Arabian Improvisation. From CD "Cello Solos" Georg Mertens Australia

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Georg Mertens at Jenolan Caves (Australia)

An improvisation reminding of the origin of our string instruments.
So many of our instruments come from Arabia: violin, cello, lute, guitar, oboe, clarinet, organ and so on. It intrigued me to play in Arabian style. Having lived for 10 years with an Arab woman surely supported my empathy for the music. The end in major is a one time off. I thought: lets look how it sounds. I prefer the minor ending, but the major one was recorded; that's how it goes.

This improvisation is part of a program dedicated to the concert venue, the amazing Cathedral Chamber at Jenolan Caves / Australia, reputed for the world's finest acoustics.

"I improvised for the first time when I was 45 - on someone else's violin in a pub imitating Stefan Grappelli. Everybody asked in which band I play. Coming home I improvised on the cello and enjoyed it tremendously. A couple of years later I introduced improvisations in my concerts as a regular feature.
As a learner I never improvised, was not even allowed to play by memory: Everything had to be read. Cello technique was taught in a way of a good behavior code. Sound was not a major aspect.
Today I feel, playing by memory is the real thing - the same as actors don't read their script in a movie!

More Youtube videos from the CD "Cello Solos" - Live Recordings from the Concerts in the Cave" on the same channel:
Cathedral Ciaconna (G.Mertens)
Erh Hu improvisation (G.Mertens)
Variations on Neidhardt's "Maienzeit" (G. Mertens)
Asturias [Leyenda] (Albeniz)
Verano Porteno (A. Piazzolla)
Tango Celloguitar (G. Mertens)
The Swan (Saint-Saens)
Tarantella (H. Squire)
Spanish Romance (Anonymus / Mertens)
Vocalise (Rachmaninov)
Meditation from Thais (Massenet)
Prelude No 3 (Villa Lobos)

The CELLO CONCERTS with Georg Mertens at Jenolan Caves are the longest series of cello concerts in history with more than 140 cello concerts in over 12 years.
Concerts are held regularly every 3rd Saturday of the month 4pm. Bookings (AU) 6359 3911
For program see: http://www.georgcello.com/cello.htm

Apart from giving concerts Georg teaches cello and Classical guitar in Katoomba / Blue Mountains.

Georg also wrote 'Arabia Nocturna' - Duo for recorder and cello (track 9 of the CD "Sounds of Timber"): http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/goldneymertens

This video has been recorded and edited by "bushtrailer" (see Youtube channel).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Eastern
• Bach
• suite
• Indian
• Persian
• islamic
• music
• silk
• road
• gypsy cello
• solo
• Erh
• Hu
• Sakura
• Prelude
• concerto
• YoYo
• Ma
• Asturias
• Albeniz
• Oum
• Kulthum
• classical music
• instrumental music
• jazz
• folk rock

[Yazan90]

Why don't you play Oum Kulthum songs on Cello that would be wonderful....

[georgcello]

Instead of imitating her songs Oum Kulthum was one of the great inspirations to just improvise on stage.

[FlacoTV]

I am now convinced that t he Cello is one of the most interesting instrument out there.

[gargoloso]

nep, it is an octave upon the tenor voice in the 3rd string...so you can not reach anyways the bass voice.

[Ramiarcat]

Bellissimo .. Bravissimo

[Colethecelloplayer]

I made an Arabic-type tune a while ago. I need to work out all of the rhythms in it, but for the most part I do have the notation down. Great piece and playing, by the way!

[KalahariKAri]

@georgcello yes, you could definitely make this sound waaaaay better on the cello than a violin, absolutely. A wonderful duduk player you may have already heard is Armen Stepanyan. If you end up doing this, please post it! Thank you. :-))

[Alethiazul]

George, nos gusta mucho su estilo y sus reflexiones. Tambièn con el lugar en el que graba sus videos. Gracias por compartirlos.

Saludos afectuosos desde Mendoza, Argentina.

[aepceo1]

@HappyPterodactyl Gah I noticed that too lol

[HappyPterodactyl]

@FlacoTV Yeah and for some reason they freak cats out. Is funny

[Graguree]

Truly an amazing piece of music, but was anyone else reminded of David Carradine watching this? Not by the music, but the appearance of the performer, I'm thinking it's the hair.

[BukurDava]

This style of singing is closer to irani tune. Using a string as a drone while with the other is higher note

[KalahariKAri]

Very beautiful, very hypnotic. :-)

[Rulezzbreaker]

Absolute Awesome!!! This sounds so misterious and hypnotic. After listening this for 2-3 minutes I was almost in trance.