Can anyone tell if this is in A notation?

[Austin]

I'm curious because it's a piece by Gershwin that Bela Fleck recorded. The picture is not the best quality (it was taken from Bela's Instagram), but I think I'm seeing an A below middle C. Am I wrong? Gershwin surely would have at least known about A notation because he was American, and he was writing for banjo.

[Joel Hooks]

That is not A notation.  The only “banjo” part for Rhapsody in Blue is tenor banjo.  

Bela seems proud of the fact that he cannot read standard notation yet has accomplished so much musically.

[Austin]

What about the A in the sixth measure? This isn't Rhapsody in Blue,

Joel Hooks said:

That is not A notation.  The only “banjo” part for Rhapsody in Blue is tenor banjo.  

Bela seems proud of the fact that he cannot read standard notation yet has accomplished so much musically.

[Jody Stecher]

That looks like a vertical line with two horizontals intersecting it. I don't see a note head on the lower line. Maybe it is meant to be there (?).   

Austin said:

What about the A in the sixth measure? This isn't Rhapsody in Blue,

Joel Hooks said:

That is not A notation.  The only “banjo” part for Rhapsody in Blue is tenor banjo.  

Bela seems proud of the fact that he cannot read standard notation yet has accomplished so much musically.

[Joel Hooks]

Okay, so what is it?

Nevertheless, It is doubtful that it is banjo specific music, let alone A notation.

Gershwin, as far as I know, did not write 5 string banjo parts.  It could be any for any instrument that reads in treble clef.

Also, since you might have missed it, Bela has said on many occasions that he does not read notation.  It has become a sort of badge of honor among some very successful musicians to say this.  

Many people also use this to claim reading is only for big dumb nerds who are into classical music and are conceded and privileged and stuff.

   

[Russ Chandler]

At the risk of being contrarian and at a slight tangent to Austin's OP I thought Bela's recent arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue was an astonishing technical tour de force. One that I was bored with before it got to the end.

Mind you it's better than Eddy Peabodys!

[Richard William Ineson]

Gershwin acted as the piano accompanist to Van Eps on a few records, (I cannot be bothered looking up the record numbers/dates etc. but they will be listed somewhere). I certainly saw and handled a cheque (USA check) made out to Gershwin by Van Eps for his services, some years ago, so, it is possible that Gershwin may have arranged some music for the banjo at this time. The details of the recording collaboration between Van Eps and Gershwin may have appeared in 'The Banjo' magazine published by Pat Doyle but I cannot remember offhand and I am too old and feeble to get the magazines out of the cupboard to check.

Joel Hooks said:

Okay, so what is it?

Nevertheless, It is doubtful that it is banjo specific music, let alone A notation.

Gershwin, as far as I know, did not write 5 string banjo parts.  It could be any for any instrument that reads in treble clef.

Also, since you might have missed it, Bela has said on many occasions that he does not read notation.  It has become a sort of badge of honor among some very successful musicians to say this.  

Many people also use this to claim reading is only for big dumb nerds who are into classical music and are conceded and privileged and stuff.

   

[Joel Hooks]

Okay, I found the press release and promotional video.  Bela is calling this "Unidentified Piece For Banjo" by Gershwin.

After listening to it, I can understand why it was not given a title.  

I was wrong to assume that Gershwin did not write for regular banjo.  Austin, perhaps you could write to the LOC and request a copy of this piece?

[Jody Stecher]

I found it on Spotify..The title is "Unidentified Piece for Banjo".  The key is Eb.  The tuning is standard C.  The sound of the open 5th, 4th and 3rd string suggest that that the other two are b and d. The strings are nylon or gut or something like that.  The playing is skillful.  

Although it has no dense chords the piece sounds pianistic to me. Just something about it.   It's good on banjo though. 

[Jody Stecher]

I found it on YouTube where the sound was better and I was able to slow it down to verify the tuning. Yes, lots of open bass at C and 5th string at G.  Here is the URL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1EGP61eO1k

Jody Stecher said:

I found it on Spotify..The title is "Unidentified Piece for Banjo".  The key is Eb.  The tuning is standard C.  The sound of the open 5th, 4th and 3rd string suggest that that the other two are b and d. The strings are nylon or gut or something like that.  The playing is skillful.  

Although it has no dense chords the piece sounds pianistic to me. Just something about it.   It's good on banjo though. 

[Austin]

Remember, Bela probably wouldn't know about the war between A and C notation, so of course he read it like that. I'm thinking it was actually written for plectrum because there's no flag on the fifth string.

Jody Stecher said:

I found it on Spotify..The title is "Unidentified Piece for Banjo".  The key is Eb.  The tuning is standard C.  The sound of the open 5th, 4th and 3rd string suggest that that the other two are b and d. The strings are nylon or gut or something like that.  The playing is skillful.  

Although it has no dense chords the piece sounds pianistic to me. Just something about it.   It's good on banjo though. 

[Austin]

I'm not sure if it's in the public domain if it was just discovered. But I could try.

Joel Hooks said:

Okay, I found the press release and promotional video.  Bela is calling this "Unidentified Piece For Banjo" by Gershwin.

After listening to it, I can understand why it was not given a title.  

I was wrong to assume that Gershwin did not write for regular banjo.  Austin, perhaps you could write to the LOC and request a copy of this piece?

[Austin]

I definitely do believe that it was written for plectrum banjo.

Joel Hooks said:

Okay, so what is it?

Nevertheless, It is doubtful that it is banjo specific music, let alone A notation.

Gershwin, as far as I know, did not write 5 string banjo parts.  It could be any for any instrument that reads in treble clef.

Also, since you might have missed it, Bela has said on many occasions that he does not read notation.  It has become a sort of badge of honor among some very successful musicians to say this.  

Many people also use this to claim reading is only for big dumb nerds who are into classical music and are conceded and privileged and stuff.