Favorite Recordings of Classical Mandolin

[Jason Stein]

Would anyone care to share what their favorite recordings of classical, medieval, and/or Renaissance mandolin are? It would be nice to hear why you consider it a favorite as well.

I'll start it out by saying I have been listening a lot lately to Alison Stephen's Calace: Music for Mandolin and Piano. Steven Devine is on piano. The music is exuberant and the mandolin sparkles!

Thank you,

Jason

[Jimdalf]

Traversata with Beppe Gambetta, Carlo Aonzo and David Grisman is my favourite and I've seen it mentioned around here before. Not quite on topic, this also makes me think of "Mórtika. Rare vintage recordings from a Greek underworld." I guess just because it's kind of different, in my collection at least (which is miniscule).

[JeffD]

I'll start it out by saying I have been listening a lot lately to Alison Stephen's Calace: Music for Mandolin and Piano. Steven Devine is on piano. The music is exuberant and the mandolin sparkles!

I was all set to post, when I saw that you took my post.

I love that album.

[Strider]

The piece that inspired me to ( eventually ) try to learn both music and play the Mandolin was Concerto for 2 mandolini in G by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by Barrington Pheloung and Nigel North from volume 2 of the Inspector Morse as it's a stunning rendition of it and is over 12 minutes of pure pleaseure...

[danny_ga]

Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Mandolins is a great piece. The interplay between mandolin and orchestra is a wonderful thing to hear.

But be careful, the quality of player and instrument used on most of the versions I have doesn't live up to the excellence of the music itself. As my son said recently 'the music sounds good, but the player and mandolin tone are terrible'. So, choose your version carefully.

I haven't heard the "Barrington Pheloung and Nigel North " version before. I'll check it out. It's got to be better than the substandard mess I have in my collection.

[Jim Garber]

Artists to look for: Carlo Aonzo, Richard Walz, Ralf Leenen, Melonious Quartet, Gertrud Weyhofer, Caterina Lichtenberg, Het Consort... I am sure that more will come to mind.

[Alex Timmerman]

Hi Jason et all,

Here is a link to the playlist at MySpace of the Dutch mandolinist Sebastiaan de Grebber with recordings that, in my believe, are of the highest standard. Enjoy for instance Monti's famous Czardas played by this exceptional gifted musician accompanied by the wonderful pianist Eva van den Dool on the Grand Piano.

http://www.myspace.com/themandolinis...1922--42225965

Info about his CD with music for solo mandolin with compositions by i.e. Johann Sebastian Bach, Raffaele Calace, Giuseppe Pettine, John Craton and Victor Kioulaphides, can be found here (samples):

http://www.degrebber-mandolin.com/ph...esordercd1.php

And, if you want to learn more about Sebastiaan de Grebber there is always his website:

http://www.degrebber-mandolin.com/html/bio.htm?bg=2


Best, Alex.

[Strider]

Please don't get me wrong, I know there are many superb recordings of that piece, but it was that precise recording that did it for me, although it took another 15 years before I even thought I could perhaps play a mandolin.

[Margriet]

Of the Vivaldi concerto for two mandolins, G-Major RV 532, I like the performance with James Tyler, Robin Jeffrey and the English Concert, Trevor Pinnock. It is played on historical instruments, in an authentic way.

Another early music CD I like, is the one with Sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti, played by Mauro Squillante, mandolin and Raffaele Vrenna, harpsichord. I like a lot the phrasing, Mauro tells whole stories with his mandolin.

I am intending to buy a CD of Duo Zigiotti- Merlante, "musica per mandolino e chitarra del primo Ottocente." These pieces are not often heard, though from that time there are pieces left. They also played on authentic instruments.

I like the solo CD of Sebastiaan de Grebber, that NEVER bores, it is excellent playing and there are different pieces, in different styles. HIS tremolo I like.

And Alison Stephens, also her last CD "souvenirs", with guitar.

Ugo Orlandi on "Neapolitan Rhapsody", for the Italian feeling.

I do not listen lots of mandolin orchestras. I do like the CD's of Het Consort. I have no favorite one, they are all different and I listen to my state of mind or mood.

Margriet

[johnbluegrass]

Most of the time I listen to bluegrass but of the few classical mandolin recordings that I like, the mandolin concerto in C by Vivaldi is one of my favorites, no matter who plays it.

