THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE MANDOLIN IN ITALY AND IN FLORENCE

The "Royal Circolo Mandolinisti Regina Margherita". 1. Guido Bizzari; 2. Luigi Bianchi; 3. Carlo Munier; 4. Leonida Giovannetti; 5. Ricardo Matini; 6. Amrigo Parini. (Photo courtesy of Ermanno Zappacosta)

During the second half of the 1800s and the first decades of the 1900s mandolin culture was widespread in Italy and today this period is defined as the "Golden Age" of the mandolin. Interest in the instrument was found in every social class and the instrumentalists were divided into "mandolinists who could read music" and "mandolinists who played by ear".

During this time, more precisely on March 1, 1881, the "Reale Circolo Mandolinistico Regina Margherita" (Royal Mandolin Society Queen Margherita) was created in Florence under the royal patronage of HM the Queen of Italy, who was not only an admirer of the instrument, but also an accomplished player. In fact, her mandolin, recently restored, was a "Vinaccia", specially made for her by the famous instrument maker of Napoli.

The city of Florence at this time was a great cultural magnet, attracting scientists and artists from throughout Italy and other European countries as well. Among the musicians who came from other regions of Italy were Giuseppe Bellenghi and Carlo Munier, both members of the prestigious "Circolo Regina Margherita". Munier, known at the time as "poet and idealist", was also director of the Circolo and achieved great fame both for his mandolin talent and for his numerous compositions for solo mandolin and other instruments. In the course of time, the Circolo had other directors, such as Walter Graziani and Riccardo Matini. Many other artists took part in the life of the Circolo: the baritones Casini, Battistini and Poul; the tenors Baldini and Mozzi; the reknown singers Vandar, Bulicioff, Frandin; the sisters Ravogli as well as the harpist Lorenzi and the violinists Chiostri and Banti.

One of the important plectrum orchestras created in Florence at the end of the 1800s was the "Orchestra of the Cocchiate" directed by Giuseppe Bellenghi. It was established by some members of the Florentine nobility with the intention of reviving the ancient tradition of performing open-air serenades on wagons or carriages. Other orchestras of that period were the "Circolo dei Visacci" (Visacci is the popular name of the Palazzo Altoviti located at Borgo degli Albiti No. 18), the "Circolo di Firenze" and the "Circolo A. Fridzeri" which was named in honor of the famous 18th century musician.

The deaths of some of the grand figures who represented the Golden Age of the mandolin, and specifically the death of Carlo Munier (Firenze, 10 February 1911) represent the break between the two epochs of the mandolin. Some orchestras actively took on the task of following in Munier’s tradition, for example, "Società Orchestrale a Plettro Fiorentina Carlo Munier" directed by Zulimo Pratesi. This orchestra remained active until a few years before the Second World War.