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historical recordings

Gerard Metallo – Curro Cuchares – Free Sheet Music

I have uploaded a piece by Gerardo Metallo to the Petrucci Library and to musicaneo. The title is Curro Cuchares. The piano version was already available at IMSLP, I have made a scan of the mandolin quartet version arrangend by F. Kollmaneck.

Biography of Gerardo Metallo

Gerardo Metallo – Real name: Metallo, Gerardo; Pianist, leader and composer (14 February 1871 – 14 July 1946)

Metallo was a composer, conductor and pianist.

He was born in Calabritto, in the south of Italy, but his spent his life in Uruguay, precisely in the city of Montevideo, where he arrived in 1882 when he was only 11 years old.

His compositions were popular at the beginning of the 20th century. I have found some historical recordings of his works.

Video – Curro Cuchares – Historical Recording by Bernard Taylor

guitar & mandolin – 8th – May 1949 on 78 rpm acetate (the uploader of this video switched the names – this is Curro Cuchares, Estudiantina is on the other side of this recording). Bernard Taylor plays exactly the 1st mandolin part of the arrangement by Kollmaneck, so the player might have used just this arrangement.

Playlist Curro Cuchares

I have found recordings including a piano roll and street organ performances. There are several recordings with accordion (Sharpshooters March).

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mandolin ensemble

Berkeley Mandolin Ensemble

The Berkeley Mandolin Ensemble was a classical mandolin ensemble. The ensemble travelled to Germany for the German Zupfmusikfest in Bonn in 1978. It was also part of the production of the CD “Rudy Cipolla – Mandolin Maestro”. It did travel again to Germany in 1982 for another Zupfmusikfest.

Program of the concert at the Zupfmusikfest in Bonn, 1982 (Thanks to Sheri Mignano-Crawford for this picture)

Kennet Frankel who played mandolin, mandola and mandocello in this group between 1976 and 1979. He has made available some recordings by the Berkeley Mandolin Ensemble on his website.

1976-1979 Berkeley Mandolin Ensemble

After my mandolin quartet, I played mandolin, mandola, and mandocello with this wonderful group in concerts, on radio, and on TV. I traveled with them to Germany as the only USA representative at the 1976 German Zupfest.

The Berkeley Mandolin Ensemble played pieces by German composers Konrad Wölki and Kurt Schwaen, transcriptions of lute music, pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven, Ragtimes by Scott Joplin and more.

Rudy Cipolla recording

The ensemble was part of the Rudy Cipolla album The World of Rudy Cipola which was recorded in 1982 and 1983.

Interview 1987

The Berkeley Mandolin Ensemble with Owen Hartford and Rudy Cipolla gave an interview with live performances in 1987 which can be found in the Rudy Cipolla archive by Sheri Mignano-Crawford. Discussion in the Mandolin Cafe with link to a collection of recordings and sheet music by Rudy Cipolla. The ensemble plays works by Vivaldi, Owen Hartford and Rudy Cipolla.

Radim Zenkl and Sheri Mignano-Crawford played with the ensemble in 1989, there is a picture of the ensemble from 1989 on Radim Zenkls website.

Additional Information

Website: http://www.kenfrankel.com/Music/BME/BME.html

History: http://www.kenfrankel.com/music%20history.html

Radim Zenkl – Photos – includes a photo of the Berkeley Mandolin Ensemble from 1989.

domra

3rd Eurasia Competition for Russian Folk Instruments

Recently I have discovered videos from the 3rd Eurasia Competition for players od Russian folk instruments.

The performances of Ganyushkina Svetlana Vasilievna (Jekaterinburg) Domra-Alt and Unguryan Maria Alexandrovna (Jekaterinburg) Domra have been published in the youtube channel of the pianist Kristina Shestakova.

Ganyushkina Svetlana Vasilievna (Jekaterinburg) Alt-Domra – 3rd Price

III International Competition of Performers on Russian Folk Instruments “Eurasia – III”
Round II:
M. Bronner “Pro et contra”
A. Byzov “Gossip”
A. Tsygankov “Jewish melodies”
Ganyushkina Svetlana – domra-alto
Shestakova Christina – piano
10/27/2019

III International Competition of Performers on Russian Folk Instruments “Eurasia-III”
Round I:
J. Haydn Concerto for cello and orchestra C-dur III movement
S. Rachmaninov “Vocalise”
M. Gorobtsov Meditations on Eurasian Themes “Journey to the Sunrise”
Ganyushkina Svetlana – domra-alto
Shestakova Christina – piano
24.10.2019

Unguryan Maria Alexandrovna got the 1st price with her fantastic performance on the domra.

Unguryan Maria Alexandrovna (Jekaterinburg) Domra – 1st Price

III International Competition of Performers on Russian Folk Instruments “Eurasia”
Round II:
B. Matryashin “Improvisation and Toccata”
V. Ivko “Concert-Toccata”
Unguryan Maria – domra
Shestakova Christina – piano
10/26/2019

III International Competition of Performers on Russian Folk Instruments “Eurasia”
Round I:
J.F. Ramo “Chicken”
I. Tamarin Concerto for domra and orchestra II movement “Intermezzo”
E. Podgaits Concert “Seasons in Moscow” IV part “Winter”
Unguryan Maria – domra
Shestakova Christina – piano
10/25/2019

Additional Information

Website: https://konkurs-eurasia.ru/

In the youtube channel of Kristina Shestakova you can find more domra videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCea5RImZ713RVcY7BCXpM9A/videos

historical recordings

Rudy Cipolla – An American Original

I am currently preparing a program with Italian mandolin music. On my search for more music I have found some tunes by Rudy Cipolla and started listening to music by Rudy Cipolla.

The music from the CD Rudy Cipolla – Portrait of an American Original (Acoustic Disc) is available as youtube playlist and also on Spotify.

Playlist Rudy Cipolly – Portrait of an American Original

Spotify Playlist – Rudy Cipolla – Portrait of an American Original

One of my favorite tunes is the Study for two mandolins played by Radim Zenkl, a beautiful little duet.

I have made my own transcription of this duet and now have my own video:

This is another study for two mandolins – this one was recorded by Carlo Aonzo, David Grisman and Beppe Gambetta on the album “Traversata”

In the Mandolin Cafe you can find additional information in a discussion with pictures and also a link to a shared Dropbox folder by Sheri Mignano-Crawford with recordings from the Rudy Cipolla Memorial Tribute Concert and sheet music transcriptions of many Rudy Cipolla compositions.

Additional information

Discussion in the Mandolin Cafe with link to a collection of recordings and sheet music by Rudy Cipolla

Bio (Acoustic Disc)

Portrait of an American Original (Acoustic Disc)

Rudy Cipolla – Portrai of an American Original (discogs) with detailed information about all the tracks

LP – The World of Rudy Cipolla (Discogs)