Handel: Largo from Xerxes ("Ombra Mai Fu", 1738)

[Martin Jonas]

This is another anonymous Japanese arrangement for mandolin orchestra, from the now-defunct Nakano site. "Ombra Mai Fu" is the opening aria from Handel's 1738 opera "Serse" (or "Xerxes"), but the piece is widely performed as an instrumental melody under the name "Largo from Xerxes".

Befitting such a slow aria, the arrangement is almost entirely in tremolo. Like in the previous two arrangements from the same source that I've recorded (Brahms and Fauré), this arranger gives some meaty parts to the larger members of the orchestra: the mandola and cello play the introduction with the mandolins not coming in for 14 bars.

Mandolins 1+2: 1915 Embergher mandolin
Mandola: 1925 Zimmermann waldzither
"Mandocello" and "Bass": Mid-Missouri M-111 octave mandolin
Guitar: Ozark tenor guitar

MP3 is attached, and can be played with the Cafe's embedded player:



On Youtube:



Martin

[Tavy]

Nice playing - and great work keeping all those tremolos together!