Barcarole 20 Button Concertina

[Johnston]

I have aquired a concertina with 20 buttons and the lettering "Barcarole" on one side. Despite numerous attempts to grab an example from ebay sites, I'm still left with no information on this concertina. I'm keen to learn to play this instrument, so will seek advice and hints wherever I can. A couple of 'wheezy' notes (on the push) is all that seems to be wrong with it. Do any of you recognise this German (?) brand and can any of you suggest where I can get info on how to fix the wheezes?

 

Cheers,

 

Johnston

[groeswenphil]

Most music shops in the U.K. carry a few inexpensive concertinas. Just before the Iron Curtain fell, they were being produced in East Germany and imported to the U.K. by Hohner. I expect they popped up in a few other countries too.

Back in the 80s they cost about £50 u.k.

Lord knows what they cost now.

I actually spent some time working for Hohner, helping them to re-design the instruments. Some of the early ones had really thin hand straps that cut into the back of your hands. I even came across one that had a complete octave missing.....if you played a scale starting on the left hand, when you changed to the right hand to get the last two notes, it jumped a whole octave.

 

They are awfully easy to learn to play. Harder to master. Back in the 80s, I tought a few school children how to play Anglo concertina. It was normal for them to have a concertina delivered by Santa, and be able to play Auld Lang Syne a week later.

 

To learn to play it, I'd advise getting a copy of the Anglo Concertina by Roger Watson. It teaches you how to play a 30 button Anglo, but nearly all of the tunes are playable on a 20 button. By the time you get to the middle, you'll have decided whether this instument is for you or not........and I'm sure you'll be in favour.

 

Major problem with these concertinas is:-

The bellows is awfully weak.....and often develops leaks in the corners. I found that the fluid that fixes leaky airbeds sort of did the job.

If the reeds go out of tune, it simply isn't worthwhile getting them fixed. Some have brass reeds fitted onto a wooded board,,,,almost impossible to re-tune.

 

As for wheezy valves. Open the instrument up. Over each reed, you'll see a small leather flap...a valve. They should close when pressure is applied on pulls and pushes. My guess is that the leather has got a bit old, or has fallen out of position. I'm not sure how you could fix this.....try just leaving them with a book or something holding them down flat against the reed pan and leaving it like that for a while. Otherwise, consider improvising a replacement for the offending valve......thin leather or part of a rubber air-bed?

 

Concertinas are strange instruments in that they hold their price so well. I think these instruments were designed to give young players a taste for the instrument....they certianly won't be any good for serious playing, although it is likely that they will last long enough to get you to the position where you will decide that you need a better instrument.

Hpe that helps,

Phil