Repertoire

STEPHANIE JONES
MILONGA (CARDOSO)

Watch the lesson

at tonebase.co
Lesson description
This is an ideal intermediate work for the ambitious
or aspiring guitarist! Stephanie makes multiple
passes through the piece, first analyzing the
structure, then discussing technical subtelties, and
finally diving into the many opportunities for
expression. At the end of this lesson, Stephanie
explains how a more advanced player could add
more spice to the work by integrating some of the
composer's own performance practices. Rich with
emotion and opportunities for improvisation,
Milonga has something for everyone!

Difficulty: Intermediate

“The most important thing is to

enjoy the process of learning this
piece!”

-Stephanie Jones
 About Your

Instructor
Stephanie Jones is an active soloist and chamber musician who is currently
based in Germany and studying Konzertexamen at the University of Music
Franz Liszt. Stephanie continues to perform extensively around the globe in
multiple tours and festivals, and has also released two solo albums “Colours
of Spain” (2015), and “Bach, the Fly, and the Microphone” (2009). She is also
a member of the renowned Weimar Guitar Quartet, this year releasing their
debut album. She has also won numerous awards in prestigious
competitions. Visit her website stephaniejonesguitar.com for more!

CONTENTS
04
What is a Milonga?

05
I. Structure

06
II. Technique

09
III. Expression

12 IV. Advanced Ideas

what is a milonga?
The ‘milonga’ was a style of dance and
music that was quite popular in the
1870s in the Rio de la Plata area of
South America (see map to right). This
area encompasses parts of Argentina,
Paraguay, and Uruguay, as well as the
south of Brazil. The more coastal
regions were roamed by gauchos,
early Argentinian cowboys, who
organized open gatherings where the
milonga took root.

The milonga is in 2/4 meter, related to the habanera, but more energetic. The
rhythm notated on the next page points out the tie between the second and
third notes, creating a syncopated ostinato also referred to as the ‘tresillo
habanera’. Milonga is much more playful and rustic than the Argentinian
tango, which is known for being dramatic and serious.

Listen to a recording of Milonga by the composer himself, Jorge

Cardoso! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDXHmkS7D0E

4
This lesson will be separated into four
pieces. First, the structure of the
Milonga. Second, the fingerings and
transitions to identify in the piece.
Third, the expressions that make this
piece engaging. Fourth, the advanced
element, which incorporates a
transcription of Cardoso’s live
recording. Good luck, and we hope
you enjoy this gorgeous piece from
the classical guitar repertoire!

I. STRUCTURE
Understanding the structure of a piece is just as important as planning an
essay to write - it’s imperative to know what you’re getting yourself into. The
introduction section is long, going until bar 15. At the end of bar 15, the main
melody begins, ending at bar 23. Following this is a second melody, a
development, from bars 24-38. A short transition section gets us to the
repeat of the main melody, from 46-54. A short two-bar coda closes the
piece out after a repeat. This piece is in D Minor, with one flat, and the 2/4
time signature we expect from the Milonga. Below is the milonga line that
repeats across the piece.

5
Practice this line on its own whenever it appears. The second note is
strongest, and the third note is a bit weaker.

II. TECHNIQUE
This piece has clear harmonic motion, but the fingers move more gradually
than block chords. Don’t put down all fingers at the very beginning of the bar.
For example, look at Stephanie’s fingers between measures 2 and 3. You can
see that they move independently of one another. Keep in mind that the
fingerings Stephanie shares are the ones that work best for her. If you have
larger hands, you may have to make a few more changes.

In the right hand, the fingers are usually more consistent in this piece. The
thumb takes care of the bass note, the I finger plays the G string, and the M
finger to the B string, and the A finger plays the high E.

6
Below you can see Stephanie’s left-hand position for the opening chord of

this piece. Watch the video lesson to see Stephanie’s fingering choices for the

entire piece. Recall that your transitions should be very smooth, mostly one

finger at a time. When there is a larger shift of the hand, look for an open

string to give you time to move without disrupting any of the notes.

MELODY (m. 15-23)

Occasionally this melody requires a bar chord in the first finger. Be sure to

use fingerings that let each note ring as long as it’s supposed to. The

“transition” bars to end the melody begin in fifth position, and use the open E

in several spots to accommodate a fingering change.

DEVELOPMENT (m. 24-38)

Pay close attention to Stephanie’s string choice here, as she occasionally

picks a string that is more difficult, but allows for more vibrato or legato. Pay

special attention to the trill in measure 25. Practice first without the trill to

align the voices, and then add the trill slowly.

7
Do the same with the trill in measure 27.
To work on your trills in any position,
take the first beat in measure 27 and
play the same hand shape on every
position of the guitar. Finding the ideal

fingerings for this section (or any difficult

guitar music!) requires you to think
about the efficiency of each part as well
as how to set yourself up to play the
parts that come immediately afterward.

TRANSITION (M.38-46) AND MELODY (M. 46-54)

Stephanie likes to place a trill on the downbeat of m. 37, to match Cardoso’s

interpretation. Pay attention to the breath in m. 40 – the first note is actually
a rest. If you’re struggling with this rhythm at all, it can help to notice that m.
40 is the same as m. 42, only with the first note missing.

