small instrument - big sound - the mandolin
As a composer, guitarist and great mandolin aficionado, it has only been a question of time until I started to engage intensively in the composing of mandolin music. After my mothers fatal accident in 1996 her Calace mandolin found the way into my hands. She was an admirer of the italian language and culture and played the instrument just for fun on beginner level. The first thing I did after my mother passed away was writing the "Primavera Concerto", as a memory to her and her mandolin. My mother was born on march 21th, thats why I choose the name "Primavera Concerto". It is a three mouvement concerto for plucked orchestra in italian style with a tarantella as final part. At the same time I started to take mandolin lessons and made good progress by working hard on it. A friend from Rio introduced me to the Brazilian Chôro style. I was fascinated and started playing the bandolim and cavaquinho repertory and founded my "Odeon" Chôro quintet. 20 years later in 2016 I composed my second work for plucked orchestra, the "Rio de Janeiro Suite" a bunch of five brasilian dances: Maxixe, Modinha, Baião, Chôro, Samba, inspired by the experiences in these styles. Over the last years, the sublime collaboration with musician and mandolinist Annika Hinsche brought forth a veritable oeuvre for the mandolin. It includes my études "Fingerfood I" (beginner to intermediate level) and "Fingerfood II " (intermediate level) , "Mare Sonata" for mandolin and guitar, " Minotaurus" and "Die zertanzten Schuhe" for plucked orchestra, as well as "Mandopolis", a work cycle for mandolin in various scordatura. "Mandopolis" is full-length concert literature of the highest standards. The complexity of the sound increases with the scordaturas, and the play with the pick occasionally demands a new form of precision of the right hand, as in some of the pieces one string sounds different than its neighbor when played in up- or down-stroke. A common down-stroke on two strings creates unusual sound effects when the strings are tuned differently. The latest work for plucked orchestra is the composers arrangement of his guitar quartet hit "Kalimba". An Africa inspired rhythmic piece with some funny sound effects. From beginner level up to high concert level there is now a broad spectrum of contemporary mandolin music available. Very special thanks go to Annika Hinsche, who collaborated on these projects with the utmost devotion and enthusiasm, and who inspired me for the work at hand.
Mandopolis 12 scordatura fantasies for mandolin
As a composer, guitarist and great mandolin aficionado, it has only been a question of time until I started to engage intensively in the composing of mandolin music. Over the last three years, the sublime collaboration with musician and mandolinist Annika Hinsche brought forth a veritable oeuvre for the mandolin. It includes my études Fingerfood I & II, Mare Sonata for mandolin and guitar, two orchestral works for plucked orchestra, as well as Mandopolis, a work cycle for mandolin in various scordatura. From beginner level up to high concert level there is now a broad spectrum of contemporary mandolin music available. Very special thanks go to Annika Hinsche, who collaborated on these projects with the utmost devotion and enthusiasm, and who inspired me for the work at hand.Thanks to Fabian Hinsche for his great support as supervisor of the recordings and for the text in the booklet of this CD. - Mandopolis, here we come Jürg Kindle
Zakynthos 2017, Works on Mandopolis
Each of the 12 pieces of"Mandopolis" has such non-everyday characteristics, as the strings of the mandolin,
which are usually tuned in pairs and in fifths, have to be retuned in each piece. 10 different tunings can be found in the musical deities of "Mandopolis". A scordatura, the retuning of the
strings on the mandolin, is unusual. The best-known work in classical literature for an instrument that uses a scordatura is certainly Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber's famous "Rosenkranz-Sonaten" for
violin solo from the 17th century.
The violin presents itself in numerous, in each case new basic tunings, which always set different overtones and thus other
atmospheres.
The classical mandolin, which is tuned in violin tuning, uses scordaturas extremely rarely. But if applied, a scordaturahas a decisive advantage over the violin:
its double strings. If these usually pair-tuned strings are now individually tuned, they cannot produce only up to 4 but up to 8 different notes, even two more than the scordatura-proven guitar.
In this respect, Kindle realizes a potential that neither the violin nor the guitar possess. But even in those movements that use 4, 5 or 6 different open strings, the mandolin in “Mandopolis”
sounds novel, unknown, not commonplace, as it is said about the appearance of the gods in the dust of everyday life. The complexity of the sound increases with the scordaturas, and the play with
the pick occasionally demands a new form of precision of the right hand, as in some of the pieces one string sounds different than its neighbor when played in up- or down-stroke.
A common down-stroke on two strings creates unusual sound effects when the strings are tuned differently. Kindle uses this effect skillfully to make the instrument sound new and sometimes "divine".So to speak, a city like "Mandopolis" has never existed it in the world of the classical mandolin before. Through this, and through his contemporary musical language, which also includes echoes of Rock & Pop, Jazz, Latin and Blues, Kindle manages to make the images of the gods appear very lively again where they may have been dusted by the classical educational canon of the museums.
Dr. Fabian Hinsche
Mandopolis sheet music and CD
Fingerfood 2, 12 studies for mandolin
In the present book of studies, „Fingerfood II“, Jürg Kindle presents twelve varied and refreshing exercises of intermediate level. The goal is to not only hone finger- and plectrum skills, but also to empower ambitioned mandolinists step by step to reach high levels of skill through musicality and creativity. Fingering and stroke symbols serve as templates that highlight key phrases from a musical point of view, but can be adapted to match the musician’s skill level. Annika Hinsche.
Fingerfood 1, 25 studies for mandolin
For the present book of etudes, "Fingerfood I", Jürg Kindle has composed 25 colourful and varied exercises for beginners to intermediate players. Technical prowess and a wide stylistic spectrum of musicality are developed with joy and imagination. At some points, I recommend that previously in-class acquired diatonic fingering be further expanded upon. This way, the student will gain a greater musical, as well as technical flexibility, and will be able to express him- or herself with greater musical versatility. Nevertheless, fingerings are meant as guides and can be customized individually to meet the specific needs of the player. The work represents a collection of etudes that can be utilized in class as needed, regardless of the order in which it is presented here.
chamber music with mandolin
« Mare » is inspired by the exciting German „mare Duo“ (Annika Hinsche Mandolin and Fabian Hinsche Guitar). It is a lucky chance to meet musicians who like to share your music and inspiration with you. As a guitarplayer I fell in love with the mandolin after the early death of my mother. Her mandolin was her legacy for me. I felt obliged to discover the instrument. More and more the mandolin became part of my compositions. The Sonata is in three movements, each one dedicated to an Ocean : Pacifico, Indico, Atlantico. On the one hand it is an allusion to the Name of the „mare duo“on the other hand it is a correspondence to the nature of the water. Pacifico and Atlantico describe the turbulent and churning faces of the water. Indico describes the wideness and gentleness of the element. Water also is an allegory for the soul. The musical ideas of « Mare » flooded my brain and the piece was written whitout stopping from the first to the last note.
music for plucked orchestra
Suite Rio De Janeiro
Kalimba