# Solo Music Forum



## James

Discuss the solo reportoire of your instruments here!

I'll be talking about my violin concertos 

Regards


----------



## majlis

*solo violin?*

As nobody answer, i'll do it. I take "solo" literarilly, and my favorites works for violin alone are:
Of course, Bach after all the rest.
Bartok sonata
Ysaye sonatas
Paganini caprices
Idem Barucabá variations
Sophie Eckhardt-Gramatté caprices
Honegger sonata
Prokofieff sonata
Paul Ben-Haim sonata
Milstein's Mephisto walz No.1
Hindemith sonata
Ernst last rose and the other one (forgot the tittle)
Wieniavsky etudes
Nielsen prelude and variations
Newman-Tarrega "Recuerdos de la Alhambra"
Kreisler Recitativo and scherzo


----------



## Mark Harwood

Solo guitar.
I tried, I really tried, but there's so much choice and, hearing a piece afresh, you wonder what there is still to discover about the others. 
I joined this forum in order to learn more about classical guitar and chamber music, plus baroque lute and chamber music, so, just to get a ball rolling, I've chosen:

J.S. Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin, transcribed and played by Paul Galbraith. He plays an eight-string guitar with a spike and a resonator box on the floor. 

Koyunbaba's Suite for Guitar, Op. 19, played by Antigini Goni.


----------



## Saturnus

Solo oboe. 
B. Britten's Metamorphoses is the best piece in this rather small department.


----------



## Mark Harwood

I chose the Koyunbaba because of its immediate allure and the Bach because it promises years of unravelling its depths. Two reasons to listen, two very different composers.
What of the violin concertos, James?


----------



## Lisztfreak

There's nothing as plain and pure as Bach's violin partitas and solo violin sonatas!

I also enjoy Walton's bagatelles for guitar. Very temperament little works.

And lets not forget that the huge genre of piano miniatures are solo instrument music - so that makes a whole world of stories and emotions expressed on a single keyboard machine.


----------



## cato

I agree with Lisztfreak.....

... there is nothing as plain and as pure as Bach solo violin.  

I have heard that Hilary Hahn plays Bach's partitas every day, just to get warmed up, and center her mind, as to enhance her playing.


----------



## Lisztfreak

Yes, Bach's music is mind-clarifying and nearly mathematical (Die Kunst der Fuge). That's why I mostly don't like him, he's too logical. But as I said, HIS SOLO VIOLIN RULES!


----------



## Mark Harwood

If anyone's wondering who "Koyunbaba" is, please let me apologise for a careless post.
It's "Koyunbaba: Suite for Guitar, Op. 19" by Carlo Domeniconi.
I'm a hopeless classical guitar player, but that's what I'd like to be able to play.


----------



## ChamberNut

Mark Harwood said:


> If anyone's wondering who "Koyunbaba" is, please let me apologise for a careless post.
> It's "Koyunbaba: Suite for Guitar, Op. 19" by Carlo Domeniconi.
> I'm a hopeless classical guitar player, but that's what I'd like to be able to play.


I have the Koyanbaba, Suite for Guitar by Carlo Domeniconi. It is on a CD by this incredible young guitarist, Aaron Brock. Unfortunately, he passed away at age 31, and this is the only album of his released.

Here's is his website. www.aaronbrock.com


----------



## zlya

I would contest that the one thing better than Bach's solo violin is his solo cello. Wish I played cello. Wish I could afford a cello.


----------



## Mark Harwood

ChamberNut said:


> I have the Koyanbaba, Suite for Guitar by Carlo Domeniconi. It is on a CD by this incredible young guitarist, Aaron Brock. Unfortunately, he passed away at age 31, and this is the only album of his released.
> 
> Here's is his website. www.aaronbrock.com


Thanks, Chamber Nut. That's one to track down.


----------



## ChamberNut

Mark Harwood said:


> Thanks, Chamber Nut. That's one to track down.


I purchased his CD through Barnes & Noble. I believe it's available on Amazon as well.


----------



## Mark Harwood

ChamberNut said:


> I purchased his CD through Barnes & Noble. I believe it's available on Amazon as well.


