| | From
PHILIP J. BONE , The Guitar and Mandolin, 1914:
Laurentiis, Carmine de,
an Italian mandolinist and guitarist of repute, who lived in Naples
during the first half of the nineteenth century. He is principally
renowned for being the first teacher to give serious instruction on the
mandolin to the virtuoso and composer Carlo Munier, when a boy.
Laurentiis laid the foundations of a correct and
intelligent system of technique, which, developed by
experience and the natural genius of his pupil,
produced one of the greatest exponents of the mandolin.
Laurentiis was the author of a Method for the mandolin,
published in 1869 by Ricordi, Milan, and this is unique, for
it is the earliest published method for the instrument which
maintains its usefulness and popularity to the present day. It
is written upon an excellent system of mechanism, its studies are
admirable in their conception, well-arranged, and the method concludes
with six original and musicianly caprices for mandolin solo.
This volume, the excellence of which is in its exercises and studies
rather than its didactics, passed many editions. An English translation
was edited and revised by F. Sacchi, a Cremonese mandolinist
and literateur, who lived for some years in London, and there
imparted instruction in mandolin playing to their Royal Highnesses
the Princesses Victoria and Maud of Wales. | |
