Album Notes

BA-RO-KA-LAY-LAYS

THE BAROQUELELES

What started out as an experiment one day in the summer of 2003 has culminated in a new way to play the Ukulele and Classical music. Stacey and Benjamin have combined their Classical heritage with the Baritone Ukulele to create a charming and innovative new approach to Classical music.

By changing the tuning of the strings and by reading Classical music literature Benjamin and Stacey are able to adapt popular works by J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, and other composers. For example in Prelude #1 and Bouree from the Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites, Stacey plays the unaltered version while Benjamin improvises an accompaniment. The two part inventions (F,C, and D Minor) originally written for keyboard, translate naturally into a duet for two Baritone Ukuleles. The other two part invention in D Minor was written by Benjamin as a college project.

The Ciaccone was originally written for solo Violin and contains many four part harmonies. The Baroqueleles have adapted this work into duet form - for the two Baritone Ukuleles.

To show that The Baroqueleles are versatile beyond Classical music - two popular songs have been included. Cielito Lindo, a Mexican Folk song, feels right at home on the Ukulele and I Will Wait For You by Michel LeGran - displays yet another side to this Hawaiin instrument.