Mandolin

Any other mandolinists who like classical music out there?

I can't say i'm a mandolinist, but Vivaldi's concerto for mandolin & orchestra is
one of my favorite concertos to listen to.

Yes, Vivaldi's mandolin pieces are great--and very standard repertoire for classical mandolinists. If you like Vivaldi, you should check out mandolin pieces by the other Italian Baroque greats: Scarlatti, especially.

Interestingly, Germans and Austrians also began writing for mandolin during it's early years: Hummel, Mozart, Beethoven, Hasse.

And don't forget: there are actually two, fairly unrelated mandolins in classical music. The Neopolitan mandolin is the one from which the modern mandolin evolved (tuned in 5ths like a violin), and the older Lombard mandolin, with six stings tuned in 4ths.

There's a whole world of works waiting to be rediscovered!!

Wow... I didn't know there were 2 types of mandolines!! But no, I'm not a mandoline player... sounds fun though. I'll add it to my 'list of instruments to learn before I'm 30' hahaha... I'm such a band nerd...

__________________
"La musique est ma vie et ma maniere..."

~Francesca Lee Williams~

"A great man once told me that love has a funny way of screwing you over. But after years of consideration, I realize, he lied. I'm more in love than I've ever been before, and than I ever will be. Hopefully this time, it'll be real."

Hey P.G.! Thanks for the reply!

We don't--especially in America--hear too much about the Lombard mandolin because of the immense popularity of the Neopolitan model that really came into the spotlight in the early 1900's with travelling European mandolin orchestras. Then of course, Bill Monroe brought the Neopolitan style in deeper into American music. Nowadays, many people recognize the mandolin as a great folk instrument, but aren't aware of its varied history.

The Lombard variant is actually very closely related to the lute (in design, tuning, and playing style--with the fingers, not a plectrum). And it is believed that it was this model for which many of the Baroque composers wrote their mandolin pieces. This of course would make those pieces sound quite different than how we hear them today.

The Neopolitan model--developed around 1740--came about, I believe, as an alternative instrument for the violin (since it's tuned just like the violin) since it was the violin that had become the most highly regarded instrument in both folk and concert settings. In its early years, it gained more acceptance in France and Austria than in its homeland.

Nobody really knows why they are both named mandolin. Fabrizio may be able to confrim this, but it is derived from the Italian word for almond (making it a "little almond," smaller than the mandola/mandolo. Since the Lombard model had been around for a few hundred years more, it is assumed its body looked very similar to an almond. Perhaps the later model was so named because it is also small and high-pitched.

I do not yet own or play a Lombard mandolin, but I'd love to get one and learn it. However, many classical pieces have been transcribed for Neopolitan mandolin--there are even mandolin quartets (2 mandolins, mandola, mandocello) that play string quartet music.

I think you'll find it lots of fun if you ever decide to take it up! You must tell me about the piccolo; I have no knowledge of it whatsoever. except that it looks dreadfully difficult to play!

I never knew mandoline had that kind of history. Cool!


Anywho... Piccolo is an extremely fun instrument to learn. A lot of the marches that were originally for fife have also been transcribed for picc, so I believe it was made as an alternate for fife. And, in my thoery, so the flutes can be heard over the band. (We always get covered up )

But usually if you can play flute, you can just as easily play picc. The only difference between playing the two is the fact that picc goes no lower than D right below the staff, whereas flute goes to low C. Well, and the fact that picc is a lot harder embouchure-wise to play. It's really not hard once you learn flute though.

__________________
"La musique est ma vie et ma maniere..."

~Francesca Lee Williams~

"A great man once told me that love has a funny way of screwing you over. But after years of consideration, I realize, he lied. I'm more in love than I've ever been before, and than I ever will be. Hopefully this time, it'll be real."

Well, I once bought a fife (cheap but playable) when I was in Colonial Williamsburg. I must say, I found it very difficult--it made my mouth muscles hurt! I don't think I could play a wind instrument.

It seems like the flute family also has a long and colorful history! Do you play any Baroque, Renaissance, or ethnic music?

I've played several Baroque pieces... I mostly like Telemann. He's awesome!! Vivaldi's fun to play too. Other than that, unless you Carnivale of Venice is the farthest from classic I've played.

__________________
"La musique est ma vie et ma maniere..."

~Francesca Lee Williams~

"A great man once told me that love has a funny way of screwing you over. But after years of consideration, I realize, he lied. I'm more in love than I've ever been before, and than I ever will be. Hopefully this time, it'll be real."

WOW! Carnival Of Venice?!? I wonder if the flute version is as hard as the trumpet version?

Hey!

I love Vivaldi and Telemann! Both amazing composers! (not to mention Bach and his buddies, Mozart, etc!)

I have played a whole range on things!

Mandolin's so intresting!

TVL

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~*Born Music Crazy*~

~*Queen500*~