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help needed with the definition of Barcarole

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dalaras

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Dear members,
In my work as a translator, I encountered the expression Barcarole 3/4 (three quarters?) and, after some research on Russian sites discovered that there are different sizes? of the instrument, depending on the number of registers. Other numbers given were 1/2 and 7/8. Could you explain this numbering? From the context, I know that the Barcarole in question is a student instrument, but I'm assuming is the same size as ones with much greater number of registers. Will the English rendition Barcarole three quarters understandable to anyone who knows accordions? I sincerely appreciate your comments,
Alex
 
The Barcarole was a brand from Klingenthal (Germany). The 3/4 probably means 3 reeds on the melody side and 4 reeds on the bass side.
 
The 7/8 version would be a little weird on that scale, though, wouldn't it? At that point it starts to sound like the size notation for string instruments.

I guess it will serve perfectly well for a translation, in any case - I mean, this doesn't seem like a matter of finding the corresponding idiom, it will simply be as clear or as ambiguous to the English reader as it may well have been to the Russians.
 
I'd agree with Sarah for 3 reed sets treble, 4 bass. 1/2 & 7/8 you probably need to be clearer about the context; as Donn implies, those numbers aren't immediately recognisable in usual accordion terms.
 
"A barcarole (from French, also barcarolle; originally, Italian barcarola or barcaruola, from barca 'boat') is a folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers, or a piece of music composed in that style."

so perhaps in 3/4 time ( 3 beats to the bar ) or 7/8 (7 beats to the bar) ??
J
 
history of the accordion industry in Klingenthal , Vogtland, Saxony
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geschichte_des_Akkordeonbaus_in_Klingenthal

As Sarah says, the Barcarole was once a brand made in the Klingenthal region.
(and didnt the Chinese also made some other Barcarole brand later on, made in China? Not sure about this, but I read it somewhere)

Also interesting to read, the development of the accordion industry in Trossingen (Hohner), and the evolution of the accordion and harmonica industry, over 600 pages... I have it at home, its about the social and economic development of the harmonica and accordion industry in Trossingen and in Germany. (Its not about the musical aspects of construction and playing accordion(s) though. Only economic, financial and sociologic aspects)

Zwischen Kleinstadt und Weltmarkt: Hohner und die Harmonika 1867-1961, by Hartmut Berghoff
https://books.google.be/books?id=IY...oQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=hohner 1867 1961&f=false

I can recommend this book by H. Berghoff.
 
I appreciate all the replies, but I am working on a footnote and would like to be correct. Could these numbers refer to the size of the instrument, since I did find some Barcaroles for sale with a notation "full size." Then I would understand 7/8, 3/4, and 1/2. 3/4 would indicate a smaller instrument and probably one with fewer registers that the full one. What do you think? Are there different sizes of instruments? Sorry for being such a gringo in these matters!
 
I believe you're right, that's the only explanation that makes sense to me.

I'd say the most basic size factor is the number of keys (speaking in piano accordion terms.) There also have historically been keyboards made to a smaller key size factor, but I don't think that's what we're talking about - that's small or regular, not 4 different sizes.

There also is the bass button count, which some people think of as a size factor, and the common sizes 48, 72, 96 and 120 actually map to your scheme. However ... there's no need of this scheme if that's what they mean - it would be as easy, and far clearer, to simply say "72 bass" rather than "3/4". So I bring this up only to argue against it.
 
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