# Music by Genre > Orchestral, Classical, Italian, Medieval, Renaissance >  Carlo de Filippis recording

## Charles E.

Years ago my stepmother gave me a couple of LP's of her uncle, Carlo de Filippis playing with The Mandolin & Guitar Society Orchestra of Romantic Instruments. They were recorded some time in the early to mid 50's on RCA and MGM custom record dept's. These records were made for the orchestra and I dont think they were commercally available. The only recording I can find on line is a recording Don Carlo did with Leonard Bernstein of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
So here is Concert Fantasy on a theme by Hayden, arr. by De Filippis solo by De Filippis.

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DavidKOS, 

mandoisland, 

ShariLee

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## Jim Garber

Thanks, Charley, for posting that mp3. I haven't heard anything by Don Carlo.

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## Jim Garber

This one was available on the Mandolin & Guitar Society label: Carlo de Filippis, Mandolin.

It looks like he played a Martin style 20.

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DavidKOS

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## Charles E.

Thats the one. Great work Jim. The other record is  "Mandolins & Guitars in Hi Fi " by the RCA custom record dept.
I will post another sound file soon.

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## Jim Garber

Do you have the playlists for both the LPs? Just curious what he played on them.

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## Alex Timmerman

Nice Charley! 

Thanks for informing us about Carlo de Filippis and for the mp3!

Cheers,

Alex

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## Margriet

Thanks, Charley,
for me the motive to register and my first reaction on mandolincafé. I like a lot this kind of sharing and I am looking forward for more mp3.
Margriet

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## Charles E.

Here is another peice from the MGM record. This is an original composition by Carlo De Filippis titled "souvenir". He plays it as a solo.

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DavidKOS

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## mandopops

Here's my info on Carlos & the Bernstein connection. Years ago(50's-60's ?)  Bernstein recorded the "Vivaldi Concerto in C for Diverse Instruments (With Mandolins)." The two mandolinists were Giovanni Vicari (my teacher) & Carlo de Filippis.
I remember Mr. Vicari had a photo in his apartment of the 3 of them together.(Bernstein,Carlo, Vicari). In the photo Mr. Vicari was holding some old Lyre-Style mandolin (he said they loaned it to him for the session) & Carlo was holding a Martin like the one he has on the album cover above. I thought he was holding Mr. Vicari's Martin, but maybe they both used the same model Martin. 
I still have my old lp copy. I like this piece because of the different instruments mixed w/ the Mandolins in the ensemble passages, & all the instruments,including the mandolins, get solo passages sprinkled throughout.

It was recorded on Columbia w/ other Vivaldi pieces. I think I either bought in on CD(or Down loaded from I-Tunes) the re-released version. It has a mess of other stuff Bernstein did of Vivaldi. Maybe the "Four Seasons", but the other pieces are without Mandolins.

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DavidKOS, 

ShariLee

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## Charles E.

On both of the records it states " C.F. Martin Instruments Used "

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DavidKOS

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## Charles E.

Thank you all for your interest in Don Carlo's music, Here is one more. 
Mazurka-Concerto by Munier. Carlo De Filippis on mandolin, Andrew Restivo on guitar.

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DavidKOS

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## Margriet

Again thanks for posting some other ones. It sounds pure and warm. Some more  :Smile: ?
Margriet

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## Bruce Clausen

Nice to find this thread.  It sounds like de Filippis was one of the last of that breed of mandolinist, a rough-and-ready virtuoso steeped in Italian tradition.  Vicari was another, and it's nice to know the two played together, and great to hear that one of us studied with Vicari.  This is on my mind because I've just stumbled upon a wonderful recording of La Cumparsita on Youtube by "Juan Vicari y su Genial Orquesta", made in Uruguay around 1940:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgGLc11DlAM

Also a brief biography of Vicari:

http://www.themtstudio.com/AMOG/A_Ma...ld/Vicari.html

I'd be interested in hearing more of both players, if anyone has more info.

BC

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DavidKOS

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## Jim Garber

I have a great LP of Vicari's and now that I have a way to digitize will try to convert. Some nice playing. Many of his orchestra stuff has way too little mandolin on it. His alter ego, Juan, was his way of making a living on multiple levels. There were quite a few older members of the NY Mandolin Orchestra who took lessons from GV. 

