Concertina Revival?

[Alan Day]

There is a definite revival in the Newcastle area, as Newcastle University is now offering some sort of new folk music degree, and many students are choosing concertinas as their preferred instrument.

 

My local music shop owner is able to sell every concertina he can get his hands on, and he often has a waiting list for them.......So who knows, we might soon have a whole new generation of concertina enthusiasts!

 

Angie I think this must be down to the excellent work being done there by Alistair Anderson

who is dedicating many hours to a Concertina Education programme.He is certainly a player who's enthusiasm for the instrument and it's future is reaping rewards.He is the president of the International Concertina Association (ICA) and is another reason for you,or others to join,if you are not already a member.

Al

[Frank Edgley]

I can attest to the concertina revival in N. America, at least with the Irish community. I have been attending the Midwest Fleadh Cheoil (qualifying competition for the All-Ireland) for about 12 years. When I first started to attend, perhaps there was one other concertina player, but often not. This last weekend, there were contests in all four age divisions with perhaps 15 - 20 competitors. The level of performance was also very good to excellent!

[m3838]

I can attest to the concertina revival in N. America, at least with the Irish community. I have been attending the Midwest Fleadh Cheoil (qualifying competition for the All-Ireland) for about 12 years. When I first started to attend, perhaps there was one other concertina player, but often not. This last weekend, there were contests in all four age divisions with perhaps 15 - 20 competitors. The level of performance was also very good to excellent!

 

I am noticing that about every "folk" or "ethnic" instrument undergoes some sort of revival. Particularly Bandoneons, Button Accordions, Ukuleles. Seems like people start looking into thier roots. Perhabs we are living the last lapses of materialistic stability in Europe, The Silver Age begins!

[Robert Booth]

I've noticed that Rock 'n Roll seems to be running out of energy, slowly winding down. There does not seem to be much left to be said in the genre. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who looked back at folk music to see what other sounds and structures were around to please my ears.

 

Bluegrass is doing very well now, as is "old time" Americana, thanks in a large part to the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou?" Some of the most creative work in Bluegrass is being done now as part of that surge of interest.

 

I think that as people look around (and back) to find different directions to take their music, the older forms, and the instruments, including concertina, might be revived and adapted. Rap and Hip-hop, as vital as they are, just aren't doing it for me-guess I'm too hooked on melody.

 

Al: you mentioned your current interest in the old concertina bands. Could there be a compilation soon to come after the English International and Duet International are done?

As far as I'm concerned you're already up for the Lifetime Achievement Award!

 

Robert

[Alan Day]

I've noticed that Rock 'n Roll seems to be running out of energy, slowly winding down. There does not seem to be much left to be said in the genre. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who looked back at folk music to see what other sounds and structures were around to please my ears.

 

Bluegrass is doing very well now, as is "old time" Americana, thanks in a large part to the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou?" Some of the most creative work in Bluegrass is being done now as part of that surge of interest.

 

I think that as people look around (and back) to find different directions to take their music, the older forms, and the instruments, including concertina, might be revived and adapted. Rap and Hip-hop, as vital as they are, just aren't doing it for me-guess I'm too hooked on melody.

 

Al: you mentioned your current interest in the old concertina bands. Could there be a compilation soon to come after the English International and Duet International are done?

As far as I'm concerned you're already up for the Lifetime Achievement Award!

 

Robert

Robert ,I have discussed the Big Band recordings with Graham Bradshaw and after listening to some of the recordings he is coming around to the idea.Let us see what sort of reaction we get to the examples on English International and take it from there.

Watch out for the two BBC Radio Four programms one at least will feature the Big Bands and an interview with John Nixon probably the only living member of the Bolton Band who joined at the age of seven.

I will let everyone know when this is on. A very exciting development

My award and reward is that most of you enjoy the compilations, that will be good enough for me and last me a lifetime.

Al

[m3838]

Sorry for throwing some tar in to the barrell of honey, but it has always been noticed, that if you want the worst sounding band, you just gather similar instruments: a Band of Trombones, a Band of Concertinas, a Band of Ukuleles. So far the worst that I heard was a Band of Accordions.

Anglo and English International sounded like very good ideas indeed. But Big Band of Concertinas sounds like very riskey endeavour.

Aside from marginal historic value, of course. I doubt many people will find roaring of the bunch of similarly voiced instruments appealing. Peculiar, perhabs.

Again, sorry for the downing of an idea, just my opinion.

Edited May 15, 2007 by m3838

[Woody]

I've noticed that Rock 'n Roll seems to be running out of energy, slowly winding down.

I think the problem is that most of the mainstream industry is hooked on providing music for teens and young adults and are trying to work to a formula to sell units which results in blandness in an attempt to appeal to the widest audience. Certainly in the UK the "fringe" Rock scene has never seemed so healthy - at least in part fuelled by the Internet and the ability for niche performers to sell online direct to their fans. Indeed there have been several acts that are achieving enormous success without having recording deals.

