New-York tribune., 1918-10-20

The War Makes
The Banjo Popular
by Zarh Myron Bickford


cans tine high -brvwsJ to look askanrn
at the mandolin, the banjo. the yn;tnr
ana all Kindred Instruments hnf +h;s
great war in which we are euyaoad has
brought to light the fact that the ;ms
ssrruments that really appeal to the
S.,ts Swts VINO need amusement are not
hutes, piceolos, clarinets or saxonhonas
almost ali at which would h. sas;sn -,
mentS. esso Astku-
AhSse instruments have. Of course
oeen snc favorftes OF cuflege bows fnr
years, out recent years have saor
remarkable development both in tho
manufacture and in general standard
struments. ~A sAc HI
The only real American instruments *,
the hanJo-the instrument that was
hrse mace popular by negro minstrels
and was Tor long time supposed TO Ia
the Hegro's Instrument. This instr1,-
ment Is said to have been invented hu
one sweeney, SoutheYner, in the davs
before the Civil War. N"s'
Mhether TINS be true or not its deyel-
opment has at least been due to Amer-
leans There have been many excellen+
playess, but the one name that stands
out above them alt as an artist 10 thai
OF Alfred A. Farland. He it was who
proved. by his marvellous technic. his
muslcal insight and his untirng devo-
t'on TO the best in music (Which is still
unabated' that the bano was not
merely an instrument suited tn ;;ys
and breakdowns, but was really capable
OF taxing its place in the sun as q
musical instrument
ne was the fsrst to adapt and reallv
RAY such masterpieces as the MendelS-
sohn viohn concerto, Beethoven So
nseas' tne Liszt arrangement Of Paga-
nlnIs "Campanella," and dozens of
Slmliar works. That the banjo is loved
py thousands OF people from all cor
ners of the land is shown bv the
enormous sale of phonograph records
made ON the instrument.
The mandolin has had a shorter
career III America than the banjo. hav-
ing been introduced in 1879 by a troupe
Of ,so-called Spanish students Greatly
ltailans), who soon disbanded and set
tlea IN various parts of the country.
AT that time all mandolins had TO
be imported from Italy, but American
manufacturers soon began to supply
the demand, and at the present time
the best mandolins in the world, as
well as instruments of practically
every kind, are made in this country.
The Italian style is the familiar bowl
shaped or potato bug" model, but for
the last fifteen years various manu-
facturers have made a violin or fat
model, which is now equally as popular
as the older style
The mandolin is adapted to prac-
tlcally all styles Of music. from the
lightest of popular songs to the classics
OF the masters, and, strange as it NAV
seem to those who have not heard it,
good music is effective on the mando-
lin when it is well played. There are
: many sololsts who are capable Of play
ing violin concertos and such other
works of that nature which are suitable
for the instrument
Unfortunately, the mandolin, in com
mon with the other fretted instru-
ments, has suffered through the more
or less inscriptions methods, not to
say incompetence, of certain teachers.
For example, those teachers who at
tempt to catch the unwily by Offering
complete course" in five or ten les
sons and at a bargain price, or by
guaranteeing to do certain palpabiy i'm
possible things in q certain time or
money back" have served to disgust
and discourage more people, ene could
almost say, than legitimate and capable
teachers can interest.
The fretted Instruments have suf-
fcred more from the "eheap" teacher
than any other family of instruments,
the reason, no doubt, being that, owing
to the comparative ease with which a
gained, such so-called "teachers." after
having acquired the ability to play
few tunes, have suddenly become pro
fessors," and retailed their knowledge
at 35, so or rs cents, or more If they
could get it. Any teacher Of the fretted
instruments. if he is really capable and
has received the proper education him
self, should and does command price
for his instruction which compares
iavorably with the standard price of
lessons on other Instruments.
The introduction in recent years of
the deeper voiced instruments, man
dola, niando cello and mando bass. to
the mandolin family has resulted in the
development of the mandolin orchestra
to such an extent that many standard
works can be very effectively rendered,
with all the voices brought out in the
proper manner. The mando cello, an
instrument having the tuning and
voice Of the regular cello, but played
with plectrum in the mandolin style,
has a beautiful quality of tone, and is
very effective as solo instrument,
much OF the literature of the cello
being perfectly adapted TO it.
1t should be mentioned that the man
dolin was played and written for by
many of the old masters, among them
being Beethoven, who composed a Soma