robert stewart

This cartoon is a variant of a popular banjo player cartoon, wherein we see the couple in bed, and he is playing the banjo, while she looks at him. He says "What's the matter darling...can't you sleep either?" (Do members of this list read the Wall Street Journal? Are the prices of concertinas that high?) RJ

Perhaps this has been commented upon before (?) but in one of the famous Goya paintings of witches and their goat god, a witch is playing a concertina. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witches'_Sabbath_(Goya,_1798)#/media/File:Francisco_de_Goya_y_Lucientes_-_Witches'_Sabbath_(The_Great_He-Goat).jpg Look for the figure on the far right, with what looks like a typical Continental style concertina with the two-part bellows. Is 1798 early for a concertina of any kind ? So maybe the Salvation Army knew something about the concertina that needed redemption. Robert

Does anyone know specifically what Wheatstone non-ferrous reeds are referred to here? I can think of many alloys that are non-ferrous. What are the reeds in this fine looking instrument made of? Robert

Just in case this has not been mentioned already: there is a clearly visible (Lachenal?) concertina in one episode of the new Witcher series. Of course, I should be practicing rather than watching Netflix. Robert.

It certainly looks like the famous "golden" Aeola: Alf Edwards had the bellows gilded, and I think this instrument matches various photos of same. The golden treatment gradually wore off over the years. As featured elsewhere, Alf Edwards had several sets of reed pans that he could exchange in the concertina according to musical need. best wishes, Robert

Out of curiosity I messaged the seller, and he responded that he saw similar concertinas for sale online for between $4,000 and $7,000 (yes that is thousands). I wonder on what planet? RJ

https://www.ebay.com/itm/354531095961?hash=item528bb33599:g:S6cAAOSwk5Jjyi4b&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsGitZqxeYFeOdujEM%2FaxjikfMMzoNM9i6hDG%2BSQpg%2FKc2LHzRWx3n9e9Le9daY5%2B4EFFn%2FlUDO8YnbgZ54p2la6ebVo7b%2FGlatVgZOGxjj1Ncr19kXwshZOEJOtoEiczJbgNHiYGNT8kaaIsd2ArACd7f7N6Ih2TFq3LDrbUBiFlLW1MZwspIO4GiZ8Bicl30srwTOuI8Ezy2xkWe2bMm%2FkSoYFzUxQ%2F%2Bo%2B6eYTm05CV|tkp%3ABk9SR5rtkaC7YQ

Richard is 100% right. It is strange, but so well established now, that concertinas are associated with sea shanties. I knew the late Stan Hugill slightly, in Britain. When he sang he was really LOUD. He learned some of his shanties before the mast, as an old time sailor. If the shanty is a work song, at sea, on deck, the sailors have to be able to hear it above the howling winds, flapping sales, roaring seas. The shanty is a work-song, not a relaxing entertainment. So our beloved concertina does not suffice (!). And no one would be playing a concertina while others worked. But the romantic association of concertina and sailing ships is very satisfying for song accompaniment on shore, so why not? Providing we do not confuse history with artistry . Robert

The traditional way to learn tunes in Ireland, Scotland, the Appalachians, was to learn to sing the tune first. In other words it was in the memory before you worked on the fingering. An older musician would sing the phrases to the younger, who would sing them back until they were correct. The instrument was not touched until the tune was learned.Then the fingering learning. Then the decorations... I would be fairly certain that many people on this list will be able to sing some tunes that they have not (yet) learned to play...so we still benefit from memory for music today. Memory before playing, before reading. Gradually this method, which is classic for an oral tradition, seems to have diminished. Robert

Some years ago I had a full set of uilleann pipes (in C) made of lignum vitae by Alan Ginsburg. When the set was new there were some shrinkage movements and very fine hairline cracks. Over a few weeks of playing every day, the entire instrument settled down. The hairline cracks disappeared before there were any discussions about repair or replacement, and they never reappeared. This was in a classic wet English climate in Wiltshire, and the pipes were made in a wetter climate in North Wales. The chanter and regulators sounded magnificent, and the whole set had a warm expressive sound. And a distinctive "piney" odor. Lignum Vitae...the Tree of Life. Robert

Regondi was a virtuoso guitarist. So was Paganini...though he did not play concertina. RJ

