The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-11
THE MANDOLIN,
Salt Lake Is Ahead is the Use Of the
Instruments.

Salt Lake Is Ahead is the Use OF the
Instruments.
The mandolin is not new instrument in
Salt Lake, and its popularity is established
beyond peradventure. The musical sense
OF this musical city early OWNED the posi-
bilities of the mandolin, while other cities
scarcely began to appreciate it. In New
Y ork it is learned from an esteemed con-
temporary, it is Just now all the rage: and,
as an uptown music dealer expressed it the
other night. during the next twenty-five
years 1t Will probably be the most fashion
8ole and most played instrument in the M
per tendon of America
The reasons why the mandolin is to be so
much liked are many. IL the first place its
debut into metropolitan homes has been so
successful that its destiny cannot now be
diverted. Everybody knows how the banjo
suddenly leaped from the negro bungalows
OF the south into the parlors of the best
New York families. Yet compare the two
instruments, and see how supremely bet
ter bred is the mandolin. Its long history
is one of Romantic love and poetry. 1t has
Tor centuries been a favorite among the
Latin races of Europe. Its sweet music
has been a soothing balm to hearts for ages
back. There is sentimentality in its very
structure, and Its plaintiVe notes, for mel
ody and expression, have no equal That
Is why 1t has always lived among the mel
low climes of the Mediterranean, that foun-
tain of the muses.. its value there to suing
lover and dreamy maidens has been too
strong to let it die
But now that we Americans are begin
ming to make pretensious toward senti-
mentality, we take the little instrument up.
The great Mozart loved it, ard indicated il
in the score of don Giovanni in his ia
nous serenade.
But what is its history and description?
1t is, we find, q member of the great lutte
family, and originally came from the east,
as did the harp, guitar and many other
stringed instruments. There is nothing
definitely known about its age, but there
records of similar instruments having been
used in the Roman Empire during the days
OF the Caesars. In fact, it has been sug-
gested that Nero played upon a mandolin,
or a species of lutte, when Rome was burn
ing, instead of the historical fiddle"
AT any rate, the mandolin was an old in
strument couple of centuries ago, having
then, after a long series of evolutions,
reached its present shape at Naples That
city has always claimed the honor and
credit Of it's origin, and to-day it is known
as a Neapohtan instrument There is, how
ever, a Milanese mandolin, but it contains
two more strings, and lacks in both merit
and favor.
The Neapolitan mandolin is about two
feet long and in shape resembles nothing as
much as half pear. Indeed, if the stem of
pear were bent slightly at the tip, and a
small wedge-like slice cut from the bottom,
the result would be perfect model of a
mandolin. The body or kettle of the instru-
ment is made Of various kinds of wood, gen.
orally of rose wood or mahogany. The
wood is first shaped into small ribs and then
glued together with great skill. The sound
board is made of one piece of maple or rose
wood. 1t contains a sound hole, sometimes
inlaid with pearl or ivory.
The finger board IS of polished ebony, and
contains sixteen frets. The head is similar
to that of Iitar, there being a screw for
each string. This is frequently carved for
characterization. The instrument has eight
wire strings, which are tuned in para
When open they denote +, A, d and O.
Great care is necessary in tuning, that the
pairs exactly chord. The strings are ther
touched, two at a time, with small tor
is sweet aud p aintlve, unlike that OF any
other instrument.
1t requires great skill to play the mando-
/ lin, the chief difficulty being in the per
formance of the tremolo. This is accom-
plished by delicate culver of the pick
which gives the music a superb sweetness:
and expression. The tremolo is mastered
only after long practice.
I Maudolins are expensive. A very ordin-
airy one will cost $40 or SIS; splendid one:
can be had for S35 and $40 however. Ther
they go up as high as 500 and 5000 Sucl
instruments are only superior in the man
ner OF their workmanship. A good cheal
mandolin can be had for s. or $40, but i
differs in shape, generally being fat instead
/ Of oval. All mandolins are benefited by az
and plenty Of USE