snavoyosky
Member
As promised to Dingo, FFingers and
Here is the first installment of thir requested accordion brand sounds
Years ago when I was in Florida I received an email from a fellow from the Netherlands by the name of Sander Neijnens who spent considerable time searching for me from time to time....trying all email addresses as he found them. This time it worked and we made contact. He was a Giulietti lover and owner and had decided to write a book on the Giulietti Accordion sound and he searched for me because of my close connection with Julio Giulietti as a friend and accordion designer and whatever else he thought. We had several email discussions before he requested and received from me all the information he seeked and included most everything we discussed in is book...enough to also include an article on me as I wrote it, and my relationship with Julio and his family. The main topic of his interest was the question of the Giulietti sound being different from other accordions. As with many, his focus was on the reeds only.
I stumbled on this information looking for something else in my files,,,,and thought you would appreciate reading a few contents from the book. It’s really a 95 page book with an included CD by various Giulietti artists. If you are interested in acquiring it, it’s labeled THE GIULIETTI SOUND by Sander Neijnens © 2008 ISBN: 978-90-805424-6-4
Sanders begins his book………..
“Much love went into those instruments”
At the beginning of December 2007 I start another search for Steve Navoyosky. In one of my
searches I discover an email address that I don’t know yet. Immediately I write a new request
for information about Julio Giulietti and within a couple of hours I get a reply. In the following
days a lively correspondence starts up.
Steve Navoyosky (b. 1935) started playing the accordion when he was four years old. But in his music college years he learned how to play other musical instruments, like the piano, clarinet, and eventually the organ, vibraphone, saxophone and oboe. While working as a studio session musician and music teacher, his main activities comprised of arranging and composing.
Subsequently, near the end of his performing career, he opened a store for the selling of accordions and related materials as well as the repair, tuning, and building of accordions. Steve Navoyosky and Julio Giulietti already knew each other for a long time before their first ‘face-to-face’ meeting in the beginning of the 1980s, resulting in a long lasting friendship based on their shared love of the accordion. “Before he took over his father’s company in 1950, Julio worked as a professional accordion player in New York City, using ‘Dark Eyes’ (Charles Magnante arrangement) as his theme or opener. Based on this experience he was after certain things that he had desired as a musician.
Keep in mind he was a reed maker and understood the properties involved in developing a design and specifications that granted a specific sound. When he took over the company he spent considerable time investigating the factories to develop what he had in mind. Serenelli was the first. And John Molinari was one of the first accordionists to play this instrument. But Julio wasn’t satisfied with the quality, so after some years he changed to Zero Sette. That factory had skills unlike any other in Italy. Julio won the NAMM Fashion Award in 1953 for the design of an instrument built by them.
The Giulietti sound is mainly due to the quality of the reeds. The reeds made under the watchful eye of Elio Guidobaldi were excellent. But the reeds for the cheaper models were still high quality. The reeds made by Elio Guidobaldi have a ‘flute’ sound and that was done by reed design. Technology will never produce reeds like these, because machinery can’t see and think, nor have that feel for adjusting to conditions. It’s things like this that make the Giulietti accordions what they are. Much love went into those instruments and they became the Cadillac of the industry. But Julio was a good businessman so he also stayed friends with other factories.
Besides Zero Sette there were Nilux, Brandoni and Guerrini. Nilux for instance built the Classic127 and the Orchestra models.”
A very special model is the four reed Traviata. The design of this instrument was based on accordions from the 1930s with knurled keyboard ends and decorated with rhinestones. The tuning also differs from the other Giulietti’s: the three reed musette is unique for this model. Steve Navoyosky advised Julio Giulieti to build this model for polka players. Afterwards a likewise, but cheaper, model was introduced named the Polka King. To end with, there are the instruments that were made for the accordion orchestra. These instruments don’t have a bass mechanism, but only a keyboard. They were made in a range of Bass, Cello, Clarinet, Violin and Piccolo.
As stated previously, Giulietti introduced the accordion with the free bass in the United States in 1960. Guido Guidobaldi told me that the system was inspired by the Russian bayans, that already had the free bass for some time. Steve Navoyosky tells me that there was also another example.
“I have a photograph of an Italian accordion made about one hundred years ago with the stradella bass plus three rows for the free bass. Julio also owned such an instrument. Whereas the Russian bayan could transform from stradella to free bass, Julio brought back the stradella plus three rows previously established at the turn of the century. Furthermore the lower basses were placed on the top of the instrument and the higher ones on the bottom, while they are situated just the other way around on the bayan. Julio did so, following advice from the Danish accordionist Mogens Ellegaard to the accordion manufacturers, who felt this reversal would
ease the low note playing.