On English Concertina (56 button Edeophone) I always enjoy playing in Bb. I like the sound and the feel of Bb. I am thinking of having my concertina "dropped" a tone, so that the C scale sounds Bb, the D scale sounds C, and so forth. It would be interesting to hear input from the concertina makers, tuners, and experts on this idea (please?). Robert Stewart

At this time, Wim Wakker is definitely making concertinas. He is currently making a baritone for me, his Parnassus model, which should be ready by January, possibly February. I believe that the workshop there makes sets of instruments on a schedule. I have not had any email problems, and have always received prompt and helpful responses. best wishes, Robert

yes it is still available. Several people have shown interest, but no one has committed yet. Do please send me a Private Message if you want to proceed: if you buy, I can make a donation to Concertina.net rather than throw money at Ebay where the Edeophone Duet is currently listed. Where are you located? Best Wishes, Robert.

Greetings Steve. What is your experience/opinion with your Parnassus concertina? You can send me a PM if you prefer (if in forum should this be a separate thread?) best wishes, Robert

oOOPs!!! Highest note on the RHS is, of course, the high G as shown in the chart.

KEYBOARD LAYOUT: I started with the Maccann layout as shown on concertina.com, found where it matched, and added all the lower rows. Note that the F#, uppermost right RHS is not present, but a low F#, lower right RHS is present. This instrument has a loud voice overall, and yet a good dynamic range. The highest note is the top RHS C. the lowest note of all is a (RHS) B which sounds like the horn of the gods. The air button is on the RHS, plus a whistle and a duck quack (helpful for Vivaldi's Four Seasons in vaudeville interpretation). Those three are in a small row additional on the far left, right by the thumb. Not shown in these diagrams n

Key board layout coming later today! (10.30 am currently in West Virginia) Robert

Lachenal Edeophone, Circa 1909 A large 60 button, plus air button, Lachenal Edeophone, MacCann Duet system.The "Rolls Royce" of concertinas. Serial number dates it to circa 1909. Nickel plated raised ends, 9-fold (!) bellows. Old leather case, needs work, has the name of Harry Edson, a vaudeville entertainer. Completely and beautifully restored and tuned to concert pitch by maestro Greg Jowaisas, last year. Steel reeds in brass shoes. Offers over $1950 plus shipping.

Here is a lovely pic of Barbara Bartle, the famous Music Hall concertiniste, that someone might like ....I just spotted it on Ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/154455788671?hash=item23f6484c7f:g:NTIAAOSwKZxgoSdQ Robert

Back in the late 60s early 70s in Britain there were a lot of these instruments with baffles in, found in junk shops for much lower prices than the high end instruments with ebony finish, ie for up to 3 UK pounds rather than up to 10 UK pounds for something truly superb. If only we had a time traveling machine! Enthusiasts would take the baffles out and dispose of them, as no one understood that they were over-tone modifying plates, and not just for muting the sound. I had an early Wheatstone with baffles and fourfold bellows, which certainly had a soft sweet sound (as Greg describes). Peggy Seeger told me that this was because some of these had "german silver" reeds. I do not think anyone knew much about fine tuning and temperaments in the folk scene of those days, so the level of knowledge today is, thankfully, higher. RJ

Darn it....and I had got my Bosendorfer grand piano half-way into a bag before I read this comment from Jim. Now I have to get it all the way back up the stairs. RJ

Duh? "unlike a regular piano a transposing piano is too heavy to throw into a bag and take with you to gigs". Am I missing something in the pianistic world now?

I have a 61 button MacCann Edeophone. When I had it restored (by Greg Jowaisas) I opted to keep the original squawk and whistle. Because large duets were often played by professionals, I like to think of the original owner/player maybe using these sound effects in the British Music Halls, or on the Vaudeville stage in the USA. Many of those comedic entertainers were highly skilled concertinists. However, I can understand why it might benefit an Anglo, for modern use, to add extra notes if possible when the buttons are already there. Just think! Concertinas with squawks bells whistles frog croaks etc were perhaps the first analog synthesizers. best wishes, Robert.

I should add that Greg Jowaisas did a wonderful restoration on the instrument last year, including tuning to concert pitch and 5th comma mean-tone temperament.