Back from the accordion museum!

[JerryPH]

I am back from a 2-day trip to the accordion museum in Canaan CT, and I have a TON of stories to share (I'll limit myself to a few... lol), but I want to first say that if you have ANY liking for the accordion and are anywhere within driving or even flying distance of this place, you absolutely must go there.

Every time I go, I leave with increased love of the accordion and a respect for the man running the show there. WHAT AN AWESOME and AMAZING PLACE, truly the accordion heaven of North America!

One thing that I am sorely disappointed with myself... I had my cell camera and a little tripod, but simply got all caught up in the joy of being there, and didn't video anything (though I did take a few pictures that I will show later on). I am kicking myself hard for not doing that!

First story I want to start with... I had a chance to play my first quint system!

The accordion was a Petosa AM-1100 Concert Century Edition.

It was probably the 8th or 9th accordion playing that afternoon, with many more waiting to take their turn and it is easy to have one's mind go a little thick and sensation overdosed with pleasure and fun as you try to take it all in and retain the details from every accordion, so here my impressions from 10 minutes of futzing with it;
So, *if* you can play Stradella, you can figure it out pretty fast, but of course to get good at it, it would take the same level of serious commitment, like any Free Bass system... but it was fun to know that it took me 1-2 minutes of experimenting to start doing slow 2 octave scales and arpeggios up and down.

There were a couple of things that put me off this accordion... though it was a super fast and smooth 45-key extended keyboard, the start and ending keys were "weird" and it offset the rest of the entire keyboard so that when instinctively placing the hand on the keyboard "blind", one was consistently off by 2 notes (just something to get used to in time, but never had an issue with on any of the other accordions, extended or not), and the tone was the thing that stood out the most for me... it is really hard to describe, but while pitch perfect, the tone was lifeless and dull compared to the Scandalli, Beltuna, Excelsior, and Hohner accordions I had just played. Just placed a furrow on my brow.

Anyway, though the sonically least favorite, but the one that I had the most fun experimenting with, that day and very interesting to see. It was literally the FIRST Quint and FIRST true acoustic converter accordion I had ever played (not including the "fake" converter of the Roland).

That accordion put lots of smiles on my face!

Stay tuned... more stories to come!

 

[Walker]

Thank you Jerry for sharing your first encounter of the Quint converter at the accordion museum in Canaan. I am delighted that it was a pleasant experience for you. The Quint system is close to my heart, even though it's only a fairly recent addition to my accordion interests. Quint is indeed quite different from the other free bass systems that are based on chromatic logic, because it is based on Stradella bass formation instead. I totally agree, if you are comfortable with Stradella then 'noodling' on Quint system is easy and very satisfying. Serious study, as on any free bass system, requires dedication (as you would well know - being an expert MIII player). I, on the other hand, am a happy Quint noodler. It's because I feel totally content with Stradella (and don't desire to do anything drastically different) that the Quint system just feels like a simple range-extending bonus. My first experience of a Quint converter was at Musikmesse when I visited the Victoria stand and they had a Poeta Principe, with compact keyboard (41/120). The accordion had only one bass voice in Quint system and it was therefore unbelievably light, yet having a three octave range option, in addition to one octave of Stradella & chords was super nice - and not at all intimidating to attempt to play. I maybe should have spoken to Victoria to try to buy the accordion, but I didn't, and now the prices are higher.

Thanks Jerry for sharing. You are informative, thoughtful and generous of spirit - as always!​

 

[JerryPH]

Story #2... some accordions can put a chill in your bones!

I was looking around and in my usual state of jaw dropping surprise when I came upon 3 smaller accordions and one full-sized one and read about them and then heard the story.

These 4 came from the infamous Dachau concentration camp... the smaller ones, boxes taken from "prisoners" of the camp and the larger one bearing the carved out design of the 3rd Reich Eagle, facing in the proper left direction (it's right) in red... chilling. That one was likely a Hohner accordion that was commissioned for an officier as it was too expensive and ornate for the average person to have made and purchase during that time.