It was difficult to maneuver when you had to use the free bass on these instruments as your hand had to go farther and bend at the wrist. And there wasn’t a companion method book developed, so the accordionist who bought one was left to learn it. But in my opinion the biggest mistake was the reversal of the free bass range compared to the bayan, for it became illogical to sight read music in the opposite direction of the music before you, especially when playing two notes or more.
In the 1970s came the transformer models as well as the models with just the free bass. I
designed for instance the ‘Italia’, a mahogany wood housing student model with five rows of free bass following the Russian system. The colors of the treble piano keys – and the bassetti buttons – were reversed, to distinguish the instrument from the accordion with the stradella basses. Julio spoke with the Italian government to have Zero Sette build two hundred of them in order to elevate the manufacturing factories in Italy, with these bassetti’s going to California and given to young students in accordion schools. Julio’s plan was to stimulate interest in the bassetti without purchase cost, but the government negated the idea, so this model was never built.
Unfortunately, there appeared to be no demand for the other models with ‘just’ free bass. Julio always said that to build so many beginners bassetti’s was a big mistake. On many of these instruments the free bass sections were later on replaced with stradella bass sections, so they could still be sold.
While sales continued to dwindle, Julio never gave up trying to convince anyone he met that the accordion was the greatest instrument for it could do so much and be a part of any musical venue. But down deep he was hurt over the decline of it and music in general. As I would be encouraging toward the future in closing our discussions, I felt his hurt whenever he answered ....‘Let’s hope so’.
Around 1990 Julio asked me to take over the company. He wanted to continue the Giulietti spirit and drive to make the best accordion possible, but I had to decline. The family made the offer this time when Julio was sick, but after scrutinizing the situation once more, I had to decline again. My reasons were based on my ongoing business as a musician, arranger, composer and educator. And I had my mother to take care of in her declining years. Furthermore the remaining stock was not conducive for future sales for it consisted mainly of small free bass accordions.
Besides that Julio had stocked new instruments with dealers, but he didn’t have an inventory. I would have to do my own inventory and I would have to make my own deals with Zero Sette and the dealers. So, I made the decision in the light of the times.”
That Giulietti sound I promised you? Yes, the reeds do provide their portion to the sound but it's mostly connected to the design of the treble section.....and the woods used and the resonance created by the body. Consider this: If you placed those reed blocks on a studio bellows......and sounded those reeds......would they sound like a Giulietti accordion?
More on this brand sound later with Excelsior, Dallape', and the other requested by my curious friends...........
Here is the first installment of thir requested accordion brand sounds
Years ago when I was in Florida I received an email from a fellow from the Netherlands by the name of Sander Neijnens who spent considerable time searching for me from time to time....trying all email addresses as he found them. This time it worked and we made contact. He was a Giulietti lover and owner and had decided to write a book on the Giulietti Accordion sound and he searched for me because of my close connection with Julio Giulietti as a friend and accordion designer and whatever else he thought. We had several email discussions before he requested and received from me all the information he seeked and included most everything we discussed in is book...enough to also include an article on me as I wrote it, and my relationship with Julio and his family. The main topic of his interest was the question of the Giulietti sound being different from other accordions. As with many, his focus was on the reeds only.
I stumbled on this information looking for something else in my files,,,,and thought you would appreciate reading a few contents from the book. It’s really a 95 page book with an included CD by various Giulietti artists. If you are interested in acquiring it, it’s labeled THE GIULIETTI SOUND by Sander Neijnens © 2008 ISBN: 978-90-805424-6-4
Sanders begins his book………..
“Much love went into those instruments”
At the beginning of December 2007 I start another search for Steve Navoyosky. In one of my
searches I discover an email address that I don’t know yet. Immediately I write a new request
for information about Julio Giulietti and within a couple of hours I get a reply. In the following
days a lively correspondence starts up.
Steve Navoyosky (b. 1935) started playing the accordion when he was four years old. But in his music college years he learned how to play other musical instruments, like the piano, clarinet, and eventually the organ, vibraphone, saxophone and oboe. While working as a studio session musician and music teacher, his main activities comprised of arranging and composing.
Subsequently, near the end of his performing career, he opened a store for the selling of accordions and related materials as well as the repair, tuning, and building of accordions. Steve Navoyosky and Julio Giulietti already knew each other for a long time before their first ‘face-to-face’ meeting in the beginning of the 1980s, resulting in a long lasting friendship based on their shared love of the accordion. “Before he took over his father’s company in 1950, Julio worked as a professional accordion player in New York City, using ‘Dark Eyes’ (Charles Magnante arrangement) as his theme or opener. Based on this experience he was after certain things that he had desired as a musician.
