Marilynn Mair has enjoyed a long career as a world-renowned mandolinist, esteemed for over a thousand concert performances, more than two dozen recordings and 4 previous Mel Bay books, including the first two volumes of her series, The Complete Mandolinist. In Volume 3, Marilynn steps forward as a composer, presenting over 60 of her own pieces - nearly half written during the pandemic lockdown of 2020-2021 when live music was forced off stage. Creativity didn’t take a break for Marilynn, though, and soon compositions began to sprout from those quiet days: works for solo and duo mandolin, mandolin-guitar duets, and pieces for plucked string ensembles. They fill the pages of this book with fresh ideas, playful melodies, quirky harmonies, and romantic visions. There are scores and parts for her Fantasia, Nocturnes, Études, Choro, and Ensembles, most of the music published here for the first time.

Besides sheet music, the book also includes downloads of over an hour-and-a-half of Marilynn’s performances of the music, brand-new recordings of her recent works, some pieces from her earlier CDs, and a few recordings previously made but never released. This book opens the door to a new musical vision, from a musician who has already proven herself a masterful interpreter of classical and Brazilian repertoire. In her own words, “I had friends and students in mind as I wrote, creating pieces to pass on my unique perspective on what makes classical mandolin cool.” Dive in and see what treasures you may find.

Includes access to online audio.

Credits

Introduction

Table of Contents

The Creative Impulse

Études en couleurs (solo mandolin)

About my Études

grise [grey]

orange [orange]

verte [green]

d’ombre [shadow]

de crépuscule [twilight]

d’ambre [amber]

noire [black]

blanche [white]

bleue [blue]

violette [violet]

Fantasia in dialogue (mandolin duet)

About my Fantasia

floating

planting gardens

peaches

in the dark

dragon dream

trouble in mind

holding fast

by the sea

old folks

in the groove

Nocturnes for Vincent (mandolin & guitar)

About my Nocturnes

Sonnets for Nocturnes 1 &

Sometimes when I am wearied suddenly3

Oh, oh, you will be sorry for that word!

I shall go back again to the bleak shore

Only until this cigarette is ended

Mindful of you the sodden earth in spring

The light comes back with Columbine

Women have loved before as I love now

Tranquility at length, when autumn come

Choro—The Roots of Brazilian Music

Choro do Brasil (leadsheets)

About my Choro

Garoa [Drizzling]

Siga em Frente [Go Straight Ahead]

Por que não? [Why Not?

Isso [That’s It]

Madrugada [Daybreak]

Farrapinho [A Little Rag]

Sonatinha [Sonatina]

Um Quinto do Ludwig [A Fifth of Ludwig

Balbuciando [Mumbling]

Outro Verão [Another Summer]

Uma Coisa Feliz [A Happy Thing

Enrolado [Spaceshot]

Terças no Trapiche [Tuesdays at Trapiche]

Nadando em Luz [Swimming in Light]

Faça a Pergunta [Ask the Question]

Se Não Agora [If Not Now]

É Bom Saber [Good to Know

Estação Carioca [Carioca Station]

Buscando Baden [Chasing Baden]

Saudade do Rio [Missing Rio]

Ensembles

About my Ensembles

Ayton’s Farewell score

parts

Badi no Rio [Badi in Rio] score

parts

Enrolado scor

parts

Nadando em Luz score

parts

Goodin’s Gigue score

parts

East of Here score

parts

The Jabberwock score

parts

Table of Contents

Selected Early Works

About Early Works

East of Here solo

East of Here leadsheet

3–4–3 (3/4) duet

And She Has Flown solo

Margery duet

Champagne leadsheet

Diablo leadsheet

Champagne duet

Diablo duet

The Brinsley Waltz

Valse Isabel

3 Directions

When Everything’s Been Done

Final Thoughts

Compositions on my CDs