One can do naught but imagine the people that played these instruments under the most inhuman of conditions that man has ever endured both before or since. To be able to touch and feel these instruments, they exude not just the sadness, but the sense of hope and happy moments that only an accordion could provide these people as they played and heard the music that came from them.

 

[JerryPH]

Heads up... longer post coming. Post #3, the last post (maybe... lol).

So, by now you are probably thinking that I had gone through a lot of accordions... and indeed I had! There were Petosas, Dino Baffetti, Hohner, Scandalli, Excelsior and a several names that I cannot even remember. But you may be asking me if out of all those accordions did any stand out for me?

Well, yes that Petosa AM-1100 for the Quint, it was simply a very strong instrument and fun!

A Hohner FS400 stood out and put a smile on my face... no it was nothing really high end, but it was an accordion that I had been looking at in my old PDF files and was one of the cool ones with a distinctly pleasing sound (I had wondered looking at the pic if it sounded like it's specs suggested... it did). A Hohner Verdi III, and Tango III renown workhorses in the accordion world, solid and fine sounding were fun to play.

The Excelsiors (there were several and each was a joy, but one stood out)... it had that typical super smooth bassoon that just screamed "Art Van Damme" and invited you to improvise something just to hear that pure jazz sound, up until you hit the musette switch where it screamed excessive tremolo with a strong Scottish tuned musette reeds... how rude!!

The tiny Giullietti free bass, straps so small that I could barely fit one shoulder in it, but that had a pure sound and would be the perfect starting box for a young guy or gal wanting to walk the path to the conservatory. Sweetness in a tiny box!

There were so many, but when I played this one specific accordion, it just instantly resonated with me. Hands fell on the keys almost identically like my Hohner Morino, just less weight, a super fast and silky smooth keyboard, the (if I use their name for it, that will kill the surprise), "sardino" was strongly pronounced and a tinge of higher end released when open and silky smooth with a touch less volume when closed. Similar to the Imperator, it basically "sonically" turned a 5/5 in to a 4/5 when closed.

The sound was clean, clear and vibrant. Playing it back to back against the Petosa is sonically comparing a Cadillac to a Rolls Royce. By the 2nd time I played it, this box felt like "coming home", it was already familiar, eager to respond and it delivered... this box in a different way, took me places and reminded me of songs long past that I really needed to bring back in to my repertoire.

When I play the Morino, I tend to go off in to my own little private world where no one can enter and I can be happy. In a different but very real way that happens with the Imperator and though I am still off "somewhere", because there is no Free Bass, it's just a different world.

The 2nd time I played this accordion, it was the next day, we were close to wrapping it up and start the journey home, but I was asked to play for some people that came in to visit the museum, and just asked to pick one of the accordions I had enjoyed the previous day... and I gravitated to this one accordion again, but when I played, an event that rarely happens when I play for people... happened. I slipped in to my happy place, to heck with the audience and just enjoyed the darn box hanging off my shoulders for the sake of hearing it sing for me.

It was a very pure moment for me which was again just so much fun... and after that, I took it off and placed it back in its place on the wall, and thoughts turned to the coming long trip home coming up.

Before we left, there was one more special event that happened, but I will leave it for the final post. We will skip that here and tell you what happened next.

Of course I had taken my mother along, she is also a good friend of Paul and his lovely wife Marcia. When ever I can, I always try to bring her with me to these kinds of events.

We had said our goodbyes with hugs and promises to keep in touch and try to come back as soon as we could, and I walked my mother to the car. I had to re-arrange a few things in the trunk and move the bags we had on the back seat in to the trunk before leaving

She looked at me and said that she needed to do a quick bathroom break before leaving and that she was OK to make the trip back inside the museum and for me to finish what I started. I should have suspected something, but dense as I was I completed the packing and waited in the car for her to show, so I could help her make the way back to the car (my mother has severe arthritis in her spine and that makes walking difficult and sometimes a little hazardous, so she normally holds my hand or arm when walking).