Yup. It's on Amazon. Thanks again.


----------



## ChamberNut

Mark, let me know if you get that CD, and if you enjoy it.

I'll make sure I let Aaron's Aunt know. She'd be very pleased.


----------



## Mark Harwood

ChamberNut said:


> Mark, let me know if you get that CD, and if you enjoy it.
> 
> I'll make sure I let Aaron's Aunt know. She'd be very pleased.


I keep a list of CD wants, and this one is on it. It may not reach the top of the list soon, but if that's the case it'll go on my Christmas list.  
I heard a brief sound clip. Koyunbaba is quite different from the only other version I've heard. That's always intriguing. 
You may tell the late Mr. Brock's aunt that you've made a sale!


----------



## Guest

My instrument was the string bass so there was not a great choice of solo classical repertoire, any way I was not good enough to solo, being very rank and file, the nearest I got was when I played in dance bands or jazz bands and would be thrown the odd middle eight just to keep me quite, my other instrument was the flute but again very rank and file due to my lack of skill.


----------



## Oneiros

zlya said:


> I would contest that the one thing better than Bach's solo violin is his solo cello. Wish I played cello. Wish I could afford a cello.


Agreed. The cello suites are my favourite music bar none. Such a beautiful instrument.

Bach's solo flute partita is also really nice.


----------



## Mahlersfifth

I am Aaron's aunt and thank you, Mark Harwood, for wanting to listen to Aaron's CD. ChamberNut sent me an email telling me about this. 

Aaron loved to play. "Have guitar will travel" - that was on his website. As a boy, he would play a little Hendrix and Stevie Ray for me and some Bach for his mom and dad. He would have been 33 yesterday. 

I hope you enjoy his music. He would be happy knowing you had.


----------



## spendork

zlya said:


> I would contest that the one thing better than Bach's solo violin is his solo cello. Wish I played cello. Wish I could afford a cello.


 Me too  .

1) Bach - 6 Cello Suites by Fournier.

2) Paganini - 24 Caprices by M.Rabin.

3) Bach - Solo Violin & Partitas by Grumiax.

4) Beethoven - Piano Sonatas by ....... .

5) Chopin - Noctunes by Rubinsteins.


----------



## Mark Harwood

Mahlersfifth said:


> I am Aaron's aunt and thank you, Mark Harwood, for wanting to listen to Aaron's CD. ChamberNut sent me an email telling me about this.
> 
> Aaron loved to play. "Have guitar will travel" - that was on his website. As a boy, he would play a little Hendrix and Stevie Ray for me and some Bach for his mom and dad. He would have been 33 yesterday.
> 
> I hope you enjoy his music. He would be happy knowing you had.


Hello. I have the CD, and it's every bit as good as it should be. Your nephew was a fine and gifted person and you must be very proud.
Thanks to Chamber Nut for the recommendation.


----------



## Methodistgirl

Talking about solo. When I play any instrument I'm all by myself enjoying the
guitar, organ, piano, or any just like being with an old friend and sometimes 
that is my quiet and prayer time.
judy tooley


----------



## oisfetz

Ysaye 6 solo violin sonatas op.27
Kodaly solo cello sonata
Sophie Eckhardt-Gramatte solo violin caprices and partitas
Bach solo flute partita
Rode 24 solo violin caprices
Tartini devil's trill sonata (original version for solo violin)
Christostov 24 bulgarian caprices for solo violin
Prokofiev solo violin sonata
Paul Ben-Haim solo violin sonata


----------



## Herbstlied

Isn't it just great to listen to Bach's Violin Partitas performed by the great Nathan Milstein?!
aaaaaaaah <<<that's a sigh))
I'm a violinist and Milstein is violinist!!!...there's no way to compare!


----------



## Capriccio

My repertoire on my respective instrument (electric guitar) that falls within the lines of classical music are "Winter: II" by Vivalidi, and a half-finished rendition of Mozart's "Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache." The majority of my repertoire is outside the classical realm, as I only got into classical a year ago.