[eightmoremiles]

How about Beethoven's "Sonatina in C Major, Opus 44a" as played by Michael Melford on his 40 yr old LP "Mandolin Fantasy". Quite a recording, and almost forgotten.

[Matt DeBlass]

I'm still pretty new to Classical Mandolin, but have to second (third, fourth?) Carlo Aonzo's work, I really like Traversata and have been enjoying his recent Fantasia Poetica as well.

[vkioulaphides]

I believe that we have come to the moment, long-in-the-waiting, where there MANY such great, "favorite" recordings. No longer must we cling to that one record that once made us fall in love with the mandolin. We are living a veritable Renaissance of the classical mandolin, and the riches abound...

So, yes: I'd say just about anything by Ali, Carlo, Sebastiaan, Ugo, Richard, Caterina, etc., etc., etc. would be on my "Top Ten" list— only of course "ten" is meant quite loosely. But any such list is inherently an injustice to those omitted by the compiler's lapses of memory at the moment. There are many, many names...

While no expert in matters of early mandolin, I, too, have greatly enjoyed Squillante's playing. You see, the mandolin has gotten SO rich lately that we already have splendid ramifications into early, classical, romantic, and more modern repertoire. So there's much to choose from, and for all tastes. Beyond that, de gustibus and all that...

Cheers,

Victor

[mando Nick]

For the Beethoven sonatas, two cds come to mind:
"Fantasia Poetica" with Carlo Aonzo and the pianist, Elena Buttiero. We had them here for a house concert, and their playing together is very moving!

Marilynn Mair's, "The Mandolin in the 18th Century," has the Beethoven sonatas and both a pianist playing and a string quartet on other numbers.

[Bruce Clausen]

Or Duilio Galfetti's very fine Beethoven-Hummel-Hoffmann collection with Diego Fasolis:

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Humm...27418&sr=301-1

[Simen Kjaersdalen]

Rolf Lislevand - Vivaldi. Because of the combination of "historical" performance, great playing and wonderful feeling of the age and it's music (most important). His recordings for lute are even better!

[johnbluegrass]

Just found some recordings of Fabio Machado, never heard anything like it! It's already hard to tremolo one note and this guy does TWO at the same time with an incredible sound.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bZ5FuXY4Tg

[memeweaver]

I've known the Vivaldi pieces for years, but have become acquainted with a few other pieces more recently:
* Hummel's Mandolin Concerto - Alison Stephens with the London Mozart Players, conducted by Howard Shelley
* Aver Dorman's Mandolin Concerto - Avi Avital with the Metropolis Ensemble, conducted by Andrew Cyr

I came to both because I love Hummel's piano concerti, and the Dorman disc also has a great neoclassical Piano Concerto. The Dorman disc was nominated for a Grammy last year.

[JeffD]

Just found some recordings of Fabio Machado, never heard anything like it! ]

Yes he is pretty amazing.

[Mandolin Mick]

I'm not that familiar with classical mandolin, but I do have Beethoven's mandolin works.

[Margriet]

After a year there are things changing.

My favorite is still The Sonatas of Scarlatti, played by Mauro Squillante and Raffaele Vrenna.

Later I found interesting also the CD with the pieces of the Dalla Casa manuscript, played by Hideki Yamaya on the mandolino and John Schneiderman, lute.

And recently I got the CD "Haydn in England", Scottish, Welsh songs and Sonatas, with harpsichord, soprano and mandolin, by Tove Fensborg. Very nice ! I play this very often.

[ald]

JOHN McGANN PLAYS BACH, DEBUSSY AND RODRIGO

My favourite

[D.Martin]

I'm a big fan of this album of music of JS Bach by Dorina Frati and Piera Dadomo: http://www.amazon.com/Bach-J-S-Mando.../dp/B002WR01NK

[mildini mandolini]

Hi
I have an old record of Hugo D'Alton Playing the Beethoven pieces and I think the Hummel Concerto
This is absolutely outstanding playing - I some of the Beethoven he improvises on the repeats, which I have never heard anywhere else played like that

[Margriet]

an old record of Hugo D'Alton Playing the Beethoven pieces and I think the Hummel Concerto

You make me curious ! Do you have more info ?

Margriet