Barry Mitterhoff was playing a concert in southern Westchester a number of years ago and he played a famous Vicari piece, Migiavacca. A woman came up to him at the end of the concert and told him that her husband used to play that same piece. yes, it was Mrs. Vicari. I think Barry visited her and her son in Long Island. There was some talk of their reissuing some of his recordings, but I have a feeling that it fell by the wayside.

The other one to watch out for is Giovanni Giovale. David Grisman reissued prob most if not all of his recordings on this disc. Highly recommended!!

Also: FMI has a nice page for Sr. Giovale with sheet music and mp3s.

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DavidKOS, 

ShariLee

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## Bruce Clausen

Thanks for the info, Jim.  I didn't realise  till now Vicari was a New York player. I know Vicari and Giovale mostly from the Rounder compilation I got on your recommendation a year or so ago.  Giovale is really fantastic, in the same tradition but maybe a cut above for sheer virtuosity.  Mario de Pietro is another in that league, judging from his one mandolin tune on the Rounder disc.  Nice to see the free Giovale downloads available on the FMI site;  I will get the Grisman product as well.  

Bruce

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## Jim Garber

Giovale only spent a few years over here and moved back to Italy. My friend in Rome has done much research and has been in contact with the Giovale family. There has been some copies of Giovale pieces from a folio he published. Some (I think) are on the FMI site.

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## mandopops

Yes, Mr. Vicari was an amazing player on all his instruments. Mandolin,Banjo, Guitar. I heard him play Mandola, Mando-cello, & a Greek Bouzoki. I never heard him play Violin, but it was one of his instruments.

 His releases are very commercial Italian music, but he was trying to make a living. Hence the Juan Vicari Latin recording and playng for Broadway shows, 'Sound of Music' 'Hello Dolly' etc.. Though to be in the room with him he could play all the dazzling stuff Giovale and the others played,  Duo-style, double trills, and a major speed demon. He also loved improvising. He would sink if I couldn't play my part correctly, so he could jam around it, & he'd have to revert to playing his part "straight".  There is a book about D'Angelico & D'Aquisto that mentions Mr. Vicari playing Paganini Caprices on Mandolin. I believe it.

I just plain loved my time w/ him as a person as well. Before our lessons we'd have his fresh brewed expresso and talk over the weeks events.(It was sort of the parallel universe to lessons w/ Jethro. He'd say "Get you a cold one,Buddy?" And grab a lite beer from the fridge.)Anyway I could go on & on. I feel lucky to have been his pupil. And Jethro's too.

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DavidKOS

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## Mandophile

I love being able to listen to "Souvenir" and follow it in Neil Gladd's new book. I've done this with a few already but to hear the composer on his own composition is special.

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Charles E.

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## Charles E.

Wow, now that's what I call a thread bump! Eighteen years and a month.    :Smile:

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DavidKOS

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## DavidKOS

> Wow, now that's what I call a thread bump! Eighteen years and a month.



The music is timeless.

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ShariLee

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## Jim Garber

> Wow, now that's what I call a thread bump! Eighteen years and a month.


Huh? The date of your first post is Jan-02-2010. That makes the bump 8 years and 4 months. In any case, it might be a record though the Flatiron thread might have you beat.

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## Charles E.

Brain fart on my part Jim!  Sorry about that.

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## Jim Garber

No problem, Charley. Welcome to the club!

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## Mandophile

I'd like to contribute that in my research I was always surprised by how much camaraderie existed among those mandolinists who were probably stepping on each other's turf, so to speak. (six degrees of separation?) In my research on Pettine, he traveled to Manhattan often and did appear at least once as a soloist on the stage with Di Filippis as conductor of the NYMO ca. early 1930s. At a time when the world was disintegrating from the Great Depression, it is nice to know that they depended on each other for their 'separate' successes.
Also re Garber's comment about 'multiple' revenue levels, I think today we call them entrepreneurs.  ;-)

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DavidKOS, 

ShariLee

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## Neil Gladd

> I love being able to listen to "Souvenir" and follow it in Neil Gladd's new book. I've done this with a few already but to hear the composer on his own composition is special.