As for songs I'd like to play, Paganini's 24 Caprices are on my list (original eh? ), and perhaps a couple of Pierre Rode's Caprices. I'm trying to learn violin pieces, as they seem to be the easiest thing to transfer to electric guitar. This list is bound to expand as I learn more about classical music, I'm still very much a beginner.


----------



## Guest

Capriccio, Electric Guitar, really, convert to a proper instrument, acoustic !! lol


----------



## Capriccio

Lol no worries, my love of the electric has not clouded my love a more natural instrument, as I do play acoustic  I'm not quite as well trained though as on electric. I do electric for these pieces because the range is higher and more attainable than on the acoustic, which comes in handy when doing a soprano piece from the Magic Flute. Playing faster is a bit easier too. I could play Vivaldi's "Winter" on my acoustic easy enough though, the movement is slow enough.


----------



## Guest

I suppose you would get more gigs on electric ??


----------



## PostMinimalist

Just finished re-memorizing the 3rd Cello Suite on the Double Bass for the nth time. This like my laxative if I haven't played for a while. After afew weeks I get the Bottessini out and go through the Sonambula and Nel Cor Piu Non Mi Sento variations and of course the Elegy. Gliere's Tarantella comes up about two months after that! Modern concertos Such as the Harald Genzmer are fun by they're not the real fireworks you get from Botty!
I played the B minor concerto (from memory of course) for auditions when I was younger, but now this piece gives me the creeps!
FC


----------



## Guest

post-minimalist said:


> Just finished re-memorizing the 3rd Cello Suite on the Double Bass for the nth time. This like my laxative if I haven't played for a while. After afew weeks I get the Bottessini out and go through the Sonambula and Nel Cor Piu Non Mi Sento variations and of course the Elegy. Gliere's Tarantella comes up about two months after that! Modern concertos Such as the Harald Genzmer are fun by they're not the real fireworks you get from Botty!
> I played the B minor concerto (from memory of course) for auditions when I was younger, but now this piece gives me the creeps!
> FC


*Wow* impressive


----------



## Capriccio

Andante said:


> I suppose you would get more gigs on electric ??


I don't usually play the performance pieces in front of audience, but I probably would, depends on who you know and talk to I guess.


----------



## shsherm

I attended a performance of guitar music played by Adam del Monte last night and found a new musician and instrument to admire. He played in a synagogue in Temple City, CA and was among the best soloists of any instrument that I ever heard. He played works of classical, flamenco, and Sephadric origin and works he had written himself. He does have CDs available.


----------



## marval

Adam del Monte is certainly a very good guitarist. I like that he can play different styles of music.


----------



## PostMinimalist

OK we're asked to discuss solo rep for our instrument. As a reasonablly good bass player, I alway find I'm limited by the choices available for my instrument. A couple of decades ago an english company partly run by Rodney Slatford called Yorke Edition did an amazing thing; it single-handedly doudled the repertoire (available to average bassists who did not want to retune to scordatura solo tuning to play anything but the simplest solo music) by pubishing transposed piano reductions of stacks of previously available scores which were circulating only in 'solo' tuning. Since then a surge in interest in solo bass playing has transformed the international scene as far as bass playing is concerned. 
Before 1970 bass soloists were a rare beast and something of a freak show which was wheeled out once every few years for people to gawk at more than listen to. Now the picture is very different in the wake of the Gary Karr revolution. Bass soloists are now a regular item on concert hall agendas with great playing being more ubiquitous and high quality demands made on even the most humble of positions - a rank and file bass player is now expected to cope with not only Beethoven, Strauss and Mahler but also the feindish solos from works by Ginestera and Tippet which now find their way onto audition lists.
Most classical music listeners are totally unaware of the existence of the repertoire for solo bass so a quick tour round youtube to see players like Furtok and Jeff Bradeitch are an eyeopener for most.

Here Furtok is playing Bottessini's Fantasy on themes from Bellini's Sonambula -





Here's Jeff playing Bach


----------



## Herzeleide

Lisztfreak said:


> Yes, Bach's music is mind-clarifying and nearly mathematical (Die Kunst der Fuge). That's why I mostly don't like him, he's too logical. But as I said, HIS SOLO VIOLIN RULES!


