Bertram Levy

[JimLucas]

Here.

I presume that eventually the linked article will disappear. I'll see if I can get permission to make a copy of it. If so, then I'll change the link to point to the copy.

[Greg Jowaisas]

OH My!! So much talent and accomplishment, and in only one lifetime!! (As far as we know!)

 

Go Bertram!! Go!!

 

Greg

[Jim Besser]

Here.

I presume that eventually the linked article will disappear. I'll see if I can get permission to make a copy of it. If so, then I'll change the link to point to the copy.

 

Great story, thanks.

I recently replaced my worn vinyl Hollow Rock String Band record with a CD. Truly a seminal recording.

[Animaterra]

Wow- what a guy! His book got me started on anglo and I was sorry to hear he had moved on- but now I can see why! I recently saw Tango Buenos Aires perform, and could barely watch the dancers, I couldn't take my eyes off the bandoneon!

Not for me, but more power to Bertram. Thanks for the link, Jim!

[ceemonster]

after giving some more years to concertina and box, i believe i will be choosing between pipes & bandoneon for next instrument.....

[wntrmute]

My only quibble is that Bandoneon IS a concertina, just as much as any Anglo. It's a dry-tuned Chemnitzer with wierd fingering is all.

Maybe we'll see a "Bandoneon Dy-mystified" tutor one day. I've found his anglo tutor to be useful. Moreso than the Sedwick and others that come free off the Concertina.Com site, though those do have a lot of songs in them of the 19th century variety.

[ceemonster]

fascinating that mr. levy chose to train himself in the "pull" method, where you play most of your notes on the pull and then use the airbutton to regroup----while many tango bandoneon masters do indeed practice this, i've read quotes from masters who insist that the highest level of playing would indeed be the "back-and-forth" method that levy put aside, where, as in anglo concertina, you play on both the push and the pull. i believe piazolla himself stated this, though he played mostly on the pull. not sure, but i think i read somewhere that many players find the learning curve necessary to train yourself to play bandoneon effectively on both push-and-pull, to be too steep, and settle for the pull method....but perhaps there is another reason.

 

fyi, on cdbaby.com, you can listen to all tracks from a cd i just purchased titled "bando monk." this ravishing solo effort features a (french, i think) jazz player rendering thelonius monk on the bandoneon. oh, my god.....

[Boney]

fascinating that mr. levy chose to train himself in the "pull" method, where you play most of your notes on the pull and then use the airbutton to regroup

Are you referring to this section of the article?

He relearned how to hold the instrument, how to pull the music out, not push it in

I've seen Bertram play a few times, including earlier this year. Wonderful stuff. And he definitely plays on both the push and the pull. I'm not sure that portion of the article is meant to be literal, non-concertina players wouldn't understand it anyway.

[PeterT]

Here.

I presume that eventually the linked article will disappear. I'll see if I can get permission to make a copy of it. If so, then I'll change the link to point to the copy.

Good to see that Bertram is now a member of C.net. I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times in the days when he played Anglo.

 

Peter.

[ceemonster]

wizard & instrumental polymath....

[BertramLevy]

Hi Jim I sent you a long letter about my journey with the bandoneon. I fear I hit the wrong button and it disappeared into cyberspace. DId you recieve it? If not I will write it again to this section of the discussion group as there are many points that I think will be interesting and applicable to the concertinist

 

saludos

 

Bertram

[BertramLevy]

I noticed this post on the relationship of the chemitzer and the bandonoen. It is true although the bandoneon was designed as a modification of the chemitzer,they are different as day and night. Heinrich Band inventor of the bandoneon in 1850 was responding to a 50 year long call for a portable organ. He took the chemitzer and modified it with a different keyboard (clavé) He did not think it was significantly different from the Chemitzer and so he never patented it nor placed his name on the instrument. That was done much later. The principle was that the instrument should be designed to play 4 voice corals with each voice able to move independently. It is the heart of church organ music. In addition the music world had emerged into polytonal music and the instrument was designed to play this. The bandonoen also was designed to play the 10th chord. This means the third is on top. A chord on the concertina or chemitzer is usually 1,3,5 or for example C E G. The bandoneon chord is C G E. THis chord has a totally different feel and is much richer. Those kind of stretches are impossible on the piano but can easily be played on either side in any key in any direction with the bandoneon.

 

The keyboard on the bandoneon is designed like a 2 keyboard organ The left side has 3 octaves, the right has 3 octaves. The top octave on the left is the same as the bottom octave on the right however because of the resonant chamber on the left (caja harmonica) the sound is much different (dulce) The entire range of the instrument is 5 octaves.

 

The other difference with the chemitzer is the diatonic nature of the instruments. While they are both push pull, the arrangement of the keyboards really define a diffferent music. In the Chemitzer like the concertina there is a natural bouncing feeling because the tonic and dominant are in different directions. while this is very appealing it is also limiting. In the bandoneon one can play in any key in both directions and as a result the phrasing is much more legato. This doesnt mean that the music is not articulated. As a matter of fact the vitality of the phrases comes from the amazing qualtities of the bellows. The more years one plays the bandoneon, the more one disconnects from the technology of the keyboard and the fingers and centers on the bellows. The bellows are the true art. I like to believe that the same is true of the concertina When I play pieces on the concertina, I first visulize the bellows dance and then the fingers follow automatically.

