Love for Mandolin: A Folk Music
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Written by Nitiphat N.
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Saturday, 08 March 2008 |
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Mandolin is a stringed musical instrument that evolved from Mandora. Historically, mandolin originated in Naples in the lute family, however, in the 19th century, Mandolin took the form of stringed instrument as it was influenced by violin. This made mandolin famous throughout the world. Mandolin is available in various variants that come with four strings, six strings and sixteen strings. The method of playing mandolin is somehow similar to violin but it also quite different from these instruments. For the one who have some experience about mandolin may have clearer and better idea about how it looks like and how nice this instrument is, but for ones who never have experience, it may takes time until you have a chance to practice it yourself.
Basically, mandolin is of oval shape with a sound hole. It comes with a hollow wood body, fret board and pin blocks where strings are attached. A mandolin looks similar to a small guitar and is available in several forms such as Neapolitan, Portuguese and European styles.
The popularity of mandolin in Europe is credited to Orville Gibson’s Gibson’s Guitar manufacturing Co. that revolutionized the mandolin with Florentine style that was decorated. Mandolins are usually used as an accompaniment to folk music rather than to any other form of music. However, mandolin is not a single instrument as there are many variants in the mandolin family that include mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello, mando-bass, piccolo, Irish bouziki and cittern.
Mandolin is a famous traditional Irish instrument and some popular Irish mandolin artists include Mick Moloney, Andy Irvine, Paul Kelly and John Sheahen. Apart from Ireland, mandolin is famous among nations such as India, Greece, Brazil and Continental Europe. Given the popularity of mandolin, it is such a musical instrument that will never fade form the face of music as it has created its own history that dates back from 8000 B.C. and is well documented in 711 A.D by the Moors.
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