Accordion: History, Fun Facts, and Benefits of Learning
The accordion is a member of the wind musical instruments family. It was invented in Germany by Friedrich Buschmann in 1822. Since then, the instrument has made a significant impact on the world of modern and classical music.
The accordion is similar to a portable piano. It is a wind instrument, comprising two reed organs that are connected by folding bellows. Like the piano, the accordion hosts a keyboard to frame the melodies of the tunes. The sounds are produced by compressing and expanding the bellows - a mechanism that pumps air to the reed organs. The keyboard is situated on the right, whereas the bass tuning button is on the left. Unlike the piano, the player has to hold the entire instrument.
The accordion is widely recognized across many countries and cultures due to its historical inclusion into a wide variety of music styles.
History of Accordion
The instrument was first created in the early 19th century in the city of Berlin, Germany. Friedrich Buschmann, the inventor, initially coined its name as ‘Handäoline.’ The name that the instrument started with insinuates the many changes and evolutions that it underwent over time.
Accordion was first created in the early 19th century in Berlin, Germany.
Armenian organ and piano maker Cyrill Demian created the next variant of the Accordion in Vienna in 1829. He called his new instrument 'accordion.' In Germany, the instrument was referred to as Akkerdeon, owing to its derivation from the German word ‘Akkord’ that translates to ‘chord.’
The accordion was introduced to the rest of the world during the mass migration from Europe to other continents, including North America, in the 1800s. The impact of globalization on the instrument is evident from the various terms and names people used to refer to in different parts of the world. The instrument came to be known as the ‘Fiarmonica’ in Italy, the ‘Bayan’ in Russia, the ‘Sun-Fin-Chin’ in China, the ‘Harmonium’ in Pakistan, and the ‘Trekspill’ in Norway.
Over time, people from various cultures and countries came to terms with a common name for the instrument - the accordion. This name is now used for any and every version of the instrument, regardless of the place of origin and type of sound that it produces.
Today, the accordion is an integral part of most musical cultures worldwide, and one of the major instruments in many different music genres, including the European Polka, the Latino Polka from Mexico, the Argentinian Tango, and the American Cajun Zydeco.
Some of the most renowned music composers of the 19th and 20th centuries, such as Dmitri Shostakovich, Alban Berg, and Roy Harris, have done many major compositional works based on the accordion.
In addition to being among the most valuable musical instruments out there, the accordion holds special significance since it is mostly handcrafted. Apart from a few pieces and parts, which are machine-made and designed for later use in assembly, most of the accordion’s components require exquisite artisanship for their creation. It is for this reason that some Accordion models fetch eye-watering prices in auctions and online marketplaces.
Accordion Fun Facts
The accordion is a big part of many cultural heritages worldwide.
The accordion can be configured to serve different musical styles and designed to feature various artistic themes. Many artisans worldwide have gained popularity for their unique methods to create excellent pieces of the instrument.
Here’re some amazing facts about the accordion:
The accordion is capable of sustaining its sounds for more extended periods than most other instruments.
Gene von Halberg, Joe Biviano, and Abe Goldman were the first musicians ever to play the accordion in the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City, USA. The 1939 performance featured a vast audience.
In 1990, the United States of America officially registered 75,000 people as certified Accordion players.
The accordion has been recognized as the official instrument in several US cities, such as Detroit, St. Paul, and Skokie. The piano accordion is the official city instrument of San Francisco, California.
Castelfidardo, Italy, is the world’s epicenter of Accordion manufacturing. Most of the leading Accordion producing companies are all located there, including Excelsior, Pigini, Victoria, Castagnari, Brosini, Scandalli, and Zero Sette.
The ‘Golden Age of the Accordion’ is said to have taken place near the end of the 20th century, from 1900 to the 1960s.
Popular musical genres, such as dance-pop, jazz, folk, Cajun, zydeco, classical, and pop, have all featured the accordion, covering South American, North American, European, and Asian nations and cultures.
The accordion is still a big part of the cultural heritage of countries like Mexico, India, Columbia, Germany, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, USA, and Italy.
Why Choose to Take Accordion Lessons?
Learning the accordion allows children and adults to fully immerse themselves in the legendary instrument’s rich historical and cultural pedigree. The instrument has undergone centuries of careful development and evolution to ultimately deliver an unmatched musical experience.
The accordion can simultaneously teach harmony, melody, and rhythm, making it one of the few instruments that can maximize the development of music structure in early learners. At the same time, it is an ideal instrument to start with or to complement the learning of another instrument since it helps in preparing the foundation for learning musical techniques.
Also, playing accordion helps in improving coordination. The player holds the entire instrument and requires both hands to manage the bass, notes, and chords. The whole practice of playing this instrument demands complete focus and strong motor skills.
While learning to play the accordion may seem challenging to many people, it’s not difficult to understand how it works and, with enough practice, to master the basics.
With proper lessons from the Accordion pros, your kids can quickly master the instrument. The instrument's flexibility and organization are of elite quality, bestowing its players with unrivaled innovativeness, discipline, focus, and music appreciation.
Contact us now if you want to register your child for our online live music lesson or meet our experienced and talented music instructors.
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