I play the accordion and melodeon (as well as a few other instruments). I love the squeezebox and will hopefully share with you how I got into this fabulous instrument.
This page has been in need of a serious update. Here’s what I am currently playing:
Primo D/G melodeon
Hohner ‘El Rey del Vallenato’ F/Bb/Eb Melodeon
48 Bass Piano Accordion
72 Bass Piano Accordion
48 key Lachenal English Treble Concertina
20 Key Lachenal Anglo Concertina
The latest melodeon to add to my collection has been a super little B/C tuned box, a Scarlatti ‘Rosso’ – I love it and hardly bring myself to put it down at night!
And I’m currently restoring a 2 row Heligonka in C/F tuning
I shall be adding more info soon as well as pics and sound files.
AL
Comments
Hello,
I see you have and accordion that was made by Jakub Konrady. As you already probably know, he was most well-known for making the type of bagpipe played in Bohemia. His two sons are still living and own the same music shop in Domažlice, Czech Republic.
Hi Michael – that’s really great news! I’m still in teh process of working on this heligonka – but hoping to be able to play it out soon. Thanks for posting! Kind regards
AL
Dear sir,
I am a regular viewer of the melodeon and concertina sites available on the internet, and I have often noticed your comments on playing the concertina for religious purposes. I am a United Church Minister in Canada, and I first became acquainted with the concertina while serving in Newfoundland. A melodeon player provided music for 2 of the 6 churches that I served, and I took up the concertina to accompany him. At the time, my congregation mentioned that I was the first person that they had seen play one in almost 50 years, Apparently, Salvation Artmy officers played the instrument in Musgrave Harbour and Welseyville in the past. I developed a friendship with the officer at Deadman’s Bay (now closed), and I recall playing for his men’s fellowship on a Wednesday night. He played the piano accordion while I stuck to the concertina. The 80 chords of his instrument meant that I had only to pick out the melody while everyone sang. It was a grand time!I am now serving in Ontario, but I still play the concertina at the local nursing home each Sunday afternoon and often at regular worsip services for an anthem. The gospel songs from the old Sankey Hymnbook are the most common and are easily played with the chords on the left hand and melody on the right hand with my C/G or G/D concertina. Oftentimes one must jump rows to pick up an accidental or two. Should you view our church website, you will see that we also have a mixed group called the Arthur Button Accordion Group. We meet every Wednesday to play Newfoundland style folk songs on various instruments including, guitar, concertina, melodeons, two and three row button accordions, harmonica, spoons, the ‘backy box and the Newfoundland “ugly stick”.
I hope that you are comforted in realizing that you are not alone. Keep up the good work.
Rev. Martin Dawson (Arthur Ontario Canada)
Dear Martin – many thanks for your kind email. I was delighted to receive your encouraging comments, and indeed encouraged to learn that the being used elsewhere for Christian ministry. I also use the melodeon too – do you play both?
Regards
AL
Al,
Yes, I play the melodeon too. Here in Canada, one, two, and three row instruments are all called button accordions. My wife and I play all three. Often she will bring an old single row Hohner 1040 to the nursing home to accompany me on the concertina. If we both play our old Hohner 114′s in “G” it get a bit loud. What do you generally use?
Martin Dawson
Hi Martin – I have an old one row in F# (!) yes I know it’s weird. But I usually play a 2 row in D/G or a three-row F/Bb/Eb melodeon.
I’d love an old Hohner Pokerwork model, maybe a one row four stop?
Al,
I obtained both my old four stop 114′s in the key of G from Theo Gibb in Newcastle and had them shipped to Canada. They are excellent; however, they growl when you play the lower octave. Thus, you tend to play the upper octave more often. This is not a problem for me, as my concertina style plays the melody with the right hand and the G melodeon is pitched rather low.
I should note that I also have an inexpensive Ariette, and it is in C. Its cajun style tuning gives you an A on the first button draw (instead of a G). This does come in handy for lower octave playing on some hymns. I converted the old Hohner 1040 (in C)to the same configuration. My wife prefers this pattern instead of being forced to play in the upper octave in C.
The G row on your instrument would be an octave higher than the 114 four stop and you can pick up the missing notes from the D row.
Good luck in finding a four stop. They are a lot of fun and can create many different sounds like the old pump organs at church.
This feature on the melodeon varies the sound of the verses in the hymns to make them more interesting.
Martin
Al,
I noticed on your blog page (re: Dan Worrall’s new book) that you are researching songs played for for evangelistic purposes in the past. If it is of any help, I can remember an older lady in Newfoundland telling me that in the old days, church services only needed two resources, namely, the King James Bible and the Sanky. Of Course, she was recalling Ira Sanky’s hymn collections of the late 1800′s. I have an original copy myself, and indeed there are a lot of old favorites in it.
I finished reading Mr. Worrall’s books this summer, and I found the Australian bush music traditions extremely interesting. I have even added the “Mudgee Waltz” and “Billy of Tea” to our accordion group’s list of tunes for our town’s Agricultural Fall Fair Parade.
By the way, I recently saw a video clip of you playing your 3 row accordion; however, I cannot find it again. Can you remember what site you submitted it to?
Rev. Martin Dawson of Arthur
Hi Martin – sorry for the delay in reply – too busy to be chcking out my blog site! Yep, Dan Worrall’s two volume edition is just out now in 3rd edition – and it’s really good reading isn’t it?
Sanky of course is still the one to turn to automatically even in these parts – however, my real concern is with early day Salvation Army/ Christian Mission songs (they were opposed to the term ‘hymns’ as being too ‘churchy’)which were often re-writes of contemporary musical hall songs etc. I’m planning on doing some recording as well soon so will keep you uptodate with that!
God Bless!
AL
Al,
Perhaps this site might be of help to your research on early Salvation Army music. It is from the University of Toronto, Canada Library and published in 1911.
http://www.archive.org/details/salvationarmyson00unknuoft
Martin in Arthur
Thanks for the very useful link Martin – I shall make good use of it!
Kind Regards
AL