 

 

In Port Townsend where I live part of the year, my friends all play country swing. At parties, I play either my concertina or my bandoneon depending on my mood. The music has a very diatonic feel. It is however very difficult to change instruments at the same session because the body movement from one to the other is so different (not to mention the fingerings). The body movement of the tango or classical music does not work. I usually try to think of myself as a cello and play cello lines which fits very well. Then I add the chords on the off beats.

[keithfre]

Thanks for posting this, Bertram, this is the kind of information I'm looking for.

 

Heinrich Band [...] took the chemitzer and modified it with a different keyboard (clavé)

The bandoneon chord is C G E. THis chord has a totally different feel and is much richer. Those kind of stretches are impossible on the piano

Actually those 10th chords are fairly common in classical piano music. It's quite a stretch, but it can be done unless you have very small hands, and even then you can do it by using the sustain pedal and hitting the bass note first.

 

In the bandoneon one can play in any key in both directions and as a result the phrasing is much more legato.

So why didn't Band go all the way and have the same layout for push and pull?

 

Another thing that puzzles me: apparently some tango players play mainly on the pull. I've only been playing concertina for a couple of weeks, and my concertina is new, so the bellows are a bit stiff, but I find the _push_ easier to control, plus it seems more natural that the fingers are pushing the keys while the thumb is pushing the bellows (rather than pushing the keys while the thumb is trying to pull the bellows). Is that just me? Or is it something that changes with practice and experience?

[m3838]

I find the _push_ easier to control, plus it seems more natural that the fingers are pushing the keys while the thumb is pushing the bellows (rather than pushing the keys while the thumb is trying to pull the bellows). Is that just me?

 

Yes, it's just you, and not for long.

You don't want to use your playing fingers to push the bellows, so you need to separate the muscles you use.

Most world accordionists play on pull, when they want expression.

What puzzles me too, is why not make Bandoneon uni-sonoric, if all the notes are duplicated anyways?

At least one will not have to learn another keyboard only to use it from time to time.

Or even better idea, why not just remove push reeds whatsoever and get rid of the leather valves?

[wntrmute]

What puzzles me too, is why not make Bandoneon uni-sonoric, if all the notes are duplicated anyways?

At least one will not have to learn another keyboard only to use it from time to time.

There are, from what I can tell online, three Bandoneon systems: the unified Bandoneon, the Rheinische layout, and the Piguri layout. The last one is unisonoric, and is most popular in France. The traditional Rheinische layout is favored in Argentina. That's just from the internet, though, so cum granulo salis as they would say in Rome if Latin were still the fashion ('Deutsche tonlage' would be the einheitsbandoneon or unified layout. There's apparently some history there, but I won't bore everyone with it).

 

My point with the note above is that Chemnitzers are concertinas, too. Englishes, Duets, Anglos, Chemnitzers, and Bandoneons are all concertinas. Created equal and endowed by their creators with certain unalienable rights, among these: playing music, scoring hot groupies (male or female as individual taste may dictate), and getting free beer at the pub. Or something like that. I think there's some accordion bashing mixed in there, too, somewhere.

[m3838]

There are, from what I can tell online, three Bandoneon systems:

 

Yes, sure.

I had a go at the German system and French. I could play German system right away, of course, it's Anglo in it's heart, couldn't understand how in a world they play C-system with hands strapped in Peguri.

But really, the advantage of German system, as any diatonic, is that pushing any three consecutive buttons will give you a chord. So this traditional layout makes sence, but why not uni-sonorize it without trying to squeeze C-system into it?

May be Mr. Levy will give us long sought answer?

It's interesting how this group slowly but surely moves towards Bandoneon. I searched Bandoneon websites and lists, and all that I could find is mailing lists, cumbersome and difficult to use.

Looks like soon we'll hear some Tangos in the midst of jigs and reels.

Welcome, welcome

[wntrmute]

But really, the advantage of German system, as any diatonic, is that pushing any three consecutive buttons will give you a chord. So this traditional layout makes sence, but why not uni-sonorize it without trying to squeeze C-system into it?

Isn't that kind of the point of the Hayden/Wiki layout? Not so much the sequential buttons, but that the same finguring in different places will create different chords. So, take a Hayden, give each button 4 reeds (LMMH I think, or is it MMMH? I have no clue) and a LOT more bellows, and there you have it.

 

Welcome, welcome

Yes, I was being rude in not welcoming such a gifted teacher. Thank you for your anglo tutor, Mr. Levy. As I said, it's been very useful.

Though I still don't sound like Noel Hill. Mr. Morse forgot to include that setting on the Anglo he built me.

[m3838]

Isn't that kind of the point of the Hayden/Wiki layout? Not so much the sequential buttons, but that the same finguring in different places will create different chords. So, take a Hayden, give each button 4 reeds (LMMH I think, or is it MMMH? I have no clue) and a LOT more bellows, and there you have it.

 

You'll be laughing, but Harry Geuns has the plans and is ready to produce Hayden Bandoneons. Only thing he needs is 10 orders to keep the price in the relatively sane level ($5000 anyone?)

Folks at Bandonion listings are very curious, but unwilling to part with the Traditional system, even beginners. By some reason they think it's cool to have never mastered the instrument. Or they have been brainwashed into believing that only the German system gives the true sound of Tango.

(as though Bandoneon is only good for Tango)