Italian Sonatas for Mandoline

Classical mandolin refers to the Western art‑music tradition of writing for and performing on the mandolin, from the Baroque and Classical eras through the Romantic period and into the contemporary concert repertoire. Centered originally in 18th‑century Naples, the tradition includes solo sonatas, concerti, chamber music with continuo, and later Romantic character pieces and virtuoso showpieces. Typical textures rely on the mandolin’s bright, bell‑like attack and sustained tremolo to emulate a singing line, supported by functional tonal harmony. Across the 19th and early 20th centuries the instrument also fostered large mandolin orchestras (plectrum ensembles), a pedagogical literature, and a distinctive performance practice that remains active today both in historically informed performance and in new commissions.