The melody in m. 40 switches to the bass. Measure 44 uses only the second
and third fingers, giving your first finger a break before playing the start of
measure 45. After this, the rest of the piece is the same as the beginning,
except for the slur from C to D that takes us back to the top. Isolate this slur,
which both starts and ends with the first finger.

8
III. EXPRESSION
Like much of South American music, milonga expresses the emotions of life.
For this reason, it’s important to make this piece come alive. In addition to
what Stephanie suggests, feel free to contribute your own emotion to this
piece! Once you address the fundamentals, there is virtually no wrong way to
interpret a piece, as long as you’re enjoying the process! Creating a story can
help you to feel the emotions more vividly. Perhaps one of lost love and
heartbreak, as suggested by the D Minor tonality.

At the beginning of the piece, keep

the pulse moving forward, and
make sure the bass is resonant.
When the melodic line goes higher,
the music tends to want to grow
louder and more exaggerated.
When the harmony arrives back at D
Minor, at the end of the phrase,
bring the dynamics back down. A
light ripple at the end of the phrase
adds a nice bit of lightness.

Some notes in the melody at measure 15 have more weight. The B-flat,
particularly in measure 17, should be heavier. Keep in mind that the melody
is more important than the groove. The half-steps in measure 22 suggest
someone sighing, or lamenting, further developing this sad character.

9
Starting in measure 23 is a series of two-bar call and response passages.
First, the speaker asserts themselves with a vibrato-rich line, and then an
answer comes, more subdued. In measure 26 and 28 (and any time this
rhythm appears), connect the fourth sixteenth note to the downbeat of beat
2 (this is the habanera rhythm). Any two consecutive eighth notes which
descend are likely intended to be a “sigh”, so play them with a slight taper.

This call-and-response passage repeats in measure 33, so perform it

differently, perhaps with more volume. The figure on the second beat of m.
37 is intended to be playful, so treat it less seriously.

KEY TAKEAWAY
Milonga should always convey emotion, with a hint of playfulness, and
this requires careful analysis of the phrase structure, articulation, and
dynamics of your performance.

10
The bass line in measure 40 is another

call-and-response passage. For measure

44, play with intense drama, as

suggested by the increased range!

Stephanie likes to play some notes in

measure 46-47 short so that she can

create contrast by letting notes ring out

at the return of the melody in m. 48.

Finally, measure 54 is a sighing passage,

so let the half-steps ring over each other

a bit, even though they’re dissonant.

When you return to the beginning, play with more passion! The music should

always be developing, always changing. Perhaps also more subdued, or with

a brighter tone. Explore ways of creating this contrast with exaggeration in

regards to dynamics, tone, and phrasing.

Slow down just before the coda to prepare the listener for the end. During the

slide in the penultimate measure, release the thumb momentarily so you can

avoid tension. End the piece with light vibrato.

11
IV. ADVANCED IDEAS
This section will concentrate on the transcription of Cardoso’s own live
recording of the piece (see the annotations on the score view at tonebase.co)
The embellishments and colors he uses are suggestions, and they apply
strictly to the repeat of the melody.

In measure 2, Cardoso replaces the bass line with a low A. He slides up to

the low A by a half-step (starting on G-sharp). He further ornaments the bass
line playing G-sharp and A on the final two sixteenth notes of this measure.

Rather than play another B-flat at the end of measure 4, Cardoso plays a low
B-natural. Now, there is half-step motion into the low C in measure 5.

Cardoso changes the bass note in

measure 6 to an E, and adds an E-flat
in between the D-flat and E in the
melody in the middle of that bar. Let
each of these notes ring. Cardoso
adds another “in-between” note in
measure 6– an E in the bass.

Cardoso plays a C in the bass instead

of D in measure 10, creating
whole-step motion to the B-flat in
measure 11.

12
In measure 16, Cardoso replaces the
accompaniment notes with higher notes
in the chord. Refer to the tonebase
edition to see the changes. These
involve some fingering adjustments,
particularly with the fourth finger. Notice
his additions to measure 22, making the
“sighing” even more dramatic.

Cardoso adds a number of trills to measures 23 and beyond, primarily for

embellishment. Isolate these trills, and consider practicing these across the
positions of the guitar if you need the additional help.

Cardoso’s sixteenth-note triplets in measure 27 add a further layer of beauty

and complexity. By adding more half-steps in measure 31, he’s simply adding
more “sighs”.

In measure 38, Cardoso’s arpeggiations are played with the a finger, as

pictured below. He adds trills in measure 45 that can be done with a barre
chord, beginning in tenth position.

13
Cardoso changes several notes during his first pass through the measure 16
melody as well. This is done to make the melody more linear.

These changes are designed to be fun! Use them only if you find them
helpful. Hopefully this course helped you with this amazing piece, and South
American music in general. The most important thing is to enjoy the process
of learning this piece, and always express your own emotion!

14
RESOURCES
Matthew Greif’s Introduction to Improvisation

For an entirely different, yet helpful, perspective on improvisation, tune into

this lesson which uses ideas from jazz to teach improv on the guitar!

Stephanie Jones’s Lesson on Melody

Using an example from Giulio Regondi, Stephanie discusses the various ways
guitarists can improve their presentation of a melody.
NOTES

this is a tonebase Lesson outline.

To learn more visit tonebase.co