I am French and mandolin player. After having given up this marvellous instrument during more than 40 years to play of the rock'n'roll on an electric guitar, I returned to my first love. Thanks to the site " mandolincafe " I could know much impassioned and nice people
What has most surprised ego by discovering the site, it is the number of mandolin players on the American continent and also their age (their youth!! ) In France, this day, the mandoline is a species in the process of disappearance. We are fortunately, some people not to want that.
Personally, I discovered the mandoline in 1953 (I was 6 years old)
France had discovered the mandoline thanks to Italian immigration and also Greek. Even in very young villages, there were groups of mandolin players.
These groups were often - not to always say - create and directed by Italian. But French liked the Neapolitan music much (and with the Frenchwomen) because it was in harmony with their embarrassments Latin. French thus became mandolin players.
In the years 1950 to 1965, it was extremely rare not to see and hear a group of mandoline in each village fête. When these Italian died, the following generation did not follow. The Neapolitan mandoline with round case became an object of decoration.
This day, it remains in France very few groups of mandolin players. The some "survivors" play for most the Neapolitan music. The group Sul Ponticello based in the town of Sète, at the edge of the Mediterranean preserved this spirit.
In France, as regards the instrument, it is quite certain that the mandoline with round case (bowlback) remains the symbol of the mandoline. The flat-bottomed mandoline is regarded as an instrument manufactured thus for only reasons of price. This was well the case in the Fifties to 60. The mandolines of the Neapolitan violin makers had a very high price. There existed certain of course models " for the tourists " and intended for the only decoration. The sites of sale Internet in France overflow this day of Neapolitan mandolines of the beginning of the twentieth century to 40 Euros… But, with many chance, you can also found a great mandolin for 70 Euros or less....
During the period when the mandoline was bought by French to play in the groups, certain European manufacturers had built mandolines with case punt to limit the price and to make it available to the purchaser. But the form did not have anything commun run with the mandolines of Gibson or Epiphone.
I am thus very happy to give me an account which the mandoline has its unconditional fans and its followers. Even if, in France, the mandoline is still directly and emotionally related to the music Neapolitan or Greek - what is not the case on the American continent - happiness to play on this marvellous instrument is the same one. This is quite essential!
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