The mandolin is the younger sister of the lute, widespread in Italy since the 17th century. Pairs of strings for each note (instead of a single) give a dense, songful timbre. Playing with a plectrum in rapid tremolo (alternating down-up strokes) is the mandolin's signature sound.
In classical music the mandolin was written for by Mozart (Don Giovanni — the Serenade), Beethoven, and Vivaldi (two concertos). In the 20th–21st centuries the mandolin is the soul of American bluegrass (Bill Monroe, Chris Thile), Celtic folk music, and Neapolitan song (O sole mio). In Ukraine, mandolin ensembles perform at the philharmonics of major cities; the ethno scene occasionally includes the mandolin as an element of cross-cultural dialogue.
