Barbella (c. 1760), Sonata a due mandolini, Gimo 13

[Martin Jonas]

Emanuele Barbella (1718–1777): Sonata a due mandolini
1. Larghetto e staccato
From the Gimo manuscript (Gimo 13), c. 1760

This is the first movement of one of Barbella's mandolin duo sonatas without basso, taken from the Gimo manuscript. There are four sonatas by Barbella in the manuscript, of which this one seems to be the least performed -- the only professional version I have found is by Duo Acquavella. I'm not sure why, as it's both accessible and very enjoyable to play (and listen to, I hope).

A scan of the original manuscript is at IMSLP, and a much more readable modern transcribed PDF at Mutopia -- the manuscript looks pretty scary, with its flurries of sextuplets and demisemiquavers, but it's actually fairly straightforward to play:

http://imslp.org/wiki/Sonata_for_2_M...a%2C_Emanuele)
http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin...nfo.cgi?id=318

I have played the opening larghetto e staccato on a late 19th century Italian bowlback mandolin, double-tracked.

1890s Umberto Ceccherini mandolin (x2)

Images by Rosalba Carriera, a famous portrait painter in Barbella's day.



Martin

[JH Murray]

Your music certainly brightened the mood on a dark and stormy night. Cheers!