
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Hello Django
Have you posted any of your sound files here in the forum before?
I am interested to listen to your playing
Thanks
Kind Regards,
------------------
Emad
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Django
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None yet, simply because I have no idea how to do it! I'm one of the most computer-phobic people around, and I depend on recording engineers
and Sibelius jockeys to accomplish the computer part of my work as a composer. Next time I'm in the recording studio, I'll record an improvisation
and has my college-student daughter get it to all of you.
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sydney
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by Django Next time I'm in the recording studio, I'll record an improvisation and has my college-student daughter
get it to all of you. |
That would be too kind of you.
Thank you in advance.
Kind Regards,
------------------
Emad
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Jason
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I received the transcriptions today. I think this is a wonderful idea. The music of Bach translates well to almost any instrument and I'm looking
forward to working through the pieces. I am going to attempt to play them with the Turkish tuning that I use ( D A B E A D ).
I'm glad that you mentioned the correlation between middle eastern and baroque playing styles. The 'rules' of ornamentation seem to be very similar
between the two styles, especially in the use of trills and vibrato.
I'll try to record some of the pieces if I can get to the point of doing them justice. Thanks again!
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Django
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If you want to play the pieces with the tuning you've mentioned, you'll have to transpose the music a whole step up, otherwise fingering will be very
difficult.
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billkilpatrick
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i received your baroque oud transcriptions today - thank you again for your thoughtfulness and generosity. i have your return address so i'll be
sending you some of our olive oil - not a large bottle, alas, as the postage is prohibitive - by way of consideration for your large, much appreciated
gesture.
many thanks - bill
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Django
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Many thanks! I'll have the caprese components - tomatoes, basil and mozzarella - ready for the olive oil!
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Hatem_Afandi
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Dear Steve,
I received your transcripts last night. (I have been going home late for a while because of the work load.)
Let me extend my gratitude and admiration of the quality of your work and the truely appreciated effort you put in these transcripts.
You are truely a great honor to this forum.
Best Regards,
Hatem
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Django
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Thank you, my friend. I am already at work on the "Cantigas de Santa Maria". This will be written for experienced oud players, and accompanied by a
professionally recorded CD.
The cantigas were written in 12th century Spain - and when I took my wife to see the Manol oud and the 1699 lute in the Fine Arts Museum here in
Boston, I found out that they have a small chapel completely intact from 12th century Spain. We found this wonderful place, with frescoes that look
like the wonderful pictures in the Cantigas manuscript. I was close to tears. Here was the world I am trying to re-create through music. A sense of
peace and beauty both of earth and of heaven. Perhaps someday I will play the cantigas in such a room!
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Jameel
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I received Stephan's book today. Thank you Stephan. The quality is excellent, and I'm looking forward to trying some of the songs. I'm a little
unfamiliar with the bass clef, having learned to read music as I studied violin. I hope you might find the time to give us a couple tips, since I'm
not the best with transposition. If you could also post you playing a couple of the songs, that would be a huge help.
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Jason
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Jameel, if you use the tuning specified E A D G C the first ledger line below the staff will be your lowest string. The first ledger line above the
staff (middle C) will be your highest string. This will make the music written at actual sounding pitch instead of transposing an octave like most
guitar/lute music.
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Hatem_Afandi
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Django
Thank you, my friend. I am already at work on the "Cantigas de Santa Maria". This will be written for experienced oud players, and accompanied by a
professionally recorded CD.
The cantigas were written in 12th century Spain - and when I took my wife to see the Manol oud and the 1699 lute in the Fine Arts Museum here in
Boston, I found out that they have a small chapel completely intact from 12th century Spain. We found this wonderful place, with frescoes that look
like the wonderful pictures in the Cantigas manuscript. I was close to tears. Here was the world I am trying to re-create through music. A sense of
peace and beauty both of earth and of heaven. Perhaps someday I will play the cantigas in such a room! |
Dear Steve,
What a nostalgic thought. Thanks for sharing.
I returned to music when I was in my mid-thirties. Despite the fact that I am self-taught. Despite the fact that I was always demoraized by my
parents' reluctance to "losing my career to music", I have never lost the passion for it. Neither did I give up on my hope that I will be able to
"express my thoughts" in that very special way.
I believe that if we are divided today over all kinds of issues, music and all forms of art will unite us through the passion they provoke in all
souls. Maybe someday, music will become the dominant universal language that will gather us under the wing of love and peace. Maybe someday melodies
and notes will take down borders and dissolve differences traveling thru an enchaned universe that is overwhelmed by its beauty.
God Bless you!
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Hatem_Afandi
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Django
Thank you, my friend. I am already at work on the "Cantigas de Santa Maria". This will be written for experienced oud players, and accompanied by a
professionally recorded CD.
