Women with Mandolins

[Ben Milne]

Nanna's wardrobe selction aside, Olga shreds something the mandolin something seriouslike. Impressive for sure.

[Gelsenbury]

Olga Egorova performing on her Morris F5 (#111)

I've watched this so many times over the past few weeks ... still don't know how she does that! It's superhuman. As a friend of mine said when I forwarded the link, it sounds as if there were about 5 people playing at the same time.

[Jeroen]

She's cheating. I say she's cheating. She plays from the elbow, not the wrist! She plays a single stringed instrument! She supports with her pinky!

[Dr H]

One is even playing a Knutsen.

And in this one, everyone in the photo is a Knutsen:

Good lord, is that a left-handed harp guitar ?

[Ed Goist]

Marijke Wiesenekke of Mando Nuevo and her Reinhold Seiffert mandolin

[f5loar]

Now that is the correct, prim and proper way to sit and hold the mandolin. Very nice!

[journeybear]

Exactly what I was thinking. Take note - that is the correct posture, not often seen outside of books (or perhaps in classical concerts). Is that a mandolin, not a mandola? Looks a bit large, relatively. Perhaps she is petite.

[Ed Goist]

I'm pretty sure that's her mandolin. Here she is playing a larger mandolin family instrument...OM?



And playing her e-mando (love the black & white photography!)



And the entire Mando Nuevo trio: Michiel & Marijke Wiesenekker and Oliver Waitze



Oh, and they are not only photogenic, they can play! Audio clips here

[Chris Oliver]

Oh, and they are not only photogenic, they can play! Audio clips here

Oh yeah... really good. Too bad their are no US dates on their schedule. I would like to see them play live.

[ColdBeerGoCubs]

Marijke Wiesenekke of Mando Nuevo and her Reinhold Seiffert mandolin

Looks like that mando has a florida.

[Ed Goist]

Rebecca & Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe from an in-store performance at Union Music is Lewes, East Sussex, UK on 1 April 2011.

[journeybear]

Ed, you missed one. Here, I got it for ya!

The poem is in Latvian, by Kārlis Skalbe. If anyone can offer a translation it would be much appreciated.

[J.Albert]

"Marijke Wiesenekke of Mando Nuevo and her Reinhold Seiffert mandolin"

Mandolin?

What mandolin?

- John

[Ed Goist]

Ruth Roshan (mandolin) and Tania Ravbar Costantino (guitar) is the Australian duo Nougat

[Scotti Adams]

......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zco22CwrY2w

[JEStanek]

......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zco22CwrY2w

Ashley Lewis. I linked to her website.

Jamie

[journeybear]

OK, here is Ashley Lewis. Way too many pictures at her website of her posing with a fiddle, not enough with a mandolin. Just sayin' ...

[Matt DeBlass]

As a completely random aside, why does it seem like mandolin players are usually photographed playing while leaning against a wall? Is that the photographer's shorthand for "it's not a guitar, I don't know what pose to shoot her in," or something?

[Bertram Henze]

As a completely random aside, why does it seem like mandolin players are usually photographed playing while leaning against a wall? Is that the photographer's shorthand for "it's not a guitar, I don't know what pose to shoot her in," or something?

I guess it has got to do with optical weight. While guitar players are often shown like they've had a disc prolapse, dragged forward by their heavy bulk of an instrument, mandolins look lightweight, enabling the player to lean back. Photographers tend to have optical impressions amplify each other in a consistent way rather than letting them get cancelled out in contradiction.

[JEStanek]

As a completely random aside, why does it seem like mandolin players are usually photographed playing while leaning against a wall? Is that the photographer's shorthand for "it's not a guitar, I don't know what pose to shoot her in," or something?

Asks the guy with his mandolin arm resting on a fence. Portraiture is hard. Maybe if we didn't lean against a wall we would all suffer from Thile Slouch? (I kid.).

Jamie

[billkilpatrick]

maybe that photo of bill monore leaning against a tree started it all

[Matt DeBlass]

Asks the guy with his mandolin arm resting on a fence. Portraiture is hard. Maybe if we didn't lean against a wall we would all suffer from Thile Slouch? (I kid.).

Jamie

Actually, I'm leaning on the side of the building just like everybody else, I'm just REALLY tall!

I'm certainly not complaining (you will never catch me complaining about the photos in this thread) but it's interesting to look again and see if this really is part of the mandolin photo vocabulary. There are certain poses that crop up repeatedly for various instruments (ie, drummers with both sticks in one hand, leaning on one knee), and I'll have to take time studying those who are both more talented and more photogenic than myself to see if this is true.

[journeybear]

My band played a gig Sunday night, five people on a stage that could maybe hold three, but comfortably two, including a stand-up bass and a pedal steel player. In fact, the fiddler set up sitting on a stool off-stage facing us. (I should measure this and report the dimensions, but it's a trapezoid about 7' across, the left side about 4', the right side about 3'. ) I was stuck in the back squeezed up against a speaker stand. I spent a lot of the night leaning against the wall, which was somewhat amusing. It was actually a screen for a TV projection device, which was playing the women's Final Four games (club owners are from CT; in fact, the father was at the games) - so yes, people were looking in our direction, at least. Sadly, UConn lost, and that second half was a bit distracting, even disturbing, and cut into my leaning time as I kept turning to look for the score.

[JEStanek]

Actually, I'm leaning on the side of the building just like everybody else, I'm just REALLY tall!

That's a good looking Mandocello. Maybe there are kind of set portraits folks fall into when shooting and holding their instruments. I bet a lot of it comes from the size of the instrument and what others have done before. Interesting observation, Matt.

Jamie

[Randi Gormley]

I think some of it has to do with the idea of a flattering stance (is this my good side? kind of thing); people at angles look slimmer and the half-silhouette is sexier than a straight-on shot for many women. For guys, you get this 'casual' vibe from a leaning posture. It's something I used to do when I was sketching people (and my hands) for fun, looking for specific lines I liked. I still like to look at mandolin silhouettes at a bit of an angle as well. Interesting thing to notice, Matt.