The octave mandolin is valued for its rich tone and wide range of potential use in a variety of musical settings. This book contains 27 easy to intermediate pieces from the Baroque era that have been carefully chosen and arranged to benefit from the longer scale and deeper voice of the big mandolin.The music is presented in both standard notation and tablature, making it easily playable on the mandocello, mandola or standard mandolin. Thirteen composers are represented, including six pieces by J. S. Bach, four by G. F. Handel and three by G. P. Telemann.

These 12 Divertimentos were published in 1759 by the prominent Scottish composer James Oswald. These pieces were originally composed for the popular wire-strung cittern known then as the 'guittar'. Thebody of work was intended to help meet the demand for easy to intermediate solo guittar music. Oswald's 12 Divertimentos have been arranged here by John Goodin for the modern Mandolin inboth standard notation and tablature each piece includes three or four short movements full of pleasant melodies and interesting ideas. Whereas the original compositions were published in the key native to the guittar tuning (anopen C major chord) this book offers the music in a variety of Mandolin-friendly keys. These transpositions adhere to Oswald's original intent that the music be easy to play and pleasant to hear. While suitablefor teaching and performance these divertimentos are above all fun and satisfying to study and play.