Bibliography of Classical Mandolin articles in the Mandolin World News (1976-1984)

By John Goodin

Today, in 2004, we are fortunate to have a number of fine publications dedicated to the mandolin. The Mandolin Quarterly, Mandolin Magazine and our own Mandolin Journal provide timely coverage of news in the mandolin world, interviews with leading mandolin players and excellent teaching columns. In addition the internet brings us a huge quantity of information about the mandolin and its music, much of it extremely valuable.

This was not the case in 1976 when David Grisman began publishing the Mandolin World News. From 1976-1984 the MWN was the main source of information for mandolin players in the English-speaking world. Having recently completed my collection of MWN I have here listed the various articles and music examples that might be considered “classical” which appeared in each issue of the magazine that “fits in your case.”

I’m as hesitant as anyone to define what “classical” might mean to mandolinists. My rule of thumb here has been to include anything that isn’t bluegrass, jazz, pop or blues. So I include the articles on Dave Apollon despite his vaudeville associations but exclude Jethro Burns as a serious jazz player. The Mandolin World News was bold in its inclusion of many kinds of music and musicians from many countries but, since the demise of the magazine, its founders have been even bolder in embracing mandolin music in all its forms and inspiring us all to enjoy and appreciate an even broader world of mandolin music.

Spring 1976

Black, Bob. “Sources”, p.7-10: Lists books, magazines, publishers of mandolin sheet music and recordings in the U.S. and Europe.

Music: Beethoven, “Sonatine in C major” (first 18 measures), p. 13.

Summer 1976

Bruen, Bob. “Rudy Cipolla Interview”, p. 5-7.

Music: Cipolla, Rudy. “Study for Two Mandolins”, p. 10-12.

Autumn 1976

Mair, Marilyn. [Letter to the editors introducing herself with biographical information]

Winter 1976-77

“Lives of the Great Mandolinists: Ferdinando de Christofaro”, p. 7, 20.

Music: Christofaro. “Christofaro Etude for Two Mandolins”, p. 10.

Music: Grisman, David. “Opus 38 for Mandocello”, p. 14.

Spring 1977

Carlin, Nancy. “Sources: Mandolin/Mandora Music in the Microfilm library of the Lute Society of America”, p. 10.

Mair, Marilyn. “Studying with Hladky”, p. 15-16.

Summer 1977

Hambley, Scott. “The Munier Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra”, p. 21-22.

Autumn 1977

Grisman, David. “The Dave Apollon story, part 1: from Russia to Vaudeville 1897-1940”, p. 4-7.

Apollon, Dave. “Notes on a Mandolin”, p. 16.

Ware, Tim. “On Becoming a Virtuoso”, p. 17-18.

Marshall, Edward. “A Mandolin Saved His Life: the experiences of a vaudeville artist in the Russian revolution as related by Dave Apollon to Edward Marshall”, p. 19-20.

Winter 1977-78

“Lives of the Great Mandolinists: Carlo Munier, 1859-1911”, p. 12-14 (includes musical exercises).

Cipolla, Rudy. “Speaking of the Mandolin”, p. 26.

Summer 1978

“Hugo D’Alton” [composite interview conducted by David Grisman, Darol Anger and Liz Lamson], p. 4-8, 23-25.

“Classical Zupf-fest in Germany”, p. 19-21.

Bach, J. S. “Fugue in G minor” [first 14 measures of a movement from the 1^st solo violin sonata, arranged by Darol Anger for two mandolins], p. 9-10.

Winter 1978-79

Music: Wakefield, Frank. “Jesus Loves His Mandolin Player / No. 16”, p.11-12, 33.

Music: Bach, J.S. “Minuet No. 2” [arranged by Darrell Jones from the Suzuki violin method]

Summer 1979

Kaye, Anthony. “Bach Prelude for Quintet”, p. 16.

Music: Bach, J.S. “Bb Minor Prelude from Well-Tempered Clavier” [arranged by Anthony Kaye], p. 17-20.

Autumn 1979

Lamson, Liz. “Vinzenz Hladky, September 22, 1900-May 25, 1979”, p. 16, 31.

