Random mandolin sightings

[journeybear]

I scanned this whole thread and no one mentioned the mandolin in the wedding scene in "The Godfather?"

Huh. Maybe it's not random enough? I'm sure it's been mentioned elsewhere, like in "Mandolins In The Movies" or some such. There are several times mandolin appears in the scene, like when Johnny Fontaine gets up to sing. Lord knows I included "The Godfather Love Theme" in my Italian restaurant gig repertoire, as it fits the mandolin so well, and also being so memorable and recognizable. And beautiful.

[mandopops]

Yes, David, if the name Giovanni Vicari has not been dropped into this thread, that is a most egregious omission. So let us drop it now. Maestro Giovanni Vicari, is the Mandolin player in the wedding band in the Godfather.
Thanx, David.

Joe B

[journeybear]

David did drop the name into his post, so you can drop it.

Just kidding around. Ah, puns! And anyway, that's not why I'm here now. I see David referenced an old post of mine, from which the video I mentioned containing a mandolin being played in a stage orchestra has been removed. So I found another youtube clip of the same performance (The Late Late Show, 10/4/22), and am reposting it, with the explanation thereunto appertaining.

Catching up on recent talk shows, I saw this appearance by the touring company of "Oklahoma" on The Late Late Show with James Corden. There's a mandolin in the "orchestra," screen right, and you can actually hear it. It's being played a bit differently than "normal," in a very stage-y fashion - it's synched with the pizzicato violin and other instruments - but it's interesting, and a pleasant surprise.

[Mark Gunter]

Just catching up on this thread, have to say I love that painting of Artemisia. Thanks for posting that.

A couple years ago I found the vocal scores for Fiddler On The Roof as well as South Pacific (David’s post brought this to mind). Great fun playing those tunes just for reading practice and because the melodies are awesome and nostalgic.

[DavidKOS]

I see David referenced an old post of mine, from which the video I mentioned containing a mandolin being played in a stage orchestra has been removed. So I found another youtube clip of the same performance (The Late Late Show, 10/4/22), and am reposting it, with the explanation thereunto appertaining.

Why that's great!

Like I said, I played in pro orchestras twice for productions of "Oklahoma" - but this version looks like even more fun!

I really like the country and western arrangement for the music. Particularly the steel guitar and mandolin. BTW, I see a conductor and to my eye, it looks like the band is playing live.

I found another video - it appears that the band is on stage at times:



- - - Updated - - -

Yes, David, if the name Giovanni Vicari has not been dropped into this thread, that is a most egregious omission. So let us drop it now. Maestro Giovanni Vicari, is the Mandolin player in the wedding band in the Godfather.
Thanx, David.

Joe B

And it's a pleasure to hear from you - one of Vicari's students, to boot.

[journeybear]

Yes, it was live. Mandolin in a touring orchestra - a rare, delightful occurence.

In your clip, the mandolin gets short shrift visually, seen briefly only at 1:55, 2:34, and 2:52. Yes, I was looking for it, getting frustrated.

[tmsweeney]

Vinnie the P cranking Zep on what looks like a Portuguese Mandola from "The Fall of the House of Usher"

[Mark Gunter]

Vinnie the P cranking Zep on what looks like a Portuguese Mandola from "The Fall of the House of Usher"

Good catch! I haven’t seen that movie since the 60’s, gotta watch it again now. Surely don’t remember that scene.

[JeffD]

So this is cool. I am a big fan of all things rat pack. So one thing that is sometimes fruitful is to just google something you have interest in, with the added word mandolin, and see what comes up.

So I tried "Joey Bishop Mandolin" and got this:

[tmsweeney]

Good catch! I haven’t seen that movie since the 60’s, gotta watch it again now. Surely don’t remember that scene.

they've been running the old Roger Corman horror, Roderic Usher plays the instrument in more than one scene, he explains he composes the music he plays, there are actual sounds though it is very low and sounds somewhat like a loosely strung guitar.
The film was produced in 1960, so he probably wasn't playing Zepplin, but he may have been playing Bill Monroe.

