Savannah morning news., 1886-02-24
MANDOLIN PLAYERS.
A Romant IDstrument Becoming Pop
ular Among Washington Ladies'.
ro-. III, CgJr


ular Among Washington Ladies'.
From, tie Star.
yFThex.trfln them with bright ribbons" ="
sstd n music dealer, as he took down 1
ltfttegotIrdsshaped instrument and ran
his fingers across the strings. 'They tie
adkderent colored RIBBON to each. key aud
lsJ them hang down about yard and a
half. They are very pretty. The music
is sweeter than thst-of a guitar"
what is it%' asked the reporter.
"a mandolin. They are getting 10 be
the rage among young ladies hi society
here. ] expect they Will drive the banjo
out of good society. 1t is a lighter and
more delicate instrument, and is, as you
see, very pretty. Just the thing for lady.
There are quite number OF young ladies
here who play on them beautifully. Then
they have the advantage OF being eXclu-
siye. They are not found except in the
best society, and young ladies take pride
in playing them 10 show that they have
been abroad. You see. only ladies who
have travelled abroad can play them, as
there are no teachers here. 1t is just
the proper ebing to know how TO handle a
mandolin, and some young ladies VINO
have never crossed the broad Atlantic,
but-who want to keep up with the times,
are almost frantic to become masters OF
this instrument. The yeQrg lady who can
sit with these nany-colofed ribbons fall
ing gracefully over her arm, while she
picks sweet music from this little thing,
Is the envy of all ner female acquaint-
ances and the most admired by all roman
tic lovers. It's the instrument OF romance
and has something in its tones that en-
chants you and carries you TO the tiowery
banks of Italy, or tells you Of some Span
fS1, cy hnnnfIffIl
dens. Jealous lovers and all that is senti-
mental aud SPANISH Their native
melody in the accOmpaniment to "a love
song. 1t is a very old instrument, but has
never been used any 10y Americans until
now. The pattern is one of the oldest
there is, and it belongs to many national
Ities. This is the italian instrument.
The Romans played upon them. The
Spanish instrument Is ABOUT the same,
and the Spanish and Italians play them
most. In these countries they are the in
atruments for moonlight serenades. In
India there is some such al instlu lument,
and the Mexicans and even Chinese have
Instruments of the same class, though
nothing like as musical, They seem TO
have been the musical instruments of the
primitive nations, and probably had their
origin from the same sOurce--the gOurd.
Some of the Mexican instruments are
made of pottery.
'But this has reached the highest per-
fection OF them all, and is much more
musical and graceful in shape than either
the banjo or guitar. See how light and
pretty it isv' He held it out admiringly
and again ran his fingers across the
strings, then handed il 10 the scribe.
THE INSTRUMENT
is the same Anat Spanish Iseren aders are
always represented in pictures as,playing
on and those used by. the Spanish stu
dents. Its weight is almost nothing. II
is made entirely of wood like that used in
a violin. 1t b a. small fat body and a
short slender neck, slightly curved. 1t is
like a gOurd, only the lines are more
graceful, and is constructed on the prin-
ciple of a guitar, differing in shape and
tone. 1t has four unisOns or eight
strings, pairs alike. The two strings OF a
kind being close together prOlong the
sound, and being metallic have clear
tone. They are not picked with the
fingers, as a guitar or banjo, but with a
little fiat pieo9 of tortoise shell, held be-
tween the thumb and fOrefnger.
"a good player" continued the music
man, ''wuuid mold this shell thus, and
strike the strings III way to make them
trembie. like the voice in trilling. II is a
simple instrument, and not hard TO learn,
and the young ladies are wild about it,.
Those Sho have learned abroad have a
sort of m lopOly. 1t is so popular, how
ever, that presume it won't be long be-
fore a teacher springs up. | know Of
Young ladies who have offered as high as
five dollars lesson and could get no one
to teach them. There are several fashion
able ladies in Washington who play beau
tifully, and when they have sweet voices
g,.s., ~ Ic u ,Tf,fr
Every lady wants to play, and [ expect it
will supersede the banjo altogether. The
rage has Just started, butit has made good
progress. | can't name all the ladies VINO
have mandolins, but one OF the finest
know of IS owned by Mrs. Hallet Kill
bourn. She is a grand performer. She
plays exquisitely. The instrument she
mas is not less than two hundred years old.
Some other fine Instruments are in the
city, and there are a numberOf good play
ers among young ladies. Many who do
noi-play hang them upon the wall as Or
naments.
OTHER POPULAR INSTRUMENTS.
EWhat other instruments are popular
among Washington ladies"' asked the
scribe.
'sIhe banjo, you know, has been the rage
for long time. 1t is still popular, but
will probably wear out. The guitar will
always have a sale. one of the most re-
markabIe things is the popularity OF the
violin among Washington ladies'. There
are many very fine performers, and there
~ aladies' ViClinists club here, Ladies
seldom take to wind instruments, but
there are a few here whOplag on the cIari.
sonet. T. know OF none VINO plRy on the
bass horn, but l know one VINO likes the
big baSs-YiOI." ',s."-'' .%.st.- 80. /.
- F.