The cantigas were written in 12th century Spain - and when I took my wife to see the Manol oud and the 1699 lute in the Fine Arts Museum here in
Boston, I found out that they have a small chapel completely intact from 12th century Spain. We found this wonderful place, with frescoes that look
like the wonderful pictures in the Cantigas manuscript. I was close to tears. Here was the world I am trying to re-create through music. A sense of
peace and beauty both of earth and of heaven. Perhaps someday I will play the cantigas in such a room! |
Dear Steve,
What a nostalgic thought. Thanks for sharing.
I returned to music when I was in my mid-thirties. Despite the fact that I am self-taught. Despite the fact that I was always demoraized by my
parents' reluctance to "losing my career to music", I have never lost the passion for it. Neither did I give up on my hope that I will be able to
"express my thoughts" in that very special way.
I believe that if we are divided today over all kinds of issues, music and all forms of art will unite us through the passion they provoke in all
souls. Maybe someday, music will become the dominant universal language that will gather us under the wing of love and peace. Maybe someday melodies
and notes will take down borders and dissolve differences traveling thru an enchaned universe that is overwhelmed by its beauty.
God Bless you!
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zalzal
Oud Junkie
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Django, for sure you know already, i found this link to Bach sheets for lute, the ancient renaissance one? not the arab of course. Too difficult for
me, too easy for you
http://www.formaantiqva.com/enlaces/enlver.php?enlID=334&PHPSES...
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Django
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Actually, not too easy for me. European lute music is written in a form called "tablature", which is not staff notation. When I look at staff
notation, I can hear the music in my head, even if it is staff notation for a full orchestra. I cannot do this with tablature, and I'm not sure
anybody can. It is more like a set of instructions about what finger to put on which string and how long the note is held. It drove me crazy when I
was learning Renaissence lute many years ago, and that was why I originally began to study oud instead.
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Django
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Hatem - Your sentiments have been voiced by the musicians I respect most in the past century - Pablo Casals and Munir Bashir.
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stringmanca
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Got my copy today - looks great! I'm looking forward to going through the pieces. I'm already using the tuning (CEAdgc). Now all I need is time!
Thank you for your hard work and generosity!
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Time
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I got mine today.
Your generous work is very much appreciated.
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DD
Oud Maniac
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Location: The same as yours, my friend.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Django
Thank you, my friend. I am already at work on the "Cantigas de Santa Maria". This will be written for experienced oud players, and accompanied by a
professionally recorded CD.
The cantigas were written in 12th century Spain - and when I took my wife to see the Manol oud and the 1699 lute in the Fine Arts Museum here in
Boston, I found out that they have a small chapel completely intact from 12th century Spain. We found this wonderful place, with frescoes that look
like the wonderful pictures in the Cantigas manuscript. I was close to tears. Here was the world I am trying to re-create through music. A sense of
peace and beauty both of earth and of heaven. Perhaps someday I will play the cantigas in such a room! |
I started out to say that I wished you could hear the tender, ambrosial laughter that some of the fruits of your transcription work have brought from
Martha, my lovely wife and companion of 25 years—but reading all of the posts above, I think that you can hear it in the bubbling flow of feeling in
this lovely thread!
BTW, the Cantigas, which we first heard almost thirty years ago, have special meaning for the two of us. Along with (and of course intimately
connected with) the depth and breadth of their unique beauty and total concept, integrating the arts, religion, and life, there is the fact that they
were composed and collected by Western civilization's definitive philosopher-king, a concept we adore.
Thank you again and Godspeed with your aspirations,
Don
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Django
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Muchismos gracias for your very kind words. Not only was Alfonso X a philosopher king, but he seems to have given equal musical and artistic
opportunity to Christians, Jews and Muslims, as well as to women as well as men. Utterly astounding during the times in which he lived. Come to
think of it, how about our times....
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peppeo77
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I received the transcription book today and it's just amazing. A really nice way to explore the western classical music I'm so used to with a
different taste. And it's also a very funny way to improve my reading on the bass clef (my contrabass player will thank you a lot Django...). I have
no words to explain my gratitude, this is an example of kindness and spirit of sharing stuff about the instrument that all of us love so much.
I hope someone of us will post audioclips of Bach someday, I think Django would appreciate a lot!
My best wishes for a good study dudes...
And many thaks to Django again.
Ciao ciao, Peppeo.
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Django
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Grazie, gracias, merci, danke, and...thanks! I'm now lining up musicians for the studio recording of the CD that will accompany my next book - the
Cantigas de Santa Maria - for intermediate level oud players. Again - if anyone knows musicians in the Boston area who can play medieval-middle
eastern percussion, rebec (or other suitable early or folk bowed strings), medieval harp, and wooden flute, please let me know at
MRBAYNE@sbcglobal.net. Cheers and peace, my friends!
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