I was just going to mention that!

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## ShariLee

My Aunt Esther de Filippis was married to and played with Carlo.

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Charles E.

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## ShariLee

My Aunt Esther de Filippis was married and played either mandolin or guitar with Carlo.

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## ShariLee

Charles E., Carlo de Filippis was my Great Uncle

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## Eugene

There are also some ca. late teens–early '20s 78-rpm records by Alessios–De Filippis Mandolin Orchestra (always with a dash on the records' labels implying "and") and the associated chamber group, the Athenian Mandolin Quartet, that involved a "De Filippis" or "Defilippis."  However, I can't find anything to really confirm that the "De Filippis" to associate with Elias Alessios in these projects was Carlo (1890–1966).  Does anybody know; was it?

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## Mandophile

The were collaborators. Alessios was of Greek birth and composed one dance (in the ballo liscio Dropbox miscellaneous folder)  
 here're 2 articles, one dated 1934, on Maestro Carlo De Filippis. He played in the Athenian Mandolin Quartet, and I believe Alessios was a member. can't find specific notes at this moment.

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Eugene

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## Charles E.

> Charles E., Carlo de Filippis was my Great Uncle


ShariLee, sent you a PM.

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## Charles E.

If anyone is interested, I could post the post the two LPs that I have in their entirety here in the future. Provided it does not violate posting guidelines.

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Eugene

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## Joe Bartl

There are four recordings (78s) you can stream from the Library of Congress's National Jukebox *here*.
Joe

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Eugene

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## Eugene

There are also 78s of the intro and waltz "A Walk in the Forest" (Edison Blue Amberol 3193) and song "That Dreamy Dreamy Lullaby" (Edison Blue Amberol 3653) by the Alessios–De Filippis Mandolin Orchestra in circulation.  I'm not certain from what archive I downloaded them now, but do know that they were downloaded from some PD-recording site.

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## Charles E.

Eugene mentioned to me that he saw Carlo De Filippis's mandolin for sale in the past...

https://www.millrivermusic.com/listi...-case/35218362

I wonder how long ago that was and where it is now?

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Eugene

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## mandopops

Ill jump back in. My last post, some 10 years ago, I wrote about the Bernstein Vivaldi Mandolin Lp with Mr. Vicari & Mr. de Filippis. & there was a photo on Mr. Vicaris wall. I recently acquired a copy. It was personal, so Ill keep that private. Youll see Bernstein, deep in thought & smoking, with our Mandolin heroes looking on. Vicari is holding the Lyre-Mandolin & de Filippis holding a Martin. 
This is a historic photo. I thought I should attach it to this thread.
Joe B

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Eugene, 

frankie, 

Mandophile

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## Mandophile

Joe, what a fabulous intersection of talent! I'm trying to think about where Bernstein's scores use mandolins. early 50s photo? illuminate us, please.

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mandopops

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## mandopops

I believe the recording date is 1960(?). It is the Vivaldi Concerto in C for diverse instruments with Mandolins. I still have the vinyl Lp. I found a photo of the back credits, saves me the trouble of taking mine out of its frame. I talked about this at the beginning of this thread on the first page, some 10 years ago.
Fabulous intersection of talent, indeed. Well put, Sheri,
Joe B

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## Eugene

That photo is super-cool, Joe.

I certainly appreciate Bernstein's recording in its era, but it is just a little bizarre by today's standards.  Of course, the giant-romantic-orchestra-as-a-vehicle-to-highlight-star-conductors approach to Vivaldi is a bit antiquated.  Where most modern performances substitute classical guitars for the theorbo (big, harp-guitar-like bass lute) parts, Bernstein used harps.

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mandopops

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## Mandophile

Yep, 1960. I wish I could get my local KDFC to play more classical music that features or at least includes mandolins. This would be a perfect request. Alas, I can't seem to get them to even play Frances Poulenc. What is interesting about the personnel. I grew up playing John Wummer flute editions and when Lazlo Vargo taught at SFSU, I was in his orchestra. Gosh, I almost feel as though it's six degrees of separation!  :Grin:  but I also am starting to feel old(er)!