Spring 1980

Hambley, Scott. “Mandolin Bibliography” [pt. 1], p. 20-24. A major listing of journals with mandolin content.

Music: Porter, Ted. “Speriamus”, p. 37.

Summer 1980

Hambley, Scott. “Mandolin Bibliography; Part Two”, p. 15-18.

Autumn 1980

“Abraham Leibovitz Interview”, p. 7-12.

Music: Bach, J.S. “Two-part invention no. 10” [arranged by Abraham Leibovitz], p. 13-16.

Grisman, David. “Dave Apollon, part 2”, p.17-20.

Music: Apollon, Dave. “Russian Rag”, 21-22, 25.

“Dave Apollon Discography”, p. 26-27.

Music: Cipolla, Rudy. “Study”, p. 29-30.

Winter 1980-81

D’Alton, Hugo. “On the Construction of the Authentic Mandolin”, p. 21-24.

Spring 1981

Record Review: Mair-Davis Duo. “Music for Guitar and Mandolin”, p. 18.

Summer 1981

Music: Mozart, W.A. “Come, Dearest Mandolin, Come”, p. 27.

Autumn 1981

Hunt, Charles. “History of the Mandolin”, p. 8-12.

Record Review: Keith Harris. “The Virtuoso Mandolin”, p. 22

Music: Krstenansky, John. “Dark Corridors”, p. 36-37.

Bickford, Zarh Myron. “Playing the Mandolin”, p. 42. [Originally published in Banjo, Mandolin & Guitar, April, 1957.]

Winter 1981-82

Mair, Marilyn. “Classical Mandolin: Sources”, p. 26-27.

Music: Mozart, W.A. “Upside Down Canon”, p. 28-29.

Music: Grisman, David. “Opus 57”, p. 52-53.

Spring 1982

Bruce, Dix. “Keith Harris Interview”, p. 5-13.

Mair, Marilyn. “Classical Mandolin: Classical Background”, 22-24.

Music: Fouchetti. “Serenaden und Sonaten: for two mandolins (1770)”, p. 28.

Summer 1983

Mair, Marilyn: “Classical Mandolin: Technique”, p. 21-23.

Music: Bach, J.S. “Bouree; from the 1^st lute suite”, p.24-25.

Music: Holden, Marcus. “Mandolin Rag” [for 2 mandolins], p. 38-39.

Autumn 1983

Davis, Mark. “Festival of Mandolins”, p. 16-18.

Mair, Marilyn. “Classical Mandolin: the Tremelo”, p. 24-25.

Record Review: Takashi Ochi with Orchestre de Chambre Paul Kuentz. “Concertos pour Mandoline et Orchestre”, p. 44.

Record Review: Emanuil Sheynkman. “The Art of the Mandolin”, p. 44-45.

Music Review: Neil Gladd, ed. “2 Airs for Solo Mandolin by Sig. Leoni of Naples”, p.48.

Spring 1984

(no issues published between Autumn 1983 and Spring 1984)

Mair, Marilyn. “Classical Mandolin: Beethoven and the Mandolin”, p. 20-23.

Music: Beethoven. “Beethoven’s Sonatina”, p. 23.

Record Review: The Providence Mandolin Orchestra. “Showcase”, p. 37-38.

Music Review: Sol Goichberg. “35 Progressive Mandolin Etudes”, p. 42.

Summer 1984

Mair, Marilyn. “Classical Mandolin: The American Mandolin Orchestra”, p. 23-24.

Record Review: Tim Ware Group. “Shelter from the Norm”, p. 42-43.

Music Review: Konrad Wolki. “School for Mandolin, v.1-2; Mandoline Allein; Mandoline zu Zweit”, p. 45.

Fall 1984

Music: Ostroushko, Peter. “Friedrich Polka”, p. 11-17.

Record Review: Howard Frye. “Classical Mandolin: a memorial album”, p. 51-52.

Winter 1984

Hammond, Bob. “Interview: Herman von Bernewitz”, p. 3-7.

Music: Siegel, Samuel. “The Boston Ideal March”, p. 8-10.

Eidson, Ken. “Classical Column”, p. 22-23.

Music: Bratton, J.W. “My Sunflower Sue”, p. 23-25.