[Joe Bartl]

What kind of mandolin did Dickens's David Copperfield play? Found this in Copperfield's room on a visit with Mr. Micawber (from the 1999 BBC production):

[DavidKOS]

So this is cool. I am a big fan of all things rat pack. So one thing that is sometimes fruitful is to just google something you have interest in, with the added word mandolin, and see what comes up.

So I tried "Joey Bishop Mandolin" and got this:

That looks like he might be playing the song for real...or at least a really good synch, as the fingerings seem to match.

[FLATROCK HILL]

Is that some kind of primitive 4 string banjolin hanging on the wall (probably a good place for it) in Joey B's closet?

[Ranald]

re; Joey Bishop (Post #284)

That looks like he might be playing the song for real...or at least a really good synch, as the fingerings seem to match.

It certainly looks like he's playing. I suspect that the mandolin story became part of the show because Joey already played the instrument. For those who missed the sixties, the tune is "Never on Sunday," a Greek pop tune and movie theme that quickly crossed borders. It's a great tune for mandolin, one of the first I learned by ear. "Never on Sunday" is also a tune that's stood the test of time. I still hear it now and then, played by live bands or individual musicians.

Perhaps that's a a banjo-uke on the wall.

[M19]

For those who missed the sixties, the tune is "Never on Sunday," a Greek pop tune and movie theme that quickly crossed borders. It's a great tune for mandolin, one of the first I learned by ear. "Never on Sunday" is also a tune that's stood the test of time. I still hear it now and then, played by live bands or individual musicians.

The MN Mandolin Orchestra has that tune in its set-lists this summer! It's a fun tune to play.

[Mark Gunter]

re; Joey Bishop (Post #284)



It certainly looks like he's playing. I suspect that the mandolin story became part of the show because Joey already played the instrument. For those who missed the sixties, the tune is "Never on Sunday," a Greek pop tune and movie theme that quickly crossed borders. It's a great tune for mandolin, one of the first I learned by ear. "Never on Sunday" is also a tune that's stood the test of time. I still hear it now and then, played by live bands or individual musicians.

Perhaps that's a a banjo-uke on the wall.

Joey’s playing has been mentioned here in the past but not sure whether that clip’s been posted before, I hadn’t seen it before, but have seen pics of him with it. A few years ago his mandolin came up for auction and was discussed here.

With the Lennon Sisters

[tmsweeney]

from the film "Hannibal Rising" -the very gruesome fishing butcher scene, not sure the tune he is playing sounds Baroque, he is playing Elizabeth Cotton Left handed, not sure if the director intended that or just didn't know the difference

[journeybear]

So this is cool. I am a big fan of all things rat pack. So one thing that is sometimes fruitful is to just google something you have interest in, with the added word mandolin, and see what comes up.

So I tried "Joey Bishop Mandolin" and got this:

Should have plugged in that EM-150! That would have really wowed 'em!

... the tune is "Never on Sunday," a Greek pop tune and movie theme that quickly crossed borders. It's a great tune for mandolin, one of the first I learned by ear. "Never on Sunday" is also a tune that's stood the test of time.

I included it in my Italian restaurant gig, along with other not-strictly Italian numbers, like "Lara's Theme" (from "Dr. Zhivago), "Yerakina" (a greek folk tune), and even "Blue Bayou" (the bartender's favorite), which I schmaltzed up severely.

Is that some kind of primitive 4 string banjolin hanging on the wall (probably a good place for it) in Joey B's closet?

That looks like a Chinese instrument, with those tuning pegs. The short neck makes me think it's a yueqin.

[tmsweeney]

more mandolins in horror -this looks like a Portuguese mandola to me - there is a shot of the head stock as well, the music with violin is actually very cool, Hungarian perhaps, from the movie "Queen of the Damned" from the Anne Rice inspired trilogy.

[JeffD]

That looks like he might be playing the song for real...or at least a really good synch, as the fingerings seem to match.

I know he really played. Also, if they wanted to over dub it, they could have found a fancier, more showey television version, instead of his fairly workmanlike version.