Mandolin History Book

[lunarmodule7]

I'd like to learn more about the history of the Mandolin.

Are there any books you'd recommend that detail the history of the instrument?

Are there any good 'mandolin centric' books (about makers, players, etc.) you'd recommend?

Are there any 'mandolin books' you've read that you'd say "avoid" or "stay away from"?

THANKS

[Nick Royal]

You might check out the new mandolin instruction book by Don Julin, Mandolin for Dummies. He covers lots of styles and that might meet some of your interests.

[Martin Jonas]

If you're interested in an academic history of the classical mandolin, "The Classical Mandolin" by Paul Sparks is very good. Published by Oxford University Press and now available in paperback, reasonably priced (for an academic book, that is).

Martin

[allenhopkins]

Good "brief history" of the mandolin right here on the Cafe. (http://www.mandolincafe.com/archives/briefhistory.html)

Probably the most influential American mandolinist is Bill Monroe, "Father of Bluegrass" and developer of an widely-copied style of playing. Best book about him that I've seen is Richard Smith's Can't You Hear Me Callin', (http://books.google.com/books/about/Can_t_You_Hear_Me_Callin.html?id=MCsjalwUv3UC) which came out a dozen years ago. Spends more time on Monroe's somewhat unconventional personal life, than on his musical style, but it's a good read and provides references for further reading, if you're so inclined.

There's an understandable tendency in the US to equate "mandolin = bluegrass," but of course there's a lot more to the instrument's history and current use, than just the one style. One of our most respected 20th-century "pop" mandolinists was Dave Appollon, and David Grisman has produced The Man With the Mandolin, a CD package (http://www.livedownloads.com/show.aspx?show=1677) of Appollon's music, with a biographical booklet included.

Beyond that, Googling around will yield many articles on the mandolin in classical music, and its association with different ethnic music styles. Hard to find everything in which you're interested "under one roof," but there's a lot of info out there.

[lunarmodule7]

Thank you, mando Nick, Martin Jonas and allenhopkins.

I am definitely searching for the history of the mandolin in the centuries before Bluegrass.

I've been eying the dummies book from afar. So, I'll check it out.

I'm not familiar with Paul Sparks' "The Classical Mandolin". But, now that I am, I'll seek out a copy of it. I think that may be what I'm looking for.

I've also eyed that Grisman produced Apollon package for a while. This may push me acquire it.

Thank you, again, for your helpful replies and leads. I appreciate it. A lot.

PEACE

[Martin Jonas]

I am definitely searching for the history of the mandolin in the centuries before Bluegrass.


Good to hear -- the mandolin's history is fascinating. If you want to go all the way to the start, Paul Sparks has written another book together with James Tyler, called "The Early Mandolin". Both available from Amazon. The first book takes it up to the early 19th century and the other from then onwards (but with a distinct focus on Europe). The second one is probably the more interesting for most people, as many early mandolins covered in the first book are quite different in tuning, number of strings, sound or looks from any currently-exisiting instruments, whereas the later book deals basically with the mandolin as we all know it.

The Early Mandolin (http://www.amazon.com/The-Early-Mandolin-Mandolino-Neapolitan/dp/0198163029)

The Classical Mandolin (http://www.amazon.com/Classical-Mandolin-Early-Music-Series/dp/0195173376/ref=pd_sim_b_2)

Martin

[GD Armstrong]

The first section of Graham McDonald's book "the Mandolin Project" has a very good section on the history of the mandolin going back to it predecessors the citole & the gittern.
He has been working on an expansion of this to be an entire book on the history of the mandolin, both construction and use.

[lunarmodule7]

I will definitely look in to Graham McDonald's book "the Mandolin Project" and subsequent writing he has done on the subject. That's the trail I am searching for. Thank you GD Armstrong for the lead. I'm on that.


Good to hear -- the mandolin's history is fascinating. If you want to go all the way to the start, Paul Sparks has written another book together with James Tyler, called "The Early Mandolin". Both available from Amazon. The first book takes it up to the early 19th century and the other from then onwards (but with a distinct focus on Europe). The second one is probably the more interesting for most people, as many early mandolins covered in the first book are quite different in tuning, number of strings, sound or looks from any currently-exisiting instruments, whereas the later book deals basically with the mandolin as we all know it.

The Early Mandolin (http://www.amazon.com/The-Early-Mandolin-Mandolino-Neapolitan/dp/0198163029)

The Classical Mandolin (http://www.amazon.com/Classical-Mandolin-Early-Music-Series/dp/0195173376/ref=pd_sim_b_2)


Outstanding! Thank You!

[btrott]

In addition to the two very fine Paul Sparks books mentioned above, you may also want to have a look at Philip Bone's The guitar and mandolin : biographies of celebrated players and composers for these instruments (1914) which is available online here (http://archive.org/details/guitarmandolinbi00bone). Also, if you can track down a copy of History of the Mandolin, by Konrad Wolki t is worth looking at as well.

Barry

[Pete Jenner]

I will definitely look in to Graham McDonald's book "the Mandolin Project" and subsequent writing he has done on the subject.

I understand Graham is currently working on another book on mandolin history.