 

I think there is a general revival of less bland entertainment more in touch with its audience as it is becoming easier for fans to find what they really want rather than what is given to them by the large corporations.

 

Certainly 10 years ago if I wanted to watch some folk music or to learn the Concertina I wouldn't have had a clue where to start & how to meet like minded people unless I stumbled across some source.

[stuart estell]

I've noticed that Rock 'n Roll seems to be running out of energy, slowly winding down.

Certainly in the UK the "fringe" Rock scene has never seemed so healthy - at least in part fuelled by the Internet and the ability for niche performers to sell online direct to their fans.

 

I think that's true. MySpace, for all the fact that it's owned by Mr. Murdoch and his henchmen, is a great way of discovering them. However, it can also be a thoroughly depressing way of finding hundreds of bands who all want to sound like Coldplay.

 

Sorry for throwing some tar in to the barrell of honey, but it has always been noticed, that if you want the worst sounding band, you just gather similar instruments: a Band of Trombones, a Band of Concertinas, a Band of Ukuleles. So far the worst that I heard was a Band of Accordions.

 

I don't agree with that, personally. To pick two examples that are familiar to me, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain are fantastically entertaining, and not just because they plump for music that wouldn't normally form part of their instrument's repertoire. As for concertina bands, to my mind they're more like brass ensembles than a "single instrument" band; the tonal differences between, say, the top trebles and the baritones and basses are huge. It's a good, coherent sound. Whether it appeals to you or not is largely going to depend on whether you like the sound of a large and angry fairground organ

Edited May 15, 2007 by stuart estell

[Alan Day]

Sorry for throwing some tar in to the barrell of honey, but it has always been noticed, that if you want the worst sounding band, you just gather similar instruments: a Band of Trombones, a Band of Concertinas, a Band of Ukuleles. So far the worst that I heard was a Band of Accordions.

Anglo and English International sounded like very good ideas indeed. But Big Band of Concertinas sounds like very riskey endeavour.

Aside from marginal historic value, of course. I doubt many people will find roaring of the bunch of similarly voiced instruments appealing. Peculiar, perhabs.

Again, sorry for the downing of an idea, just my opinion.

I can understand your concern M3838, but they are not a bunch of similarly voiced instruments,the bands consisted of Soprano,Baritone and Base concertinas and Stuart's description of a similar sound to a Brass Band is accurate.The music they played was Brass Band music and even the instrument names were used, 1st Cornet,2nd cornet etc. I love the sound and the wonderful playing,but it is not everybody's cup of tea,but representative of concertina playing in those days.

My prediction is that you will get hooked on it as I have done.

Al

Ps. I like large and angry Fairground Organs

[stuart estell]

Ps. I like large and angry Fairground Organs

 

 

The sound of a concertina band at close quarters really is like nothing else on earth, I think. I've played in both brass bands and the Hawkwood Concertina Band, and a big concertina band produces a sound you can completely lose yourself in, even more so than a brass band. It's a wonderful thing.

[Dirge]

Post the post I posted and then thought too silly/off subject... one of my favourite ever bands is the Ukelele Orchestra Of Great Britain.

 

Absolutely true; they play all ukeleles and they are completely superb.

 

For those of you who haven't come across them they do covers of Nirvana, Talking Heads, they do the theme from 'The Good The Bad And the Ugly' (complete with barking dogs , chickens and whatnot). All on ukeleles, wearing dinner jackets (that's the players, before certain smart alecs get in)

[Dan Worrall]

I've noticed that Rock 'n Roll seems to be running out of energy, slowly winding down. There does not seem to be much left to be said in the genre. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who looked back at folk music to see what other sounds and structures were around to please my ears.

 

Bluegrass is doing very well now, as is "old time" Americana, thanks in a large part to the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou?" Some of the most creative work in Bluegrass is being done now as part of that surge of interest.

 

I think that as people look around (and back) to find different directions to take their music, the older forms, and the instruments, including concertina, might be revived and adapted. Rap and Hip-hop, as vital as they are, just aren't doing it for me-guess I'm too hooked on melody.

 

Robert

 

I guess everything is relative. While rock and its various guises may be 'running out of energy', a drive through this or any other country listening to the general mix of mass market radio stations would indicate that it is still the hugely predominant favorite of 'the people', along with country and western, in this country at least. The resurgence in old time music here (brought on by the movie you mention), while clearly very welcome, simply is a gnat compared to the mass market elephants. Those of us who love these older forms get caught up in them, and to us that is our music world. But by any measure...record sales, radio hours, numbers of concert fans...we are a fringe sideshow to what 'the masses' are doing. The big corporations wouldn't be shoving it at us if the masses weren't preferring and buying it.

