The mandolin was created in Naples in the early eighteenth century and had a large surge in popularity, particularly amongst the French aristocracy. At the end of the century it had a rapid decline matching that of the aristocracy.
Bizarrely, the second flourishing of the instrument, in the late nineteenth century, was started by a touring ensemble, none of whom actually played the mandolin. The group was called Estudiantina Española Fígaro and played guitars, violin and bandurrias. They were so popular both in Europe and the United States that they were rapidly copied. The mandolin was similar to the bandurria and readily available so groups chose to use this instrument instead. Virtuoso mandolinists soon emerged, a few professional and a huge number of amateur orchestras were formed and a vast amount of repertoire was published.
The music of this time is certainly not currently fashionable and much of it is not of the greatest quality, however there are exceptional pieces that stand out. With this recording I am trying to show a cross-section of the repertoire, highlighting more virtuosic pieces and those that stand out as fine compositions. All music on the album is played by me.
Instruments:
Mandolin 1: White Dragon no.1 by Carlo Mazzaccara. This is a really special instrument. Carlo is a fine luthier based in Naples. The White Dragon was his first instrument made in the world-famous Calace Factory.
Mandolin 2: Suzuki. This is an unexceptional instrument but it blends nicely with the White Dragon.
Five Course Mandola: This instrument covers the range of both an octave mandola and a mando-cello. Calace made a similar instrument a hundred years ago which he called a liuto cantabile. This one was made for me by Gordon Hewson of Oakwood Guitars.
Tenor Banjo: Goodtime Banjo. This is the brand name of Deering’s budget range. It’s basic but does the job.
Bass Banjo: I made this instrument myself from half a bass drum and a bass guitar neck. It is inspired by instruments made by Clifford Essex and Gibson for the banjo orchestras that were popular a hundred years ago.
Thanks to: Alex Garden for making the project happen with their enthusiasm and keeping me sane in the studio with their calm encouragement; The Banjo Mandolin and Guitar Federation of Great Britain for providing a grant and support for the project; Si Paull for help with the artwork; Sandra Woodruff for support and guidance; Geoff Norman (my Dad) for proof reading.
1 A Te… Povero Fiore: Angelo Ciglia was a prolific composer based in Genova in Italy. Like many of his contemporaries his large output is largely forgotten. This piece has a delicacy and subtlety which are not always present in pieces of this time. I particularly like its return to the minor key for the end, going back to the reflective mood of the opening.
2 Polka Des Moineaux: Mario Maciocchi (1874-1955) was born in Rome but moved to Paris in his 20s. We know he wrote well over a hundred pieces for mandolin and mandolin orchestra as well as being a mandolin teacher, repairer and maker. I chose this piece as being representative of the sort of music that was most popularly played by mandolin ensembles of the time. They were most often marches, waltzes or (as in this case) polkas with catchy, cheerful tunes, melodramatic moments and regular key changes.
3 Serenata: Alfonso Cipollone (1843-1926) was from Teramo in Italy. He was a teacher of piano and voice as well as being an extraordinarily prolific composer, writing over a thousand pieces most of which were short and in the popular style. In 1884 he won the first prize at the “Concours de musique populaire” in Paris, with Misero Conforto, a piece for voice and piano. Like nearly all of the composers on this album he is almost unheard of today though there is a street named after him in Teramo. As the title track of the album it encapsulates perfectly the style of its era with drama, rapid mood changes and catchy melodies.
4 At Bay: Will D Moyer (1872 -1939) is our second American composer. He wrote for mandolin, guitar and banjo as well as conducting orchestras and teaching privately in Pennsylvania. Moyer must have had some proficiency on the mandolin as this piece poses some significant technical challenges. As a solo mandolin piece this is a bit of a departure for the album but I couldn’t resist including it. The final 16 bars, where the rest of the orchestra finally joins the hard working first mandolinist, are my own arrangement.
5 Tarantella: Raffaele Calace (1863-1934) is the best known of the mandolinists and composers on the album and could not be missed out of any collection of mandolin music from this time. He was a virtuosic performer on the instrument and, through his performance and compositions, made an attempt to promote the mandolin as a serious instrument in Romantic music. Calace came from a long line of luthiers and his grandson and great-granddaughter still run the family business in Naples to this day. The Tarantella is a folk dance from southern Italy which is said to cure, or show the effects of, the bite of a tarantula.
6 Papillonnette: Giuseppe Sgallari (1868-1926) was born in Bologna but also lived in Brussels and London before moving back to his home country. Wherever he worked he made a significant contribution and was highly praised as a performer. In Brussels he ran ensembles and it was noted that he elevated the mandolin significantly. In London he took private pupils and also wrote for Clifford Essex’s BMG magazine. This piece offers significant challenges and employs duet style, where a tremolo line is played on one string while other individual accompanying notes are played on another.
7 Lancashire Clogs: Emile Grimshaw (1880-1943) was a well known banjo player in both Emile Grimshaw’s Banjo Quartet and the Savoy Quartet. He produced tutors for different types of banjo and also wrote over seventy pieces for the instrument. Lancashire Clog was originally written for banjo ensemble but was arranged by Grimshaw for mandolins. This has lead to some tricky passages on the mandolin which are a lot easier on the banjo. The single sung verse is reminiscent of recordings made by Jack Hylton a few years later.
8 Tra Veglia e Sonno: Luigi Canora (1888-1973) was born in Naples but like many mandolinists moved to the US, where he was a well known composer. This tune was his greatest hit, was published for many instrument combinations and is still widely played. It is a great link back to the folk origins of the mandolin as this piece can still be heard played by traditional bands in Naples.
9 Berceuse: Alfonso Cippolone. The first Berceuse, meaning lullaby, was written by Chopin in the 1840s. Soon many other pieces were written with the same name and a form developed with a simple structure and sweet melody. Notable composers such as Fauré, Bizet and Liszt wrote pieces with this name and form. There are at least a dozen pieces written for mandolin with this title and others with different names described as a Berceuse. I chose this piece for the beauty of its melody and also for its very fine second mandolin part.
10 Boston Ideal March: Samuel Siegel (1875-1948) is one of two American composers on this Album, reflecting the popularity of the mandolin in the US a century ago. He was a very highly regarded performer described as ‘America’s foremost mandolin soloist’. Siegel composed many pieces for the mandolin and also made some recordings which give a priceless insight into the style of playing from that time. Many of the mandolinists in the US at this time were of Italian descent and continued to write in the style of their homeland. Siegel on the other hand sounds very American, more akin to composers like Sousa and Holzmann.
11 Tokaj: Ant H Claassens. This piece is described as a Czardas, a Hungarian dance made most famous by Monti’s piece of that name. It is worth noting that Monti was a well known mandolinist. This piece is a little later than the others on the album but Claassens’ writing for plucked strings is so fantastic I didn’t want to leave it out. I particularly enjoy the way it features the beautiful tone of the five course mandola.