Greetings!

[Anthony Cipolone]

Just wanted to say a quick hello. Originally from New Jersey, I've been in New Orleans for the past six years. I'm finishing up my Master's in music composition at the Univ. of New Orleans. I first heard about the English concertina in Hector Berlioz's Treatise on Instrumentation. Under a section titled "New Instruments," there was a very small (1/4 page) blurb about saxophones, followed by two and a half full pages about the concertina. Sadly enough, the saxophone survived while the concertina fell into lesser popularity.

 

After some searching, I found a few scans of some sheet music by Regondi and Blagrove, as well as a huge repository held at CUNY by Allan Atlas. As a composer, I was impressed to see that so much music had been written for an instrument that had such a short-lived life as a classical instrument. Also, as its range is comparable to an oboe or violin, the amount of literature seemed pretty endless.

 

Always one to root for the underdog (in this case, an instrument whose role as a classical instrument had all but vanished), I picked up a Stagi 48 key English treble in the beginning of the summer and have been working regularly on it. I've only met one other English player (though to call myself a player is a stretch -- I have a long way to go), but I don't think there's many down here in the Crescent City.

 

I've been trying to fix some of the minor Stagi problems on my own, but I'm more scared than anything to really mess the reeds. If you don't mind, I'd like to put up a short recording of this odd sound that one of the keys is making -- it's almost like the reed is getting swallowed. Unfortunately, I can't find anyone down here who can do any sort of tuning (surprisingly, given the amount of accordions I see in zydeco bands), so I might just ship it up to Button Box if it's not too expensive.

 

Anyway, greetings to you all. It seems like there are a lot of anglo players here -- any others play an English? Or play a fair amount of classical literature? Anyone else have a Stagi and really wish they saved up more money to buy something nicer? Hehe.

 

I look forward to talking with you all!

 

- Anthony Cipolone

[David Barnert]

There are quite a few English Concertina players here, but not nearly as many as Anglos, and not me (I play a duet). You'll even find Allan Atlas is a frequent contributor here.

[Chris Timson]

Although an anglo player my partner Anne plays English (as can be seen in this topic). There are plenty of English players around, especially in England, which I s'poze isn't surprising.

 

I think you should take yourself off to the website of the International Concertina Association. They have massive amounts of classical material for the concertina in their library available for loan to members.

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Chris

[allan atlas]

ANTHONY: well, as long as David mentioned my name. . . . let me chime in. . . . .i'm afraid i too know no English players down your way. . . . .i think i offered to make some copies of music for you from our little "library". . . .the offer still stands. . . .but the wheels grind slowly (especially since i'm on leave this semester). . . . let me know what you'd like. . . .best in small batches of no more than two or three items at a time. . . . . .allan

[David Barnert]

well, as long as David mentioned my name. . . . let me chime in

Good morning, Allan. Sorry, I didn't mean to "out" you. I mentioned your name because Anthony did:

After some searching, I found a few scans of some sheet music by Regondi and Blagrove, as well as a huge repository held at CUNY by Allan Atlas.

[allan atlas]

DAVID: no problem at all. . . . .and happy to chime in. . . . . .Allan

[Anthony Cipolone]

Thanks for all the hellos! It's good to meet you all, indeed!

 

Allan, thank you for the still-standing offer! I held off on replying, initially and even now, because I still have so much to learn before I try and tackle some of the pieces in your library. I'll definitely take you up on it at some point in the near future, as long as you don't mind.

 

Any tips from y'all on method? Any books to recommend? Sometimes I have no clue if I'm doing something the right way, and as I found out with guitar years ago, teaching yourself can start some pretty bad habits.

 

- Anthony

[Larry Stout]

I'd recommend both Alistair Anderson's Concertina Workshop and Allan Atlas's Contemplating the Concertina. Not that I've mastered the contents of either

 

I started on a Stagi and moved to vintage Wheatstones within a year or two. The Stagi was good while I was learning where my fingers needed to go, but I didn't start understanding the subtleties of bellows control until I has better instruments. In my experience the early brass reeded Wheatstones are good for the more classical and drawing room kind of concertina music and they are not as expensive as later "best period" steel reeded instruments, which are more appropriate for driving dancers.

[allan atlas]

ANTHONY: i'd second Larry's idea of looking at Alistair Anderson's method book. . . . .i think it's a good starting place for someone who's just getting started. . . . . .

 

i would NOT recommend the victorian tutors. . . . .they are not organized in an intelligent way with respect to pedagogy...........allan