Eileen Pakenham

   (1914 – 2009) Composer 
Eileen Pakenham was born into a family of enthusiastic amateur musicians. She became a competent pianist and later trained as a teacher, specialising in art and music. During the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s she composed 22 pieces for mandolin and piano, 14 for orchestra, and various pieces for fretted ensemble and solo mandolin.

Her work is generally programme music - descriptive of a person, a thing, a place, a mood - sometimes hinting at a narrative - the titles give you the clues.

The recordings in this set are  digital sequences of Eileen's work which try to remain faithful to the sound and style which Eileen would have wanted.

Eileen Pakenham (1914 - 2009)

Set of 6 short fugues (or fughettas)  for mandolin quartet (2 mandolins, mandola & guitar)

Scored in a variety of musical styles

NOT TO BE TAKEN TOO SERIOUSLY

Fugues just for Fun

A collection of pieces mainly for solo piano

Eileen Pakenham - Mainly Piano

Birds Over Grey Water - Eileen Pakenham

Janine - Eileen Pakenham

Dance of the Wooden Leg - Eileen Pakenham

Lullaby - Eileen Pakenham

First of a set of 4 descriptive pieces for mandolin orchestra

Four Sea Pictures No 1 - Windy Day - Eileen Pakenham

Second of a set of 4 descriptive pieces for mandolin orchestra

Four Sea Pictures No 2 - Breakers - Eileen Pakenham

Third of a set of 4 descriptive pieces for mandolin orchestra

Four Sea Pictures No 3 - Sirens Calling - Eileen Pakenham

Fourth of a set of 4 descriptive pieces for mandolin orchestra

Four Sea Pictures No 4 - White Horses - Eileen Pakenham

Mr Honey walks down the Street - Eileen Pakenham

Romanza di Marionetta - Eileen Pakenham

for Mandolin Orchestra
fairly undemanding - except for the counting!

Fantasy in Five Time - Eileen Pakenham

Swinging - Eileen Pakenham

Paper Boat - Eileen Pakenham

Pas de Deux - Eileen Pakenham

Kithara - Eileen Pakenham

A lively piece for mandolin and piano - 1969

this version has a rhythm guitar part in accordance with the chord symbols  indicated in the original score

I'm sure the second (slower) section must be a deliberate 'steal' of a very well known theme.

Olé

Spanish Gypsy - Eileen Pakenham

arranged for mandolin quartet with (optional) string bass

Badinerie from Suite No 2 in B minor (BWV 1067) - J S Bach

An early Sinfonia in 3 movements for string orchestra by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809 - 1847)

This was written in 1821. The first and last movement show the influence of J S Bach on the young Mendelssohn with the contrapuntal/fugal writing

3 String Symphony No.3 in E minor - 3rd movement Allegro - Mendelssohn, Felix

2 String Symphony No.3 in E minor - 2nd movement Andante - Mendelssohn, Felix

An early Sinfonia in 3 movements for string orchestra by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809 - 1847)

This was written in 1821. The first and last movement show the influence of J S Bach on the young Mendelssohn with the contrapuntal/fugal writing

1 String Symphony No.3 in E minor - 1st movement Allegro di molto - Mendelssohn, Felix

Sonata originally for flute, two violins and cello/bass/continuo

In five movements - 
Allegro, Largo, Fuga, Largo e piano (duet) and Allegro

Here it is scored for mandolin orchestra doubled by the original instruments.

Sonata No. 9 in A minor by Alessandro Scarlatti

Andante for Cello and Piano - Eileen Pakenham

Bagatelle - Eileen Pakenham

Caprice - Eileen Pakenham

A Dance - Eileen Pakenham

Dream - Eileen Pakenham

Simple Symphony

3rd Movement - Sentimental Saraband

transcribed/arranged for mandolin orchestra

For more info, see the Wikipedia article
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Symphony

Simple Symphony 3rd Movement - Benjamin Britten

Two simple dances - Welscher tanz & Nachtanz - by this 16th century lutenist and lute maker.

Two Dances - Hans Neusieldler  c1508-1563

Giovanni Fouchetti (1757-1789) published one of the earliest method books for the mandolin, c. 1771. According to Philip J. Bone, Fouchetti was also known as Fouquet, and he lived in Paris during the 18th Century. He was a professor there in 1788. He is also credited with creating a Parisian school of mandolinists, along with Eduardo Mezzacapo, Gabriele Leone, and Gervasio.

This is the first of 6 small sonatas from his Mandolin Tutor Book. It is written for mandolin duet but I've taken the liberty of adding a 3rd part to be played by another mandolin or, preferably, an octave lower on mandola or guitar to provide a simple bass line.

The piece is in two movements - Andante and Allegro - both of which have two repeated sections and display lots of showy, though straightforward, arpeggio passages.

Giovanni Fouchetti (1757-1789)  - Sonata Prima

The first of 4 Concertos for 4 violins by Telemann, transcribed for 4 mandolins.
Sequenced recording.

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767): Concerto à 4 violini No. 1

Ragtime tune originally written for two violins and piano in the 1970s
In this version the violin parts are played on mandolins


MAT Rag

This simple carol by 17th century English composer, William Ballet, adapted for mandolin quartet.

