Jesse James

A few months ago, Julian sent me an mp3 of us kids singing the folk song "Jesse James" in 1979. Nelson sings lead, and Julian and I back him up on vocals. That's me on the requinto (small, tuned up to play an octave higher) guitar, and I think Julian's also on guitar, but it's hard to hear on this recording. I think our parents may have also been playing, but I'm not sure about that.

Anyway, here's the link to a Soundcloud file. Makes me smile, and the kids love it.
http://soundcloud.com/lacalandria/mockssingingjessejames

-Melody

The Mock Trio Premiers in Marfa, Texas

I had just arrived home from an eight week tour, having checked out my 50th college reunion, and places the Mock Family Classic Guitarists had performed in the 1970s as a guitar quintet. About two weeks later, Alyce and Julian informed me that we were scheduled to perform trios at the home of Sandra Harper on Sunday, Aug 9 at 7:00 p.m.

In January of 2009, we had begun thinking about my late husband's unpublished memoirs of The Mock Family. It occurred to us that we should play the music we had performed in the 1970s in this country and in Europe. Much of the music for The Guitar Choir can be played as trios without the higher tuned guitars. We decided to give it a try based on the family members and instrumentation we had at hand: grandma (me) violin, Alyce Santoro flute, and Julian Mock guitar.

As we rehearsed, I was amazed by the difficulty in the ever changing rhythms and modern dissonances. I asked Julian if he thought the music was difficult at the age of six. He replied,"I just did as I was told."

During the concert, there was a display of the 1970s publications: our magazine, Creative Guitar International; The Mock Method Classic Guitar Method (Vol. 1. Age 3-adult;) and photos of Melody, Nelson and Julian performing with their parents, Ruth and Jerry Mock.

For this concert, we chose samples of the music most exciting to us:

Chamber Music Concert at the Home of Sandra Harper Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009 7:00 p.m. Marfa, Texas

Alyce Santoro, flute Ruth Mock, violin Julian Mock, guitar

1. Vorfreude (Anticipated Joy) 1978 Uwe Schreiber b.1946
from "Musik für drei Gitarren Hefi II "
Herausgegeben (editor) von Renate Grosse

2. Serenata Piccola 1962 Dietrich Erdmann 1917-2009
I Etwas bewegt (somewhat fast)
II Bewegt

3. Divertimento 1958 Hans Gál 1890-1987
Opus 68 für zwei Alt-Blockfloten (treble recorder) und Gitarrre
I Allegro
II Andante

4. Fünf Bagatellen 1968 Hermann Ambrosius 1897-1983
I Allegro
II Andante tenero
III Vivace scherzando
IV Andante tranquillo
V Vivace con fueco

5. Landler Franz Schubert 1797-1828
from Musik Der Wiener Klassik für drei Gitarren
arr: Konrad Wolki

6. Münchener Gitarrentrio 1969 Alfred von Beckerath 1901-1978
I Maßig (moderato)

Julian Mock, Original Compositions for Solo Classic Guitar:

Bucky’s Dream
Reynosa
Untitled in D Major*
War and Peace Report*
Phoenix*
3’s & 2’s*
Steps (from "Sound Travels" - encore)
* working titles

Grandma Gets into the Swing of Things

While visiting my son Nelson in Austin this summer, he and Ann, my daughter-in-law, asked if I would be willing to provide a "music camp" for my grandchildren, Sofia, age 11 and Jeremy, age 8. Sofia plays Nelson's Tercerola guitar made for him in Mexico City in 1974 by Juan Pimental. Jeremy plays Nelson's quarter size cello.

From beginning Guitar Choir Music we had purchased in Germany in the 1970s, I made an arrangement of "Behutsames Tanzchen" (careful dances) from Spielstucke fur drei Gitarren by Konrad Wolki, (Schott edition 1962.) Ann played Nelson's full-sized cello with Jeremy. Sofia and her Dad played guitar, and I played violin. The three generations then drove to Corpus Christi and "performed" for Ann's parents, George and Ruby Baddour.

Needless to say, it was the highlight of my summer.