Calling Andrew Schulman re: Bachianas
LarryATahoe
I read in one of your messages that someone told you how Villa-Lobos
came to transcribe Bachianas for guitar. Could you retell that story
here for this newsgroup? I'm working on Bachianas again and perfecting
it, and I'd really like to hear that bit of guitar history.
Thanks,
LarryA
www.sierraguitar.org
www.larryaguitar.com
Andrew Schulman
> Andrew,
>
> I read in one of your messages that someone told you how Villa-Lobos
> came to transcribe Bachianas for guitar. Could you retell that story
> here for this newsgroup? I'm working on Bachianas again and perfecting
> it, and I'd really like to hear that bit of guitar history.
>
>
I just got in from doing a concert and happened to take a quick look at
RMCG and saw this. I need to start packing for a tour I leave for
early tomorrow morning and don't have the time to write out the story
now without doing a rush job, and it's a good story so I don't want to
rush! So, I'll do it from the road which probably won't be until
Wednesday as we have a lot of flying and driving in the next few days.
Anyone out West who is interested:
Monday, 10/2 - Carlsbad, New Mexico
Thurs 10/5 - Bakersfield, California
Sat 10/7 - Lompoc, California
Mon 10/9 - San Luis Obispo, California
We have a concert on the 13th in Lancaster, PA, then back out to the
NW:
Monday, 10/23 - Boise, Idaho
Wed 10/25 - Roseburg, Oregon
Fri 10/27 - Wenatchee, Washington
Sun 10/29 - Wallace, Idaho
If anyone wants to go to one of these we can probably arrange comps
(depends on how many); e-mail me privately for the venue location and
times.
So, Larry, probably Wednesday. You'll enjoy the story, it was told to
me by Olga Coelho herself, for whom V-L arranged the piece for
voice/guitar.
Adios,
Andrew
Larry Deack
> Mon 10/9 - San Luis Obispo, California
Geeezzzz, I was just there last week visiting relatives. My nephew
does the light at Cal Poly PAC. I'll tell him to say hello to you. Dang!
I'm tempted to drive back up there.
Andrew Schulman
> Andrew,
>
> I read in one of your messages that someone told you how Villa-Lobos
> came to transcribe Bachianas for guitar. Could you retell that story
> here for this newsgroup? I'm working on Bachianas again and perfecting
> it, and I'd really like to hear that bit of guitar history.
>
>
OK Larry, I've finally got some time to respond-
I met Olga Coelho in April 1992 when I played a concert in Woodstock,
NY; the second half of the program was all V-L. Olga, then in her 80's
was visiting her daughter Gloria, who lived nearby, at the time.
Olga Coelho was one of the leading Brazilian singers in the
'30's-'50's. She was also an excellent guitarist. She told me that
her Hauser was picked out for her by Segovia (they had a very close
relationship for many years) from the batch that produced the famous
1937 guitar. Segovia took the one with the stronger treble and gave
her one with a stronger bass, as she was a singer and used it for
accompaniment she need more bass response.
She was also a very close friend of V-L, he was like an uncle to Gloria
and her brother Miguel.
Olga and Gloria attended my concert and the party afterwards. That's
how my friendship with the family started.
Some time after that Olga had dinner with me and my wife at our
apartment, and told me the following story:
The BB #5 for Soprano and 8 'cellos (the original conception was violin
and 8 'cellos) was written in 1938. Olga immediately could hear that
it would be great for voice and guitar. She approached her friend,
V-L, and asked him to arrange it for her. He took her face in his
hands and said, "Olga, I love you much too much to want to hate you!"
Obviously he didn't think she could sing it properly; most of her
repertoire was Brazilian and other folk music, although she did some
classical too (and having heard her recordings I can say she was really
great).
Olga is not someone who takes no for an answer, and so she arranged
that a supper party be given at V-L's home in two weeks time. She
planned this with V-L's wife, her very close friend. She spent those 2
weeks practicing the aria every day.
She told me that she didn't have even a bite to eat at the meal. As the
dishes were being cleared for dessert, V-L's wife went and got his
guitar; they had even put new strings on it. As the guitar was placed
on the table, and Olga stood up, ready to sing, V-L exclaimed, "I smell
a conspiracy!"
