Carulli, Ferdinando - op.120/02 Country Dance - Video

[Nick Cutroneo]

Hello everyone, it's been a while since I've posted a video here. Back in the summer of 2011 I started a video series on my YouTube channel dedicated to performance videos of myself playing student repertoire. I wanted to give my students readily available clear recordings of the pieces that they are working on in their lessons. I've just added more to my playlist on my YouTube channel, search for "Nick Cutroneo"

Here's one of the new videos, it's the famous Country Dance by Ferdinando Carulli. Enjoy!

[Tarbaby (1953 - 2016)]

Thank you, Nick!

These videos are a wonderful idea and contribution. It's always helpful for students to hear the pieces they are working on being played by a qualified teacher!

Alan

[altnaez]

Thanks Nick! Nicely played and a great idea for your students and myself.
Thanks again,
Albert

[Nick Cutroneo]

Thanks Alan and Albert, I'm hoping to do more public domain music, but there's tons of other pieces on my YouTube channel. I'm hoping to stay a bit more up-to-date on these videos, posting a few new videos every month or so. We'll see how that works out...

[Isabelle Frizac]

Sorry, I am not of the same opinion as other .

This is probably an effect of recording, but I find that there are very few shades.
Technically, it is well. but the bass is too heavy.
It also lacks nuances in sentences.
that is just my opinion.

Thank you for sharing.

[Nick Cutroneo]

This is probably an effect of recording, but I find that there are very few shades.
Technically, it is well. but the bass is too heavy.
It also lacks nuances in sentences.
that is just my opinion.

If by "shades" you mean tone color. I personally do not enjoy awkward and distracting changes in color in performance. It's my esthetic. As for it being "bass heavy". Certainly the bass is pronounced, dare I say balanced? In the C section of the piece the bass certainly becomes more pronounced and dynamically is louder then the fingers, but that is due to the fact that the melody is in the bass in the C section (the E minor section). Certainly on the several systems that I've played this recording on, I am able to hear a clear balance between the fingers and the thumb, and hearing the melody sing out over the bass

As for nuances in sentences (phrases), certainly I play it fairly "straight ahead" rhythmically. Other then a slight rit. at the end of the pice as a whole, I don't see the need for excessive rubato. I personally see more changes between each section rather then within the phrases. In each section (A, B and C) the melody is placed slightly different in the guitar's register, with the most noticeable one being going into the C section where the melody is located in the bass. Therefore, the dynamics of the large sections change the most.

Proper balance dynamically and understanding the structure of the piece is primarily what I speak with students about with this piece. Thus the purpose of the recording. Of course you can speak about dynamically shaping of the line, but how much shape can you give B going to C back down to B in the A section. Certainlly there's more of a shape in the B section, and the C section due to the melody rhythmically slow down allows for one to bring out the different musical contours.

Anyway, thanks for watching. I'm not trying to change your opinion (to which you are entitled), but I figured I'd explain musically what's happening in the performance.

[Isabelle Frizac]

Thank you for your precise answer I liked.

This is probably an effect of recording , YT sound is generally not very good.



Isa

[Nick Cutroneo]

Isa, any time. Audio does get squished on YouTube, unfortunately. Maybe try viewing it in HD? It's also dry sounding due to being recorded in my teaching studio, and the room has no natural reverb.

Thanks again!

[cadiz]

About this piece of Carulli, I think that there is something more important to know.

The publishers present it to us under the title: "Country Dance", and it is so taken back everywhere.
Yet, this piece is extracted from the opus 120 ("Recueil de différents morceaux faciles et progressifs pour Guitare seule et deux guitares") of Carulli.

Its real name: "Contre-Danse, N°2". Especially, look at the basses. The note Ré/D (for the quavers) is systematically cut. What changes completely the character of this piece. Try, you will see!

Shame to the arrangers who do not supply their sources!

Contre-danse n°2, Carulli.jpg

[Isabelle Frizac]

About this piece of Carulli, I think that there is something more important to know.

The publishers present it to us under the title: "Country Dance", and it is so taken back everywhere.
Yet, this piece is extracted from the opus 120 ("Recueil de différents morceaux faciles et progressifs pour Guitare seule et deux guitares") of Carulli.

Its real name: "Contre-Danse, N°2". Especially, look at the basses. The note Ré/D (for the quavers) is systematically cut. What changes completely the character of this piece. Try, you will see!

Shame to the arrangers who do not supply their sources!

Contre-danse n°2, Carulli.jpg

Cadiz, thank you very much !

[Nick Cutroneo]

Cadiz, thanks for providing the source for this piece. It's great to know where it comes from, and I've been searching (not very hard) for years to find the opus number of this piece.

[tintifaxl]

@Cadiz, you're right: that changes everything. How could contre become country anyway?

[bhujay]

Very nice

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

[Nick Cutroneo]

bhujay - thanks for watching, glad you enjoy it.

Looking at the above jpg -- I might re-record the piece with the correct repeats/sections. Although I'm torn as I think the edit in my edition trims some of the "fat" on the piece...