She seemed to be taking a little more time and I was about to go check up on her when I saw her come out the main door and from the railings, wave me over. My first thought was "uh-oh, something is wrong". I half jogged the distance back and asked her if she was OK, which she smiled at me so that dissipated the fear I was feeling, and Paul just comes out by us and says with a big grin on his face "Jerry, you are the new owner of the Beltuna... "

The world kinda shifted a little... mind spinning wild, words were thought but nothing coming out of my mouth, I kind of must have looked like an idiot for several seconds and then put 2+2 together and leaned over and kissed my mom... but damn, HOW had that happened I had no idea... my mom had gone back in and she and Paul had made a deal!

Long story short, we went to find a case (*that* in itself is a story but I'll leave that out here... lol), me still well situated in the land of dazed stupor. Paul refused to give me any details, and to this moment, so is my mom... I have no idea what went on, just that I came home with this:

A Betuna Leader V accordion!







Quick specs:
A 41/120, 5/5 model with "A Mano" reeds
A very light (for me) 12.5kg/27lbs
Double Tone chambers
Amplisound (sordina, now you know why I could not call it by its registered name! )
Tuning of A=440 and Demi-swing musette (very easy on the ears)
A Limex MIDI setup with the pro mic setup (10 mics on right hand, 3 on left hand)

Happy early birthday and Christmas present to me... for the next 10 years!

I know absolutely NOTHING about the included Limex MIDI, just that it has one of the best mic systems around, but short of that... zippo. I'll start with some of the PDFs, I suppose, and take it from there. YouTube surprisingly has nothing of educational value, I just checked.

So that was the big surprise, my heart is still pounding a day later... I may need to seek out an accordion doctor to see about tempo reductions... LOL

 

[JerryPH]

Last story, promise... let's call this one "the Masochist's Accordion"

My mom and I were on the way out and after the hugs and promises, we were about 10 feet away from the door when my eye caught this old button accordion... but after the briefest of glances, it told me that something was "off". It looked really old, perhaps 1920's-1930's, but the shape, design and layout was just different.

Let me share that with you...

Check out that side view:


That old woodwork, the grain mirroring, it's like WOW.



Check out that mother of pearl inlays, so neat and perfect, just incredible!



Look at that art deco keyboard backing... siver!

Now... here is the part that instantly caught my eye from across the other side of the room...




See it? Let me get closer for you:



Thats a crap load of buttons! I knew instantly what it was... the number of buttons and the angles at the top and bottom gave it away to me the second I took a good look... thats an MIII Free Bass! Now the question was... what system?

For me that was easy... I knew the second I hit the 3rd note... they were chromatic, minor thirds... it was a C-System MIII system! Cool, so what would make this a masochistic accordion? That was courtesy of the right hand. Again, within playing 3 notes, I saw it was NOT a C-system, it was a B-system right hand!

So, my question is... what masochist would order an accordion with 3 different keyboard layouts??? A B-system right hand, C-system left hand and of course, standard Stradella... only a masochist would want to learn 3 systems on the same accordion... LOL

I had the blessed opportunity to take this accordion off it's shelf (with permission of course!), and play a few notes, and though I do not play a button accordion, I knew enough to define a few of it's key features that made this accordion likely a one of a kind in the whole world... what a perfect diamond!

 

[Dingo40]

Congratulations on the Beltuna, Jerry
And on having such a generous mother!
You'll have to contact George76 and share information regarding the LIMEX ( as he also has one)

 

[Walker]

The stories from Canaan were great Jerry. Thanks for making the considerable effort to share them so well. Congratulations on the new Beltuna, it's an absolute belter, future classic and one of the very best accordions money (and mom) can buy. I hope you (and mom) may long enjoy it's sweet music in the best of health!

