FREE BASS

[saundersbp]

Now is the time of Pigini

I once was auditioning 5 professional accordionists with a panel of non-accordion professional musicians. All were playing top of the range models of their respective manufacturers and all playing brilliantly. The brand name of course meant nothing to the non-accordion professional musicians, they just had their ears to rely on didn't have any expectations or preconceptions. It was very interesting that they said consistently that one make somehow spoke with a more musical voice, warmer and more inviting - I was really surprised at the unity of response from these non-accordionists and it got me thinking.

 

[debra]

I once was auditioning 5 professional accordionists with a panel of non-accordion professional musicians. All were playing top of the range models of their respective manufacturers and all playing brilliantly. The brand name of course meant nothing to the non-accordion professional musicians, they just had their ears to rely on didn't have any expectations or preconceptions. It was very interesting that they said consistently that one make somehow spoke with a more musical voice, warmer and more inviting - I was really surprised at the unity of response from these non-accordionists and it got me thinking.

...

You didn't mention the outcome, but if that video is the prefered one I would not be surprised. That is an absolutely lovely sound.

 

[Walker]

saundersbp, thank for for sharing this lovely recording and such an interesting story about the Bugari that captivated the panel.

Perhaps you will clarify if I am misunderstanding - but I think you shared this video for illustrative purposes - it is music from a French album by Marie Andree, and the audio has a rich cathedral like reverberation. However, I understand your point is that Bugari makes beautiful sounding accordions. I agree, this is a wonderful instrument and the musician plays very well. I have also enjoyed Bugari instruments for most of my life.

We all understand the importance of the musician too. However, I would like to hear your personal view on the instruments/performances that you consider to be of the highest artistry - because you are clearly a man who has great passion for the accordion. The Bugari Spectrum is one excellent accordion for sure. Do you consider the Bugari Spectrum to be the epitome of the accordion in interpreting classical or contemporary music? Feel free to answer and elaborate, but only if you want to.

Let me also share some things... Here is a man named Riccardo Centazzo, an ordinary man. Like me, he enjoys good knitwear - and he is there only for the music, he makes a raw recording, no big editing work. I understand you may not be so taken with the 160 bass converter - it has been imaginatively referred to as a platypus, if I recall correctly. But those trills - they could charm the blackbirds out of the trees...



With accordions it is all a journey. It is worthwhile reading the journey Mogens Ellegaard made in selecting instruments. However, I have noticed a number of musicians moving away from Bugari and Pigini to Scandalli. Maybe they will be back again... But no single manufacturer reigns forever.

 

[debra]

...

Let me also share some things... Here is a man named Riccardo Centazzo, an ordinary man. Like me, he enjoys good knitwear - and he is there only for the music, he makes a raw recording, no big editing work. I understand you may not be so taken with the 160 bass converter - it has been imaginatively referred to as a platypus, if I recall correctly. But those trills - they could charm the blackbirds out of the trees...

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Very nice video. The player uses MH for the first piece, hence the sharper tone. In the second piece it is M (in cassotto), and the result is that the black keys do not sound as nice as the white keys. The video posted by saundersbp uses the L register (played one octave higher) and as a result the cassotto is more even. (That's just technical: these reeds are just a bit deeper inside the cassotto even on the first block, which corresponds to the third row of buttons.)
So you see, there is more to comparing sounds than just the audio-technique with reverb and such, but also the use of specific registers. The Zero Sette used may be less towards the top than the Bugari Spectrum, but both come from the same factory and share a lot of the sound characteristic when the same registers are used. (And they sound quite differently than for instance a Pigini.)

 

[saundersbp]

However, I would like to hear your personal view on the instruments/performances that you consider to be of the highest artistry........ The Bugari Spectrum is one excellent accordion for sure. Do you consider the Bugari Spectrum to be the epitome of the accordion in interpreting classical or contemporary music?

I seem to like European ladies playing Bach clavier music at the moment!
That's probably the highest artistry for me combined with some of the best music ever written, especially Clavier-Übung I+II and well tempered clavier. I like it because the accordion has something to add musically beyond a piano or harpsichord and this is simply incredible keyboard music without prescription of instrument.

Low artistry for me is a hair breadth away when accordionists attempt to play three stave organ works by Bach on the accordion. It seems to be a technical stunt, superficially impressive but for me musically naff, it adds nothing by being on the accordion and is simply a gimmicky pale imitation of the organ. I don't think that sort of classical accordion playing does the instrument any favours by producing a photocopy of the original. I also think these sort of stunts may be going out of fashion as the instrument matures.

In terms of instruments, its a tiny fluid industry and it depends which human beings are working where and on what at any given time. There are identical model Steinway concert pianos on paper but some are sublime and some just ain't got it depending on who has worked on them and especially the tonal finishing. Some manufacturers are also definitely far better at marketing and bluster than others, but at the end of the day, its your ears that are the judge in a blind testing in identical acoustics. I instinctively favour slight underdogs!

There are also sounds that I think the ear grows tired of more quickly than others. Mine quickly gets fed up of octave layerings especially LH as I don't think reed instruments sound their best like this. For me it's just one exquisite L in the right hand and left hand. Less is more!

 

[debra]

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There are also sounds that I think the ear grows tired of more quickly than others. Mine quickly gets fed up of octave layerings especially LH as I don't think reed instruments sound their best like this. For me it's just one exquisite L in the right hand and left hand. Less is more!

Very true. I can listen to a Bugari with cassotto endlessly. I also never get tired of listening to a Hohner Gola, or an old Scandalli Super VI. Likewise a Russian bayan, but there it is critical that the melody bass is tuned to perfection (the bass is LL in all but the lowest octave and cannot be switched to single L). A Pigini I get tired off almost immediately. There is a "nasal" aspect to the sound that I don't like. The Nova seems to have a bit less of this issue than the less expensive models. I like the sound of Victoria, as played by Richard Galliano, but often I get tired of the Victoria sound after about half an hour. I'm not entirely sure how to describe what it is in the sound that starts getting to me after a bit of time but not initially. And then there are the older Accordiola accordions with wide musette that invariably give me a splitting headache after listening to them for a bit too long (less than an hour).
For everyone the experience will be different. With free bass (the initial topic of this thread) I find it harder to find a sound I really like that fits both the free bass and the standard bass. For my own playing it's less important as I mostly play in an ensemble where only the treble side of the accordion is used.

 

[Walker]

A Pigini I get tired off almost immediately.

I respect your opinion... but I love this short video clip of a great musician whose passion for the accordion is incredible. I adore the spectrum of colours the accordion can make...



"In closer contact with my soul" are the words the artist uses to express her musical journeys. Inspirational!