 

The nineteenth century was quite different with regard to this music in general, and the anglo concertina in particular. The music we tend to play WAS the mass market music then...what everyday people played as they went along with their lives. And people outside that mainstream tut-tutted about it the way some of us do about mass market R&R or hip-hop today. Minstrelsy was edgy in the same way hip hop is ....distasteful references, bad boy images, etc. And the elites back then never had enough bad things to say about people on German concertinas playing crude folk trash instead of listening to fancier classical and parlour music.

 

The changes brought about in the 20th century built a new musical world....and now those of us playing 'traditional' music, as well as the remnants playing classical, are both on the fringe, looking in at the masses, who have now gone on to other things. I don't think it very likely that the type of revival that would bring the concertina truly back to 'the popular masses' will ever happen. But the world is relative. What we are seeing is a fascinating and vibrant resurgence, indeed revival of interest in things concertina that is large to us, but by any measure small relative to the main popular music world. I can live with that...I never liked crowd scenes anyway!

[m3838]

I googled Ukulele Orchestra of GB and looked at the Video and listneed to mp3s.

Hm, I may be wrong then. They do sound excellent! Reminds me Big Russian Balalaika Orchestras, playing Chaikovsky and Shnitke. Usually the subject of popular jokes, they don't have the humor attached to them, it's mostly very serious.

I still have my doubts about concertina band, since the sound of a concertina is relatively aggressive, compared to mild and quiet ukulele or balalaika. Two concertinas create a calamity, three roar and clash. Whether it is a nature of the sound or tuning issues. I'd be very interested to listen to some excerpts of concertina band. Anybody?

How about 4 piano band? On the other hand those mechanical pianos do play in the style, that I'd describe as "playing in 8 hands". Sounds pretty impressive.

Which reminds me.

There was a joke in USSR:

" Lenin liked to play Moon Sonata on Piano in 4 hands.

Nobody in the whole world could play like him"

[Pete Dunk]

Hm, I may be wrong then.

 

Could well be. Have a listen to what one man with a large number of concertinas can do!

[Robert Booth]

Sure, there might be legs on the old dog yet. There are still a few new things in rock that are worth time and attention. I still think that despite the huge arena crowds, folks are mostly paying to hear artists and music from a whole lot earlier in our collective lives than the present. Stuart makes the point that most of the really good new stuff is happening outside the major labels and distributors. Sadly, these artists are not getting the exposure that they may deserve for just that reason. so what we end up listening to is what those corporate wonks think we wanna hear based on what's sold well in the past... and on and on.

 

Maybe someday we'll be having a conversation about rock'n'roll in the same way we're (ostensibly) talking about concertina music--with wistful nostalgia?

[m3838]

Hm, I may be wrong then.

 

Could well be. Have a listen to what one man with a large number of concertinas can do!

 

The Brandenburg Concerto? Didn't like it much. Clearly less attractive than clavicords, violin, bass and flute would be. The concertina has a bit enclosed sound, like it doesn't reach out. It complements other instruments well, esp. accordion, gives it more refined sort of sound, makes it more delicate. But concertina quartet?

But I did like "Liberty Bell". Sounded like electric organs from early 20 century. I guess there is some authenticity in the style. Nothing can play it the way those machines did. Except perhabs a bunch of concertinas.

Edited May 16, 2007 by m3838

[Mark Evans]

I thought the Brandenburg was very cute and enjoyed it very much.

 

Some internal tempo issues and the treble solo line at the magnificent roulade for violin was simply too much for the instrument and player on that particular day. The retardando at the end went a little too far for my taste.

 

The whole undertaking is insanely wonderful!

[MitfordRI]

I can attest to the concertina revival in N. America, at least with the Irish community. I have been attending the Midwest Fleadh Cheoil (qualifying competition for the All-Ireland) for about 12 years. When I first started to attend, perhaps there was one other concertina player, but often not. This last weekend, there were contests in all four age divisions with perhaps 15 - 20 competitors. The level of performance was also very good to excellent!

 

I am late joining in this thread but did want to say that - at least from my own perspective - the dealers and manufacturers don't seem to be driving the revival. These aren't cars and/or the marketing of cars we are discussing.

 

I think the sound of the concertina is infectious. (In a good way.)

 

I came home from Dublin this past Christmas having listened to my aunt's best friend play her concertina. I wasn't sure I could even get a concertina in the US. I was delighted to discover the Button Box think that if there is any aspect at all of the dealers 'driving' the revival, it is simply in superb customer service.

 

But I wouldn't buy a trombone because of excellent customer service. (And no, that's not a slam against trombones. i just wouldn't suddenly, desperately need one.)

 

 

 

Lucy

Sighing over the Edgely in the Buy/Sell forum