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Eugene, 

mandopops

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## Eugene

Thanks for this, Mandophile.  I never realized that Casella was the arranger of this version.  I'm actually a fan of Casella's symphonies, especially opp.5 and 12 that showed some influence from Mahler et al.  In similar vein to the Vivaldi, Casella's five-movement orchestral suite Scarlattiana, op.44 might be of interest (although it doesn't feature mandolins).

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## mandopops

Yes, Eugene, very cool photo. Interesting perspective on the various instrumentation. The recording is unusual sounding. Not Mandolin dominated, but an ensemble with Mandolin solo passages. I rather like it.
Sheri, leave it to you to find that info. I didn’t know it was recorded at the St George Hotel. I lived in a studio apartment in Brooklyn Heights in the late seventies. I would sometimes walk past that hotel. I had no idea the Mandolin history inside. Funny you mention the 5 decrees of separation. I recently told my wife I have a 1 degree of separation from both Leonard Bernstein & Spike Jones. Mr Vicari, my New York Mandolin teacher, recorded Vivaldi with Bernstein & Jethro, my Chicago Mandolin teacher, recorded Pal-Yat-Chee with Spike Jones. It won’t score points at the local Bluegrass jam, but it makes me proud.
Joe B

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Eugene, 

Mandophile

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## Eugene

For the curious, beginning at 1:33, here's a good period-instrument performance of RV 558 complete with baroque mandolini (tuned g, b, e', a', d", g") and theorbos.




- - - Updated - - -

PS: And I'm a huge fan of Spike Jones.

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mandopops

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## Eugene

. . . and Jethro Burns, of course.

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mandopops

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## Eugene

. . . And, for comparison's sake (and to bring the conversation back to subject-line relevance), here is Bernstein's direction of Casella's arrangement of the concerto feauturing Vicari and de Filippis on modern mandolins.

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mandopops

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## Mandophile

Too bad De Fillippis and Vicari didn't record a performance of Vivaldi's Double Mandolin Concerto in C. That would have been spectacular, I think.

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Eugene, 

mandopops

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## Eugene

> Too bad De Fillippis and Vicari didn't record a performance of Vivaldi's Double Mandolin Concerto in C. That would have been spectacular, I think.


Agreed.  Of course, that was rather early in the modern revival of baroque music, especially regarding recordings.  It took a while for modern players and listeners to move beyond The Four Seasons, the more famous Gloria, etc.

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mandopops

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## mandopops

Never thought about it, but the Vivaldi Double Mandolin with the 2 gentlemen would have been a landmark. They were among the last (if not the last) of their generation of Italian-American Mandolin players still active.

Joe B

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## Charles E.

I just realized I never posted pics of the LP jackets I have...

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Eugene

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## Charles E.

Interesting to note that the mandolin depicted on the MGM (blue) Lp appears to be the one that was for sale at Mill River Music (post #35) and the one depicted in the photo from Mandopops (post #36) is on the cover of the RCA LP.

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## Eugene

> Interesting to note that the mandolin depicted on the MGM (blue) Lp appears to be the one that was for sale at Mill River Music (post #35) and the one depicted in the photo from Mandopops (post #36) is on the cover of the RCA LP.


I actually believe it's the standard Style 20 (1929–1942) pictured on both album covers, Charley.  If you look closely at the headstock profile on the blue cover, you'll see a little telltale divot at the top.  De Filippis' 1949–1952 custom-ordered, then-retro Style 20S mandolins had a simple "paddle" headstock with a more simply rounded profile.  I think Carlo was just holding the mandolin at such an angle on the blue album cover that you can't see through the scrolled hole.

The standard C.F. Martin & Co. references (Longworth [1975, 1980, 1988, 1994] and revisions by Johnston and Boak [2009]) state "1949–52 20S style made for students of Carlos DeFilippis."  The production tables in Johnston and Boak (2009) show six Style 20S mandolins produced each year 1949–1952 (24 for the specified run), but another six produced in 1957 (for a total of 30).  I wonder if those last 6 were also for DeFillipis' students and their omission from the accompanying text simply an oversight.  I suppose we'll never know.