There's no such thing as too logical. And you appear to use the adjective 'mathematical' in an extremely loose way which is more or less meaningless.


----------



## Chi_townPhilly

It's kind of off-topic- but I think a point needs to be made about this:


Herzeleide said:


> There's no such thing as too logical.


Some of us who've had a couple (or a few) LTRs sometimes connect with people who have induced us to reconsider that position. (Sometimes, the reconsideration even takes on a permanent form.)


----------



## SPR

Herzeleide said:


> There's no such thing as too logical. ...


That, kind sir, is opinion, and subjective when applying the term 'logical' to how music may be percieved. Your flat statement 'there is no such thing as too logical', I would argue is just as meaningless.

By way of preamble, I consider Bach to be one of the very rare geniuses by way of groundbreaking work. However, I think I understand the intent behind the use of the Ops term logical or mathematical. [as if this topic has not been discussed a bazillion (a technical term) times before about Bach…]

For example - the art of fuge - clearly a nearly scientific and exhaustive demonstration of the entire concept of construction and execution of the counterpunctal technique. 'Logical' certainly fits I believe. Cripes - the work (arguably) ends with a 'test' (contrapunctus xiv) for future composers to practice with…

However - this… um… exposure of the structure and process is only one facet of his work. For example - The Brandenburgs are an entirely different animal altogether, wouldn't you agree?


----------



## Herzeleide

SPR said:


> That, kind sir, is opinion, and subjective when applying the term 'logical' to how music may be percieved. Your flat statement 'there is no such thing as too logical', I would argue is just as meaningless.


My heart sinks every time I see someone reel out the well-worn subjectivism platitude. Of course, _everything_ is opinion. But of course, some opinions are well-founded and well-thought through, and some are arrant rubbish.

In the strictest sense, 'logic' can never apply to music, since it's an art. So used loosely, 'logical' tends to mean that the music makes _sense_, rather than being incoherent. So in the same way that there's no such thing as 'too beautiful', there's no such thing as 'too logical'.


----------



## SPR

Agreed!

Unfortunately, we here all must work with
The limitations of our own inadequate ability
to communicate feelings and impressions of
music using casual commentary. Logic may
Have been the wrong word, perhaps mechanical
would be more accurate?

My comment is not about subjectivism, I hope,
but rather an attempt to do better than simply
brushing aside the 'too logical' with your response
Of 'there is no such thing'

Really, we are all on the same side here of course.

Funnyvthing about Bach, his music is often hit with
That type of comment, but I thing he was one of
The more outgoing, social, party-animal type
personalities.

Pardon my bad typing... I am writing on my phone...

Cheers,


----------



## Guest

SPR said:


> Pardon my bad typing... I am writing on my phone...
> 
> Cheers,


I would advise against that, it tends to make the phone look messy and difficult to read Try paper or some other conventional media


----------



## SPR

Andante said:


> I would advise against that, it tends to make the phone look messy and difficult to read Try paper or some other conventional media




There is always 1 in every crowd...


----------



## Taneyev

Firs time complete recording??? You don't have idea what you'r talking about. There are at least 50 complete recordings.


----------



## thePianoMan

My piano solo pieces this past semester have been:

I've performed:
Leyenda - Albeniz
Klavierstück-Op. 118 No. 1 - Brahms

I am learning:
Revolutionary Etude - Chopin
Well tempered Clavier I: Prelude and Fuge No. 5 BWV 850 - JS Bach
Prelude in G minor Op. 23 No. 5 - Rachmaninoff


----------



## anacrusis

Classical Guitar

A few of my favorite pieces:

Music of Memory-Nicholas Maw
I Giardini del Sogno-Karl-Wieland Kurz
Sonata Mongoliana/Balalaika-Stepan Rak
Mano a Mano-Magnus Lindberg
Sonata-Leo Brouwer


----------



## MELISSA RICHARD

I am mainly want anime music and some classical. I already ...piano Also looking for solos Thanks!


----------