Olga then proceeded to sing a perfect a capella performance of the
aria. After the applause of the dozen guests died down V-L sat in
silence for a moment and then said, "Come back in 3 days and I will
have the guitar part for you".
Olga looked him right in the eye and said, "I'm not leaving until you
arrange the guitar part."
Smart gal. At about 5AM he handed her the guitar accompaniment that so
many of us love to play. Some time after Segovia added the fingerings.
After she told me the story, I took out my guitar and we played the
aria. Her voice was still beautiful. She shared with me what V-L
coached her to do. In short, the A and A' sections should have a
steady rhythm, and the bass line must be very strong. Each of the
phrases in the middle section, the recitative, moves forward, then
pulls back at the downbeat of each succesive measure, and there is an
increasing fermata effect at each of those spots where it is marked
rit., the longest being the d on the 5th beat of the 4th measure of the
Grandioso section. M.'s 5-8 of that section are a very steady rhythm.
BTW, this piece is a staple of my group's repertoire, we play it with
the violin on the soprano part and the viola on the principal 'cello
part. Also, we do the original form, not the truncated guitar version.
We are playing it on our current tour.
So, that's the story. I'm not sure if I'll have any more computer time
on this tour (gotta get a laptop!) but I'll be back in NY next
Wednesday.
Best regards,
Andrew
P.S. Olga is still alive and well, in her late 90's,living in Rio. One
of her grand-daughters, our friend Kara, recently visited her.
John Nguyen
Andrew,
Thanks for a great story! I really enjoyed reading it.
Cheers,
John
Robert Crim
wrote:
Wonderful story. I thank you. We need more of those here. The only
version I have heard besides the one by Victoria de Los Angeles with
all the cellos is the Almedia/Sally Terri rendition which I found
lacking.
Where might the Segovia version be found?
Robert
Matanya Ophee
> The only
>version I have heard besides the one by Victoria de Los Angeles with
>all the cellos is the Almedia/Sally Terri rendition which I found
>lacking.
Agreed. Particularly after hearing the rendition by Bidu Sayao, with a
cello ensemble conducted by Villa-Lobos. That's that the one that HVL
put his mark on. Nothing beats it.
>Where might the Segovia version be found?
It is published. IIRC, by Associated Music Publishers in New York.
Matanya Ophee
Editions Orphe'e, Inc.,
1240 Clubview Blvd. N.
Columbus, OH 43235-1226
614-846-9517
fax: 614-846-9794
http://www.editionsorphee.com
http://www.livejournal.com/users/matanya/
LarryATahoe
I always liked the guitar version better than the mess o' celli, even
though I am also a cellist.
Arthur Ness
=====================================
"Andrew Schulman" <abac...@panix.com> wrote in message
news:1160079708....@m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
Ashby
On Oct 5, 9:16 pm, Robert Crim <fritzg...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> Where might the Segovia version be found?
>
MO's right. It's a Hal Leonard publication. Segovia fingering with the
words in Spanish and English.
I bought mine here:
http://tinyurl.com/m3p2b
Ashby
Andrew Schulman
Howdy Ashby. This guitar arrangement that V-L did is really great, but
I suggest one change. In the measure before the Grandioso section,
which is the last measure on page 5 of the guitar version I have, there
is a chord on the second beat with a B natural in the bass. Make it a
Bb, but keep the B natural above it. The 'cello version has the Bb and
B natural, very piquant sound!
Our little tour has been going very well. In Carlsbad and Lompoc we
played CCA's that usually draw 200-250, small audiences (the beauty of
the CCA network is that you can play these small towns and still get
your normal fee, making it possible to bring a quintet in). We had 350
at both. In Bakersfield we played a bigger series, they usually draw
1000-1500, we had 1900. I guess people like our combination of
instruments and repertoire. I'm happy about that as I enjoy being a
guitar bum!
Tomorrow night we have a concert here at Cal Poly, then back home.
As I mentioned already we are playing the BB #5. People sure do love
this piece, it's one of the all time great pieces.
Andrew