Lachenal & Co maccann Duet

[JFB]

Hi,

New here, but not new to Concertinas.

This belonged to my Great Great Grandfather. It's a 46 button maccann duet.

When I was a child my Grandfather played this often for me.

He passed some years ago and it was willed to my father.

It was subsequently kept for over 2 decades in a cupboard, and was taken out about 6 years ago, and sent to a knowledgeable fellow Mr Dolislager who repairs concertinas. The instrument was tuned, new valves, pads, reset the levers and cleaned and repaired the bellows, which were in surprisingly good condition. He also replaced the decals inside the covers and the screen gauze.

 

My father has recently given it to me.I have fond memories of it being played when I was a child. However my fat fingers are no match for the lithe little bone buttons.

I'm going to need some practice... Wish me luck!

 

Pics included for the curious.

[Anglo-Irishman]

Hello, JFB,

and welcome to the Forum!

 

Congratulations - that's just the kind of legacy that all of us dream of. Given your emotional involvement with the instrument, I'm sure you'll make progress learning to play it.

 

Cheers,

John

[JFB]

Hi John,

 

My apologies for not replying sooner.

 

I have been made aware that the instrument is not a 'garden variety' one, The gentleman who repaired the instrument offered a tidy sum for it before undertaking the repair.. but I do not know the nuances and eschelons of the concertina world - I'm a pianist first, guitarist second and a hack concertina player in dead-last

 

I have to admit this one is getting the better of me, dare I say it, if it had been passed to me a couple of decades previous I'd be a far better musician. Boy these things do my head in.

 

My uncle & cousin both play accordion, one more proficient on the buttons, the other with the piano keys - So I am learning, but the concertina is certainly proving a challenge for me.

 

I should ask the wider audience if they had an 'easy run' or if they too found learning difficult. Perhaps there are techniques I am unfamiliar with that would make me a more competent player?  I basically have copies of the old lachenal manual, and from what I interpret through my hack playing, is that these are quite a modal instrument with regards to the fingering arrangement - but (excuse the pun) I am trying to get my hands on it - the grey matter is somewhat slower to catch on though.

 

cheers,

Joe

 

 

[wunks]

Here's what works for me:

-put your mind in a happy place.

-Sit down in a comfortable upright position.

-Engage your duet by playing some notes in the core key without a tune in mind.  

-let your fingers wander about and interesting things will happen.  Your instrument is singing to you.

-compose.

-the force be with you.....grasshopper.?

[Mike Franch]

Lovely instrument with a lovely pedigree. Since no one has yet mentioned this, I'll comment about the hexagonal wooden case. It's lovely, but not the thing to keep the instrument in, at least as it's designed to sit on its bottom. It might work sideways, unless it would roll. The reason is that keeping the concertina vertical will result in the leather valves on the bottom distorting as gravity pulls them down. It can also be tricky putting the instrument into and getting out of the box. I'm sure others on the list will chime in on their preferred ways of keeping their concertinas safe: some prefer waterproof plastic boxes (originally designed for other uses), modern concertina cases, or padded camera bags. In any case, you'll want it stored horizontally with a bit of compression.