I want to know the answer to the following question:
Which mandolin was preferred for formal performances and recordings?
All the background I'm provided with is that "Though almost any variety of acoustic mandolin might be adequate for Irish traditional music, virtually all Irish players prefer flat-backed instruments with oval sound holes to the Italian-style bowl-back mandolins or the carved-top mandolins with f-holes favoured by bluegrass mandolinists.". Is that enough to answer the question?
Answer: no