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Wheatstone 72 Key Duet Aeola


nils

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've posted this ad ten days ago, no message, no question. Do I have to try ebay???

I wouldn´t like to.

Is the price too high?

I am surprised, because this is really a spezial instrument, fit for a professional player. You can play it airborne because of the aluminium shoes and end plates.

 

If nobody wants it, I'll have to learn to play it....

 

 

Nils

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More uncommon systems take longer to find a buyer, so patience helps.  It would also help to tell us what system it is (Crane? MacCann?).  And a pretty picture never hurts either!

It's a Maccann.

 

Maccann is the most common of the duet systems. To Wheatstone, the word "duet" by itself meant Maccann. The Crane duet was called "Crane" or "Triumph", etc.

 

In the ledger, it's a model 40, i.e., a standard 72-button Maccann duet. The ledger entry also notes "Octo" (8-sided, i.e., Æola), "Dural" (Duralumin, or aluminum alloy, ends), "72 keys", and "9½" (size of the ends, in inches).

 

The aluminum ends and reed shoes should make it relatively light weight for a duet of its size. My budget's tight, or I'd be interested.

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I've posted this ad ten days ago, no message, no question. Do I have to try ebay???

I wouldn´t like to.

Is the price too high?

The price may be a little high, but I don't think it's unreasonable, and I assume you'll at least consider counter offers.

 

Have you tried the ICA (International Concertina Association)? They probably have the largest population of Maccann players. Their email mailing list is only for members, but I could post your offer there for you, if you'd like.

 

If nobody wants it, I'll  have to learn to play it....

That wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. And I know there's at least one excellent Maccann player in Germany, though I don't know whether he gives lessons, or how close he lives to Hamburg. (Somewhere I should have a URL for his home page, but it might take me a while to find it.)

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Hi Jim,

 

thanks for your suggestions. I guess McCann player you are thinking of is Jochen Riemer, but he is living in Bavaria, I haven`t seen him for some years. You are certainly right about McCanns and the ICA, I will try the newsletter if nothing happens here.

Maybe I can tempt someone with this offer: McCann against English of same value.

(I know you are a man of many boxes, Jim.)

 

Nils

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about 2,6 kg. How heavy is ia standard 72 duet?

 

When I went to Witney for the first time I met an old gentleman who played a large duet. He waved it in the air and sang music-hall songs. It was very impressive and he was quite funny. I didn't catch his name.

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When I went to Witney for the first time I met an old gentleman who played a large duet. He waved it in the air and sang music-hall songs. It was very impressive and he was quite funny. I didn't catch his name.

... Jim Lucas :blink: :blink: ????

I saw him performing like this. He is a gentleman indeed and as far as age is concerned.. I would not call him an old man (I am 58), but from Niels perspective (when Niels is rather young), he could see Jim as an old man :unsure:

Edited by Henk van Aalten
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When I went to Witney for the first time I met an old gentleman who played a large duet. He waved it in the air and sang music-hall songs. It was very impressive and he was quite funny. I didn't catch his name.

Obviously I do not know what year you are referring to, but a reasonable guess would be Peter Honri. As i recall he also played a 12-key miniature English.

 

- John Wild

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When I went to Witney for the first time I met an old gentleman who played a large duet. He waved it in the air and sang music-hall songs. It was very impressive and he was quite funny. I didn't catch his name.

... Jim Lucas :blink: :blink: ????

I saw him performing like this.

It wasn't me that Nils saw. Not that time.

I may play the English that way, even the big ones, but I rarely play the duet in public, and I've never done so at Witney.

 

My guess is the same as John Wild's, if Peter Honri has ever been to Witney. But there's someone else I've seen at Witney, whose name I've forgotten, who plays that way on a Jeffries duet. Wonderful music he gets from it, too. :)

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I searched my "archive" for the MacCann player. It was in Witney 1996 and I believe it was Trevor Vale.

I had a look in the internet and found a note that Trevor died recently while performing on his concertina aged 78. I still have his picture in mind, it was the first time I saw someone play such a large concertina.

 

It would be nice if we had recordings of those old players, I think the ICA sound archive is a very important project.

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Jim,was it Michael Hibbert.?..I 've just got from Mark Davies,Concertina's at Bradfield 2002 ( and had it converted from imperial to metric ;) ) and he performs as described.His music is fantastic....he plays a piece by Elgar and at the end plays something called Double Quadrille going into the Dam Busters theme...a complete tour de force.

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I searched my "archive" for the MacCann player. It was in Witney 1996 and I believe  it was Trevor Vale.

I had a look in the internet and found a note that Trevor died recently while performing on his concertina aged 78.

that is sad news - I had not heard that.

 

- John Wild

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AFAIK, Michael Hibbert plays only the Jeffries Duet system, and what a player!!! The Rampin' Cat is one of my favorite concertina recordings.

 

Haven't heard about him for a few years. Any one know what he is doing these days? (Maybe playing Maccann???)

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Jim,was it Michael Hibbert.?...

 

...he plays a piece by Elgar and at the end plays something called Double Quadrille going into the Dam Busters theme...a complete tour de force.

Michael is brilliant, isn't he? I found his playing at this year's Swaledale absolutely enthralling.

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