Delicate Delights - Best Loved Classical Mandolin and Lute Music
NAXOS 8.578183 [78:47]
This disc from Naxos re-visits the sweet and intoxicating sounds of the mandolin and the lute, featuring 19 selections from previous Naxos releases. The mandolin has been around since before the year 1600, and the small pear-shaped version is still popular, particularly in blue grass and country-western music. The fretted neck has 8 strings tuned in unison pairs (each pair is a course), which enables the instrument to produce single staccato notes as well as a tremulous tenuto using a plectrum, or pick. Its signature sound is a colorful sostenuto, a sustained tone maintained by rapid plucking. Dorina Frati is a well-known classical mandolin player, and she joins fellow mandolinist Silvia Tenchini performing the Andante movement of Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto for 2 Mandolins in G major, softly accompanied by the Maurio and Claudio Terroni Mandolin Orchestra. The unique sound of the two mandolins together is as light as falling snow. This recording previously appeared on CDS7787, Bach & Vivaldi for Mandolin. One of the more contemporary mandolin numbers is Sprite, the second movement of Water Ballads, Op.47. This piece was composed by Tom Feboni (b. 1950) and features the outstanding string duo of guitarist Birgit Schwab and mandolinist Daniel Ahlert. Daniel’s amazingly quick sostenuto technique is soft, soothing and uplifting, and so fast that the notes seemingly mirror the musical frequencies of a dragonfly’s wings, gently drifting above the lily pads. This music appeared previously on CD 8.559686, Music for Mandolin and Guitar, recorded in 2010.
The lute is much older and has its roots in earlier stringed instruments from India, China and the Middle East. Its size is generally larger, with an ovoid-pear shaped body and a longer neck, usually fretted, with paired strings which may be plucked or bowed. J.S. Bach composed several pieces for the lute, including his Lute Partita in E major in 1736. Originally composed for violin, it was later re-arranged for ensemble as well as the lute. Yasunari Imamura graciously plucks and strums the dancing third movement Gavotte en Rondeau on the lute with impeccable phrasing and technique and a vivid, rich tone. This number appeared on CD 8.573936-37, J.S. Bach: Complete Works for Lute, recorded in 2015.
My favorite tune on this disc is Flirtation Rag, composed by Ermenegildo Carioso (1886-1928).
It first appeared on CD 8.557999, Spaghetti Rag- Rag Music with Mandolins, recorded in Italy in 2004. Ragtime and mandolins came together during the early 1900’s and mandolin rag bands quickly became popular in Italy and elsewhere. This lively piece is performed by the Center Boy’s Rag Band, a mandolin ensemble complete with brass and strings sections, drums and a jolly bass tuba setting the pace. The tune is a well-composed rag and the arrangement features a 4-bar introduction, four lively sections that alternate between a smooth two-step rhythm and a strutting cake walk, and is melodically irresistible.
A 12-page booklet is included with the disc, with notes and comments by Graham Wade.
The sound quality is excellent.
Bruce McCollum
Contents
Johann Sebastian Bach
Concerto in the Italian Style, BWV 971 [4.10]
I. Allegro (arranged for mandolin and guitar)
Dorina Frati, Mandolin
Piera Dadomo, Guitar
Antonio Vivaldi
Mandolin Concerto in C major, RV 425 [2:52]
I. Allegro
Paul O’Dette, Mandolin
The Parley of Instruments, Peter Holman
Johann Hoffmann
Mandolin Sonata in D minor [3:24]
III. Allegro
Daniel Ahlert, Mandolin
Birgit Schwab, Archlute
Ludwig van Beethoven
Mandolin Sonatina in C major, WoO 44 [3:02]
Elfriede Kunschak, Mandolin
Maria Hinterleitner, Harpsichord
Johann Sebastian Bach
Lute Suite in G minor, BWV 995 [3:57]
III. Courante
Konrad Ragossnig, Lute
Isaac Albeniz
Suite espanola No.1, Op. 47 [6:23]
No.5 Asturias (arranged for mandolin and guitar)
Jacob Reuven, Mandolin
Eyal Leber, Guitar
Tom G. Febonio
Water Ballads, Op. 47 [2:29]
II. Sprite
Daniel Ahlert, Mandolin
Birgit Schwab, Guitar
Johann Hoffmann
Mandolin Concerto in D major [4:24]
III. Rondo
Elfriede Kunschak, Mandolin
Vienna Pro Musica Orchestra
Vinzenz Hladky
Silvius Leopold Weiss
Lute Sonata No. 14 in G minor [4:07]
VI. Chaconne
Daniel Ahlert, Mandolin
Birgit Schwab, Baroque lute
Antonio Vivaldi
Concerto for 2 Mandolins in G major, [3:12]
RV 532- II. Andante
Silvia Tenchini and Dorina Frati, Mandolins
Mauro and Claudio Terroni Mandolin Orchestra
Dorina Frati, Conductor
Johann Sebastian Bach
Lute Partita in E major, BWV 1006a [3:29]
III. Gavotte en Rondeau
Yasunari Imamura, Lute
Johann Friedrich Fasch
Lute Concerto in D minor [6:38]
(arranged by R. Chiesa) - I. Allegretto moderato
Konrad Ragossnig, Lute
South West German Chamber Orchestra
Paul Angerer
Raffaele Calace
Mandolin Concerto No. 1, Op. 113 [6:24]
III. Rondo
Alison Stephens, Mandolin
Steven Devine, Piano
Johann Sebastian Bach
Lute Partita in E minor, BWV 996 [1:33]
V. Bourree
Yasunari Imamura, Lute
Johann Hoffmann
Mandolin Sonata in G major [4:15]
III. Rondo
Daniel Ahlert, Mandolin
Birgit Schwab, Archlute
Ermenegildo Carosio
Flirtation Rag [4:18]
Center Boys’ Rag Band
Ludwig van Beethoven
Mandolin Sonatina in C minor [3:48]
WoO 43a (performed on mandolin and fortepiano)
Alan Sariel, Mandolin
Michael Tsalka, Fortepiano
Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Mandolin Concerto in G major, S28 [5:03]
II. Andante con Variazioni
Edith Bauer-Slais, Mandolin
Vienna Pro Musica Orchestra
Vinzenz Hladky
Johann Sebastian Bach
Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor [3:49]
BWV 1043- I. Vivace
(arranged for 2 mandolins and mandolin orchestra)
Silvia Tenchini and Dorina Frati, Mandolins
Mauro and Claudio Terroni Mandolin Orchestra
Dorina Frati, Conductor
