Originally Posted by
fkrumpf
I haven't found a short, handy rule on tremolo in the mandolin method. I have to read a little more about that. Thanks for the question!
So far I have only found the following paragraph in the first part of the method for mandolin, which I have tried to translate from Italian into English (thanks to Goog translator). The result was:
Tremolating is the most essential part of the mandolin; it contains that charm that emanates from the sound of this instrument, that delicate beat that conquers the listener; In short, knowing how to use tremolo means interpreting the music and effectively reproducing the sensations rather than strumming randomly. It is therefore necessary to give something to the instrument being played so that it really has a great effect; In the life of the mandolin and the tremolo, therefore, great injustice is done if it is neglected while it is instead the first duty of the teacher to instruct the student and induce him to overcome this obstacle. The only one, maybe a little serious, in the whole mandolin method.
The tremolo consists of very rapid up and down movements of the plectrum in order, thanks to this speed, to obtain the amalgamation of a long note associated with the relative color.
My understanding here is that the tremolo was the norm. He also writes that the tremolo is used on slow and long notes. That fits quite well with Etude 136. In his method for mandolin, Calace mainly refers to the teacher's knowledge. You were expected to know what to do.
But I will continue to pursue the topic and also look up what he is writing in the method for Liuto.
Thank you for the question! It's fun to dig deeper into Calace's theory.