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Lachenal air levers


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I've come across a couple of Lachenals recently (one Edeophone, one New Model) with an air lever on each side. In each case, however, both sides were fitted with flap valves, so that they functioned in one direction only. On the right hand, the valve was fitted immediately under the pad, so that it would only 'breathe' on the press, while on the left, it was fitted on the inside of the reedpan, so that it worked only on the draw. The valves don't look like original fittings, and I'm damned if I can see any advantage to this one-way system - but am I wrong on one or both counts?

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On an Anglo, I presume? I remember sometimes needing to get air for a brief push (or two) between long pulls, and coordinating the air button with several rapid bellows reversals isn't easy. Presumably a one-way air valve would make that easier -- just hold it down a bit before and after the reversal or through a few quick ones, with no precise timing needed, and maximum air in the direction you want is achieved. I imagine it would become intuitive fairly quickly.

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Since Edeophones were English models (discounting the very rare 12 sided Lachenal/Wheatstones like that of Grey Larson that weren't true Edeophones), might these two levers be bowing valves?

 

Ross Schlabach

Edited by RP3
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Since Edeophones were English models (discounting the very rare 12 sided Lachenal/Wheatstones like that of Grey Larson that weren't true Edeophones), might these two levers be bowing valves?

The description sounds exactly like the much-discussed bowing valves of H. Boyd.

 

An "advanced search" in these forums on the combination "bowing valves" and "Boyd" returned 54 threads. At the moment I don't have time to dig deeper and find which are the best ones to refer to.

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Since Edeophones were English models (discounting the very rare 12 sided Lachenal/Wheatstones like that of Grey Larson that weren't true Edeophones), might these two levers be bowing valves?

The description sounds exactly like the much-discussed bowing valves of H. Boyd.

 

An "advanced search" in these forums on the combination "bowing valves" and "Boyd" returned 54 threads. At the moment I don't have time to dig deeper and find which are the best ones to refer to.

 

Thanks for that, Jim. I was familiar with the discussion concerning the merits, or otherwise, of bowing valves, but what I can't discover from previous threads is whether they were normally fitted with the one-way valves I mentioned - and if they were, then where was the advantage to the player?

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I was familiar with the discussion concerning the merits, or otherwise, of bowing valves, but what I can't discover from previous threads is whether they were normally fitted with the one-way valves I mentioned - and if they were, then where was the advantage to the player?

I'm pretty sure the valves were mentioned, since I believe here is where I read about them.

 

Clearly, the one was to be used on the pull and the other on the push. It may even have been said what advantage Boyd thought they provided, though I don't recall. But it seems obvious that they were to be used while notes were being played, since they're not capable of a big gulp of air between phrases.

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Since Edeophones were English models (discounting the very rare 12 sided Lachenal/Wheatstones like that of Grey Larson that weren't true Edeophones), might these two levers be bowing valves?

The description sounds exactly like the much-discussed bowing valves of H. Boyd.

 

An "advanced search" in these forums on the combination "bowing valves" and "Boyd" returned 54 threads. At the moment I don't have time to dig deeper and find which are the best ones to refer to.

 

Thanks for that, Jim. I was familiar with the discussion concerning the merits, or otherwise, of bowing valves, but what I can't discover from previous threads is whether they were normally fitted with the one-way valves I mentioned - and if they were, then where was the advantage to the player?

There are bowing valves on my Edeophone - but someone at sometime has taken out the leather valves and now they function just as air valves.

I suspect a common adaptation of bowing valves.

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Since Edeophones were English models (discounting the very rare 12 sided Lachenal/Wheatstones like that of Grey Larson that weren't true Edeophones), might these two levers be bowing valves?

The description sounds exactly like the much-discussed bowing valves of H. Boyd.

 

I don't know anything about the role of H.Boyd concerning the "bowing valves". The inventor of them however was James Alsepti according to his patent application No 8290 dated 8th July 1885. The function is described in the patent and the musical use firstly in the tutor "The modern English concertina Method by Signor Alsepti" published by Lachenal & Co.

They have often been ridiculed for being a theoretical improvement or marketing gimmick only but no doubt they may be used for some sophisticated articulation executed by the bellows rather than just by hitting buttons for sounding a note. In everyday practise it is probably hard to find musical phrases complex enough to motivate someone to aquire the skill to use them though...

If someone insists playing violin concerto solos with the concertina maybe...

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