Mandolin orchestra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A mandolin orchestra is an orchestra consisting primarily of instruments from the mandolin family of instruments, such as the mandolin, mandola, mandocello and mando-bass. Some mandolin orchestras use guitars and double-basses instead of the lower mandolin-family instruments.
[edit] Orchestra composition
A mandolin orchestra typically resembles the string section of a symphony orchestra (that is, there are first and second sections, resembing the first and second violins; a mandola section (analogous to the viola section); mandocelli (analogous to the violincelli), guitars and occasionally mando-basses to round out the baritone and bass voices.
[edit] History
Mandolin orchestras were all the rage in the US and elsewhere from just before the turn of the 20th century until about the end of World War I. For a while, every city and town and many high schools had one. The principal instruments were the mandolin, mandola, mandocello and mando-bass.
Because the instruments were relatively easy to play and inexpensive they became very popular and many orchestra players did not have a great deal of musical skill or training. Accordingly, a considerable body of music was created, much of which was simple or popular marches and foxtrots that were easy and fun to play. However, some "serious" music was also created and which requires every bit as much skill to play as anything in the more well-known violin repertoire. Principal among the important composers of such music were the Calaces and Carlo Munier, who both wrote beautiful and virtuosic music for various mandolin chamber music ensembles (mandolin and guitar, two mandolins and mandola, etc. as well as full orchestras).
After WW I, the mandolin orchestras went into a period of decline until interest in the mandolin was renewed as a part of the resurgent interest in folk music in the late 1950's and 1960's. As this music began to be re-discovered, orchestras began to form anew in large cities in the US.
While there was a decline in interest the US, orchestras continued to exist in Japan, Germany where they are known as Zupforchester, and also in Italy.
Nowadays, many cities in the US host mandolin orchestras of many years experience, many proudly boasting libraries of hundreds of compositions. Significant new music continues to be written for this form as well. The best way to learn more is to go to the Classical Mandolin Society of America pages.
[edit] External links
- CMSA (Classical Mandolin Society of America)
