Italian-American Heritage Month

October is the month when Italian-American heritage is honored. To do so, we are looking at two different Italian-Americans in Boston: Carlo Carciotto, mandolinist, and Anthony Conigliaro, baseball player for the Boston Red Sox.

Carlo Carciotto and the Mandolin

These days, most Americans, if asked, probably associate the mandolin with country and old-time music. This small, stringed instrument is related to the lute, and its development started in 17th century Italy. It was a popular instrument in both classical and popular music at the time, and it is still used in both types of music today. Many famous Italian composers such as Vivaldi and Scarlatti wrote for the instrument, and composers from other countries like Mozart wrote for it, too.

At the end of the 19th century and start of the 20th century, the mandolin became popular as a solo instrument and in ensembles. There were several mandolin ensembles in Boston, as well as popular soloists that performed on a regular basis in theaters and social settings. According to an article that appeared in the Boston Times in 1894, "the finest mandolin player in New England" was Carlo Carciotto. He was born in Messina, Sicily, on September 4, 1867, and arrived in Boston in 1874. He became a naturalized citizen on January 12, 1898. At that time he was living at 27 Oxford Street in what is now known as Chinatown. He moved rather frequently with his family (wife Frances and daughters Elvira and Carmelo, aka Camille), though they largely stayed in that neighborhood. He had a separate music studio where he taught mandolin on Tremont Street. He moved to Los Angeles by 1924.

Carciotto not only played the mandolin, but also did a turn as a violinist, including being a "trick" violinist. According to a concert review in the Hyde Park Times on October 30, 1891, he played the violin not with a bow as is standard but with "a dinner plate, a washboard, and a pistol." It's difficult to imagine what this would have sounded like, but apparently the audience was quite entertained and "good music" was still obtained with these implements. 

He wasn't the only musician in his family. His younger daughter, Camille, was showing up in performances as young as age 5, where reviews called her a star. She didn't stick with this as a career; by the time she moved to Los Angeles in 1921 she was working as a stenographer.

Streamed Audio Recordings of Italian Mandolin

Italian mandolin

20th Century Italian Chamber Music With Mandolin

Italian Mandolin & Banjo Classics

Italy - 20 Mandolin Favourites From Naples

Anthony Conigliaro

Anthony Conigliaro, or Tony C, was born in Revere in 1945 and was raised in the North Shore. He graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Lynn in 1962, then signed for the Boston Red Sox as a right fielder. In 1964 he made his debut for the team. In 1965 he led the American League in home runs. In 1967, he was named an All-Star for the Impossible Dream World Series team, but tragically was injured in August when he was hit by a pitch. A year and a half later he returned to the game he loved, playing for the Sox through the 1970 season, a season where he won the “Comeback Player of the Year” honors. He briefly played for the California Angels in the 1971 season and for the Red Sox again in 1975, only to retire at the age of 30 due to eye damage from the 1967 injury.

In 1982, Tony C suffered a stroke, from which he never completely recovered.  In 1990, he died at the age of 45 from pneumonia and heart failure. Starting in 1990, the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America has presented the Tony Conigliaro Award to the player who best "overcomes an obstacle and adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of Conigliaro."