The Instruments of ´Het Consort´

Except for the guitarists all the musicians of ´Het Consort´ play on original Italian instruments of the Mandolin family.
The first and second mandolinists all use ´Embergher´ mandolins, made by either the Roman master luthier Luigi Embergher (1856-1943) himself, his successor Domenico Cerrone (1891-1954) or his son Giannino Cerrone (b.1924).
The mandolists play mandolas made by Luigi Embergher and the Neapolitan master luthier Raffaele Calace (1863-1934) and his son Giuseppe Calace (1899-1968).
To strengthen and to underline the sweet sound of the finger style played guitars, we are fortunate to add - there were this is needed - mandoloncellos. This nowadays hardly used member of the Mandolin family tuned CC-GG-dd-aa, is a colourful addition to our orchestra. Especially when played tremolo style an extra dimension is reached in the tenor line of the music. For this purpose either a Claudio Cavelli (act. ± 1925), a Giuseppe Calace and/or a Luigi Embergher mandoloncello is used.

Luigi Embergher

In some cases when more virtuosity is needed in the bass line, a five-course Liuto cantabile is preferred. With its tuning of CC-GG-dd-aa-ee, this instrument covers the range of the mandoloncello, the guitar and the mandola. We are fortunate to have one of these plectrum played instruments made by Ermelinda Silvestri (act.1881-1950, Catania) at our disposal.
The instruments played in the guitar group are of the so called ´Classical´ type and are build in the Spanish style by José Ramirez III (1922-1995, Madrid), David J. Rubio (1934-2001, Cambridge), Daniel Royé (b. 1956, Amsterdam) and Theo Scharpach (b. 1955, Bergeijk NL).
The modern guitars are sometimes replaced by Italian bass guitars of the first quarter of the 20th Century made by Luigi Mozzani (1869-1943, Cento), his pupil Claudio Gamberini (1895-1965, Cento) and Antonio IV Monzino (1847-1930, Milano).
For the bass part in the music an original Chitarrone moderno made by Vincenzo Miroglio (act, 1900-1950, Catania) is used. This plucked bass type was around 1900 specially designed by Italian luthiers. Their main goal was to create a bass with a sound that matched with the overall sound of a plucked string orchestra. Other makers who saw the necessity of the Chitarrone moderno, as a counterpart to the bowed bass of the violin family, were a.o. Raffaele Calace, Antonio IV Monzino and Luigi Mozzani.
The reason for ´The Consort´ to concertise on original Italian instruments of the mandolin family is because of their beauty of sound.
Especially concerning the mandolins and mandolas we have chosen the most famous and unsurpassed luthiers of the past. The richness of sound and well projecting quality of Luigi Embergher´s mandolins combined with the excellent made and sonorous sounding mandolas by both Raffaele and Giuseppe Calace create a natural and beautiful high section of first and second mandolins as well as an open and clear middle / section. Together with the dark and mellow sound of the guitars combined with mandoloncellos Liuto cantabiles and a plucked Chitarrone moderno by already mentioned other makers, give our orchestra its own Italian sound.

Plectra

Today, pieces or old plectra of tortoise shell of the shield of a Mediterranean turtle are hard to find, especially a long piece, as is required to make a ´Ranieri´ plectrum.

Silvio Ranieri

His plectrum design requires a piece of tortoise shell with a total length of 65mm, filed smoothly on both ends to a very thin and flexible thickness.
Because of the scarcity and due to the international ban in the 70´s on the use and distribution of tortoise shell, we had to find new material with a similar flexibility. We are happy to have found a good alternative in imitation tortoise shell made of celluloid.

Strings

In the past twelve years we have played several mandolin types. Of great importance was the choice of strings. Strong mandolins like the German instruments we used on our CD ´Aranci in Fiore´ can easily carry the high-tension flat-wound strings. These strings had the advantage (over round-wound strings) of smooth playing and less tuning problems because a wounded second (a´) string pair was included in the string set. Problems in getting a complete orchestra in tune and worries about staying in tune while performing almost disappeared from the first day flat-wound strings were on the market.
However, for the light-weight Italian mandolins, as they were built by the master luthiers like Embergher and Calace, it is better to choose strings as close as possible to the original strings manufactured by Roman and Neapolitan string makers of the time the instruments were made. The clear sound of those strings led to the typical vibrant sound of the best Italian instruments. Interesting is that one could buy ´Embergher´ strings made especially for the Mandolin family and that these were manufactured in the Embergher atelier itself. These strings were made of plain steel for the first and second courses and a steel core with a bronze wire winding for the third and fourth pair. Recent research has led to the conclusion that the bronze strings made by the German Lenzner firm, have much in common with the original Roman and Neapolitan strings of the time.
The Lenzner firm was established in 1900 and has a long tradition in string making. They produce all kinds of quality strings for plucked instruments and have experienced specialists who, when requested, make strings on special demand.
With the difficulties of the often, unbalanced a’-strings in mind, our question to them was whether it was possible to make a bronze round-wound second-string pair. Strings that stay tuned and that match in sound and tension with the other courses.
Through our contact with guitar and mandolin maker/restorer Hendrik van den Broek who, with his connections in the world of string making, it became possible to ask the specialists of the Lenzner firm to develop such strings. After trying several samples for weeks we can now say that the Lenzner Musiksaiten firm produces an excellent set of round-wound strings.
When these strings are used it is important to know that there is no need for compensation under the a´ string-pair on the bridge, like there is on the original bridges of the Roman instruments made by for instance De Santis, Maldura, Embergher, Egildo or Olivieri. It is therefore advised to make a copy of the original bridge without the compensation under the a´-string pair.
We are very happy that a new set, named after our orchestra, of medium tension round-wound strings was developed with a round wounded second string-pair and pleased that it is available for all those mandolinists who like to hear the clear sound of their original Italian mandolin.
The Lenzner ''Consort'' strings für historische Qualitäts- Mandolinen can be ordered through Hendrik van den Broek ´String Instruments´
(h.vanden.broek02@freeler.nl). Henk van den Broek.

© Alex Timmerman 2002