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Charles E.

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## Don Faruolo

I am Carlo DeFilippis' grandson - Don Faruolo from NJ. My mother was Carlo's daughter, Louise. I, myself, at 69 years of age, have been playing guitar since 1964. I inherited one of my Grandfather's 1932 Martin mandolins. Long since sold in 1980 to a deserving and appreciative fan, and fellow mandolinist. I still possess many of Carlo's recordings and music sheets. Proudly. I attended Carnegie Hall concerts and went backstage at those shows. I was 4 and 5 at the time and do not recall if I met Leonard Bernstein.I am grateful my Grandfather's music and playing still resonates today. Thank you one and all.

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Charles E., 

Jim Garber, 

Kenny, 

Neil Gladd, 

sebastiaan56, 

ShariLee

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## Mandophile

I wish to correct something I wrote in post #30. I had conflated Alessios de Filippis with Elias Alessio. As far as I know they were not the same person. Elias Alessios (born in Greece according to LOC © logs & Ellis Island) but maybe it's just coincidence that the names blend together. I believe that Alessios de Filippis was born in Italy and just happened to record Alessios's waltz. Meanwhile, I'm trying to ascertain whether Carlo (1890-1966) was related to Alessios and just how. 

Always double checking my work...will provide further clarification as I learn it. Thanks.

This YouTube recording below is identified as a work by Elias Alessios's "A Walk in the Forest" for Alessios Di Filippis' mandolin orchestra (you can find the sheet music in the miscellaneous folder in my Dropbox). 

I don't know if I can give 100% trust but the person who uploaded this waltz... but there ya' go. Hmmmmmmm 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qW2LrMdo5A

https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.p...ippis_Alessios

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## Mendolin

> I wish to correct something I wrote in post #30. I had conflated Alessios de Filippis with Elias Alessio. As far as I know they were not the same person. Elias Alessios (born in Greece according to LOC © logs & Ellis Island) but maybe it's just coincidence that the names blend together. I believe that Alessios de Filippis was born in Italy and just happened to record Alessios's waltz. Meanwhile, I'm trying to ascertain whether Carlo (1890-1966) was related to Alessios and just how. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Always double checking my work...will provide further clarification as I learn it. Thanks.
> 
> This YouTube recording below is identified as a work by Elias Alessios's "A Walk in the Forest" for Alessios Di Filippis' mandolin orchestra (you can find the sheet music in the miscellaneous folder in my Dropbox). 
> 
> ...


There is also another piece arranged by Alessios E. and it is Pendosali. Elias is the arranger

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Mandophile

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## Mandophile

Hmmmm I'm beginning to think that Alessios De Filippis was purposely chosen by Carlo De Filippis to honor his Greek friend, mandolinist Elias Alessios. It may show that they were not only collaborators but unified in their endeavors. The time was right and although the Edison record is not enough proof, the so-called Athenian Mandolin Quartet (perhaps an earlier name?) might have been under the auspices of Carlo and Elias Alessios. There's a nice picture of the ensemble in the Edison photograph archives that was included in the Metropolian Museums' "Guitar Heroes" catalog. Just found an article with Carlo De Filippis from 1943, it says as much. And he headed up the music for the ILGWU, too. Maybe he worked with Paparello.
 I think we're cracking the mystery now. There was no Alessios De filippis. Elias Alessios' last name was joined to Carlo's last name: De Filippis c. 1916...and as we like to say, the rest is history!

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mandoisland

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## Mandophile

Yes, Mendolin, good work! you are onto something. Alessios is not a first name, but Elias' last name. His association with Carlo De Filippis created a strong alliance. They collaborated on many things, including "Pendosali". Therefore, there is no Alessios de Filippis, it is the fusion of Alessios' name and De Filippis.  Finally, we straightened it out. Phew!

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mandoisland

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## Neil Gladd

Their quartet recorded for Victor as the Athenian Mandolin Quartet, and for Edison as the Alessios - De Filippis Mandolin Quartet. The personnel included Elias Alessios and Carlo De Filippis on mandolins, but I do not know the names of the other players. I uploaded one of their recordings to my YouTube channel.

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Joe Bartl

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