 

[Ventura]

i particularly liked that your Mom still has the wit to pull
off such a scheme, as well as the ability to percieve/read between the lines
and know THAT was the accordion

 

[Tom]

More great stories from JerryPH!!! What an amazing trip, Jerry, wow! And a "new" accordion too, your Mom is just the best. Can't wait for the video!

 

[Alan Sharkis]

I kind of expected more comments. Is everyone as stunned as I?

Jerry, you’re a natural story teller — and what a story! Best of luck with your Beltuna. It’s tangible proof of your mom’s love for you.

 

[JerryPH]

Thanks Alan, my parent's love of me and music was the one incontrovertible truth in my universe as far back as I can ever remember.

 

[JerryPH]

More great stories from JerryPH!!! What an amazing trip, Jerry, wow! And a "new" accordion too, your Mom is just the best. Can't wait for the video!

Yeah, thats right... I didn't even think about it, but I will have to make a demo video of this accordion. Already back home and already busy non-stop... I'll have to choose and run through a song to choose to demo the 'Tuna... lol

 

[EMan]

you seem to be attracting more accordions as you get older ! Best of luck with the Beltuna....can't wait to hear it.

 

[losthobos]

Dumbstruck

 

[JerryPH]

you seem to be attracting more accordions as you get older ! Best of luck with the Beltuna....can't wait to hear it.

I claim complete innocence... it is my mother's fault... lol

 

[Zevy]

I think you’ve just created another story for Paul to include in his trove of accordion related stories - and it’s a wonderful story!!!

 

[stickista]

Story #2... some accordions can put a chill in your bones!

I was looking around and in my usual state of jaw dropping surprise when I came upon 3 smaller accordions and one full-sized one and read about them and then heard the story.

These 4 came from the infamous Dachau concentration camp... the smaller ones, boxes taken from "prisoners" of the camp and the larger one bearing the carved out design of the 3rd Reich Eagle, facing in the proper left direction (it's right) in red... chilling. That one was likely a Hohner accordion that was commissioned for an officier as it was too expensive and ornate for the average person to have made and purchase during that time.

One can do naught but imagine the people that played these instruments under the most inhuman of conditions that man has ever endured both before or since. To be able to touch and feel these instruments, they exude not just the sadness, but the sense of hope and happy moments that only an accordion could provide these people as they played and heard the music that came from them.

You should watch “Violins of Hope”
https://www.npr.org/2012/04/15/150645417/violins-of-hope-instruments-from-the-holocaust

 

[JerryPH]

You should watch “Violins of Hope”
https://www.npr.org/2012/04/15/150645417/violins-of-hope-instruments-from-the-holocaust

Thank-you! Yes, that was very much along the same vein of thought, except they were accordions, concertinas, etc...

 

[saundersbp]

my mom had gone back in and she and Paul had made a deal!

Your mum sounds amazing and a very sweet lady! Also the museum is quite something if it sells exhibits. There are a couple of bits and pieces in the V&A I always thought would look nice in the garden.....

 

[JerryPH]

I think you’ve just created another story for Paul to include in his trove of accordion related stories - and it’s a wonderful story!!!

Thank-you! . I'm. actually expecting him to give me a call as soon as he gets home within the next few minutes, and I have a bit of a doosie of a story to share with him that I just found out less than 2 minutes ago, a bit too personal to share here, but it has to do with his pocket crosses.

Your mum sounds amazing and a very sweet lady! Also the museum is quite something if it sells exhibits. There are a couple of bits and pieces in the V&A I always thought would look nice in the garden.....

She is completely awesome!
The museum is really 3-4 parts... the exhibition part where he keeps the old and historic accordions and the other side where he has a workshop for repairs, loaners, and for sale accordions. Upstairs is another repair and storage area.

The Beltuna came from his "for sale" side and I already have a couple hours of time with it today!