Keep in mind he was a reed maker and understood the properties involved in developing a design and specifications that granted a specific sound. When he took over the company he spent considerable time investigating the factories to develop what he had in mind. Serenelli was the first. And John Molinari was one of the first accordionists to play this instrument. But Julio wasn’t satisfied with the quality, so after some years he changed to Zero Sette. That factory had skills unlike any other in Italy. Julio won the NAMM Fashion Award in 1953 for the design of an instrument built by them.
The Giulietti sound is mainly due to the quality of the reeds. The reeds made under the watchful eye of Elio Guidobaldi were excellent. But the reeds for the cheaper models were still high quality. The reeds made by Elio Guidobaldi have a ‘flute’ sound and that was done by reed design. Technology will never produce reeds like these, because machinery can’t see and think, nor have that feel for adjusting to conditions. It’s things like this that make the Giulietti accordions what they are. Much love went into those instruments and they became the Cadillac of the industry. But Julio was a good businessman so he also stayed friends with other factories.
Besides Zero Sette there were Nilux, Brandoni and Guerrini. Nilux for instance built the Classic127 and the Orchestra models.”
A very special model is the four reed Traviata. The design of this instrument was based on accordions from the 1930s with knurled keyboard ends and decorated with rhinestones. The tuning also differs from the other Giulietti’s: the three reed musette is unique for this model. Steve Navoyosky advised Julio Giulieti to build this model for polka players. Afterwards a likewise, but cheaper, model was introduced named the Polka King. To end with, there are the instruments that were made for the accordion orchestra. These instruments don’t have a bass mechanism, but only a keyboard. They were made in a range of Bass, Cello, Clarinet, Violin and Piccolo.
As stated previously, Giulietti introduced the accordion with the free bass in the United States in 1960. Guido Guidobaldi told me that the system was inspired by the Russian bayans, that already had the free bass for some time. Steve Navoyosky tells me that there was also another example.
“I have a photograph of an Italian accordion made about one hundred years ago with the stradella bass plus three rows for the free bass. Julio also owned such an instrument. Whereas the Russian bayan could transform from stradella to free bass, Julio brought back the stradella plus three rows previously established at the turn of the century. Furthermore the lower basses were placed on the top of the instrument and the higher ones on the bottom, while they are situated just the other way around on the bayan. Julio did so, following advice from the Danish accordionist Mogens Ellegaard to the accordion manufacturers, who felt this reversal would
ease the low note playing.
It was difficult to maneuver when you had to use the free bass on these instruments as your hand had to go farther and bend at the wrist. And there wasn’t a companion method book developed, so the accordionist who bought one was left to learn it. But in my opinion the biggest mistake was the reversal of the free bass range compared to the bayan, for it became illogical to sight read music in the opposite direction of the music before you, especially when playing two notes or more.
In the 1970s came the transformer models as well as the models with just the free bass. I
designed for instance the ‘Italia’, a mahogany wood housing student model with five rows of free bass following the Russian system. The colors of the treble piano keys – and the bassetti buttons – were reversed, to distinguish the instrument from the accordion with the stradella basses. Julio spoke with the Italian government to have Zero Sette build two hundred of them in order to elevate the manufacturing factories in Italy, with these bassetti’s going to California and given to young students in accordion schools. Julio’s plan was to stimulate interest in the bassetti without purchase cost, but the government negated the idea, so this model was never built.
Unfortunately, there appeared to be no demand for the other models with ‘just’ free bass. Julio always said that to build so many beginners bassetti’s was a big mistake. On many of these instruments the free bass sections were later on replaced with stradella bass sections, so they could still be sold.
While sales continued to dwindle, Julio never gave up trying to convince anyone he met that the accordion was the greatest instrument for it could do so much and be a part of any musical venue. But down deep he was hurt over the decline of it and music in general. As I would be encouraging toward the future in closing our discussions, I felt his hurt whenever he answered ....‘Let’s hope so’.
Around 1990 Julio asked me to take over the company. He wanted to continue the Giulietti spirit and drive to make the best accordion possible, but I had to decline. The family made the offer this time when Julio was sick, but after scrutinizing the situation once more, I had to decline again. My reasons were based on my ongoing business as a musician, arranger, composer and educator. And I had my mother to take care of in her declining years. Furthermore the remaining stock was not conducive for future sales for it consisted mainly of small free bass accordions.
Besides that Julio had stocked new instruments with dealers, but he didn’t have an inventory. I would have to do my own inventory and I would have to make my own deals with Zero Sette and the dealers. So, I made the decision in the light of the times.”
That Giulietti sound I promised you? Yes, the reeds do provide their portion to the sound but it's mostly connected to the design of the treble section.....and the woods used and the resonance created by the body. Consider this: If you placed those reed blocks on a studio bellows......and sounded those reeds......would they sound like a Giulietti accordion?
More on this brand sound later with Excelsior, Dallape', and the other requested by my curious friends...........
