Simon Mayor 'I Saw Three Ships'

Taken from Simon's album Winter with Mandolins
CDACS 015 Art animation by Hilary James

Simon Mayor’s website: www.mandolin.co.uk
Acoustics Records: www.acousticspublishing.com

'The most beautiful bell-like mandolin sound I have ever heard' Living Tradition

Originally released in 1992, Winter with Mandolins features many unusual and beautiful carols and seasonal instrumentals including Russian style massed mandolins (Christmas Candle), Celtic inspired arrangements (I Saw Three Ships), highly evocative Basque and Provencal carols, music from Handel's 'Royal Fireworks' and Simon's own compositions.

There are stunning contributions from guests Alan Whetton on soprano saxophone; Brendan Power's harmonica and Hilary James on basses complete this superb album.

Simon Mayor is one of the world's leading mandolinists as well as a fine fiddle player, guitarist, composer and wit. His live performances are a riot of humorous anecdotes and off-the-cuff wit alongside dazzling musicianship.

The Instruments:
The mandolin, mandola and mandocello used on this recording are modern instruments built, essentially, like their violin family cousins. They incorporate carved tops and backs, bass bars (but no sound posts) and a scale length longer than the traditional Italian round-back. The design originated in early 20th century America, originally as a classical instrument for the mandolin orchestras hugely popular at this time. Their use later spread to bluegrass and country music. While the round-back has a delicate, harpsichordal quality, the tone of the modern instrument has more of the bloom of the classical guitar, although the strings are metal.

‘One of the World’s great mandolinists’ Sean Rafferty, BBC Radio 3