Customer Reviews

All The Rage - Mandolin Ensemble Music From 1897-1924

5 star:		(2)
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3 star:		(1)
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This CD contains historically important mandolin music, which is lively and performed with peerless artistry. The Nashville Mandolin Ensemble provides a valuable musical perspective of the fretted instrument orchestras that were "All the Rage" at the dawn of the twentieth century. The repertoire is varied and delightful. The uniqueness of this CD will result in its being played over and over.

In this CD, the mandolin is portrayed in its full potential. This instrument has served for centuries as the melody and voice of the strings in many Mediterranean countries. Today few people pay much attention to its value and former glory.
Some even regard it as an "Italian" instrument, where in fact the precursors were originated as far back as the Babylonian empire.
The mandolin is not only an instrument of melody, but it is also a portrayer of rhytm, candor, passion and feelings.
This CD is a "must have" for those who care to explore the wonders of this instrument.

This album contains music of historical importance for the mandolin. Two of the songs (My Heart at Thy Sweet Voice & Gallantry) were extremely beautiful, and were instantly among my all-time mandolin favorites. Much of the album, however, was too brash & too tinny for my taste. The "cascading tremolo" I was expecting was not as pervasive as I might have wished. If you are particularly fond of marches & dances (waltz, polka, etc.), this might be a great choice for you, but I could do without the bravado.