Merry Christmas

Lute Book Lullaby - William Ballet

A simple, evocative chanson by the Medieval French composer, Gilles Mureau, transcribed for trio of 2 mandolins and 8ve mandola/guitar

Je Ne Fais Plus by Gilles Mureau

My attempt at using the well-known chord sequence/melody, scored for mandolin quartet. The first section is based on the sequence, but in C major, with the middle section closer to the 'original' in A minor.

La Follia by A D Boden

A simple, pleasing short canon for piano, arranged for mandolin quartet.

Canon in D Minor by Alexander Scriabin (1883)

Straightforward arrangement of this Latin 'classic' for mandolin quartet/orchestra

Sway by Luis Demetrio

A short, simple melody for the violin with piano accompaniment, written by Albert, Prince Consort to Queen Victoria

Here played by mandolin quartet

Melody for Violin and Piano - Albert, Prince Consort 1819-1862

Overture to the semi-opera 'King Arthur' by Henry Purcell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Arthur_(opera)

Arranged for mandolin orchestra

In the form of Introduction and Fugue

Overture from 'King Arthur' by Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Ragtime song by Irving Berlin

arranged for mandolin quartet

That International Rag by Irving Berlin

This trio for 3 violins, transcribed for three mandolins.

Allegro molto
Menuett & Trio
Adagio
Finale (Allegro molto)

An Octave mandola or guitar can be used to replace or (as in this recording) double the mandolin 3 part.

Trio No 1 from 3 easy trios for 3 violins by F J Haydn

Johan Kok was a Dutch pioneer for mandolin music

This piece is scored for 2 mandolins, Mandola, guitar and mandocello.

Orchestral strings and woodwind have been added to this version.

Sonatine voor Mandoline-Orkest No 1 - by Johan B Kok (1889 -1954)

A duet for Mandolin and Octave Mandola with a silly time signature

All at Sixes and Sevens

Originally for keyboard, here arranged for 2 mandolins and Guitar

Sinfonia No 13 in A minor

Re-arrangement for mandolin quartet of my arrangement for SATB choir of the traditional Welsh carol.

It has been raised a tone from the original arrangement and other slight alterations made to the 'tenor' part so that the top 3 parts can all be played on the mandolin.

The slightly strange downward scale passage in verse two was to simulate the singers being a little 'under the influence' !

Cool Yule

Nos Galan - Deck the Hall

Adapted from a previous string quartet arrangement by Loris Gerber (creative commons licence)

Some of the movements are well suited to the mandolin quartet - some perhaps not so compatible and so orchestral strings and woodwind have been added inplaces.

The files were originally midi generated. Score and parts available

Abdelazer1

A sort of double fugue which developed while 'messing around' on the mandolin
with a nod to Alec Templeton

Scored for 2 mandolins, mandola and guitar

A happy start to the New Year - not to be taken too seriously !

Fugues just for Fun - No 1

A slowish ragtime tune which was 'inspired' (dare I say that?) after hearing El Condor Pasa by Simon & Garfunkel on the radio.

Just to keep it serious ... there's also nearly a quote from a Bach fugue hidden in the second Mandolin part !!

For 2 mandolins, mandola & guitar

Fugues just for Fun - No. 2

Perhaps this would be better called a 'Fughetta', but what's in a name ?

I've called it Hootenanny Hoedown ....... with turkey

I admit that the middle section isn't too original !

Scored for 2 mandolins, mandola & guitar

This is the 3rd of (hopefully) a set of six.

I't's probably better a touch faster, but my playing isn't quite secure enough for that.

Fugues just for Fun - No 3

Fourth of a set of six

Scored for 2 mandolins, mandola and guitar

Subtitle 

Neapolitan Waltz (or Spaghetti Fughetti ........ or - thanks to Bertram Henze - Fughetti Bolognese)

I suppose, being Neapolitan, it should have been the 6th (!!?*)

My wife, June, and I had the first waltz to this on Sunday 20th January 2013.






Fugues just for Fun - No 4

fifth of a set of six Fugues and fughettas

scored for mandolin quartet - 2 mandolins, mandola and guitar.

 entitled the Bell Hornpipe. I had the idea of using the Westminster chimes as a fugue subject but also had of the sound of a hornpipe in my head, and so decided to combine the two. The rather clangy bell section in the middle is deliberate as bells are often a little discordant, but it also gives the opportunity for the bell like quality of the mandolin to be used to good effect.

Fugues just for Fun - No 5

A short repetitive piece to practice simple chord shapes on the mandolin

written May 7th 2013

Score available at

http://sdrv.ms/14pn9ku

(Prelude.pdf)

Little Prelude for Mandolin

A very simple mandolin quartet (2 mandolins, mandola and guitar/mandocello)

I wrote the piece especially for my 100th Souncloud upload.

I hope you enjoy it, Pennymusicman

Score & parts available

http://sdrv.ms/12teEgG

Contemplation by A D Boden

Retired
Wrote a number of short pieces of music - both instrumental and choral - in the 1970s and 80s. Originally trained as a classical violinist. Also guitar (self taught).
Having suffered an injury to my left shoulder I am now unable to hold a violin in position, and have difficulty with a guitar at full stretch, but I find I can manage a mandolin and so am now, though much out of practice, revisiting violin music and playing (and writing) pieces specifically for the mandolin. I hope you find something among my efforts which you enjoy.

Scores and parts are available for most of these pieces; please message me if you want any of them.

andabouk

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