Is this really possible?

[Ffingers]

I am constantly amazed when listening to this artist's performances on what must be one of the most difficult instruments to master:



Sure, there is some post-playing manipulation of the sounds, but goddamit - the fingering and bellows control!

 

[temryd]

A mesmerizing performance...amazing!

 

[JerryPH]

This guy is a class act, he took the bandoneon out of it's traditional home and showed us all that it could be a serious classical instrument!

 

[OuijaBoard]

Yes, we've had a thread about him, I'm almost certain. I recall discussion of the post effects.

He's nice, though without FX is more interesting for me. But he hardly took the bando out of its traditional home and showed it could be a classical instrument. That was its original use in Germany, as a portable organ for Bach and other classical level church repertoire. Classical has always been and is still played on bando in Europe albeit not as widely as CBA or PA.



The Argentine tango masters are no slouches at classical, either. Don't forget that tango arrangrment and orchestration became almost classicalized in sophistication and complexity at a certain point. They have conservatory training for bando there.

Here is Gabriel "Chula" Clausi, who was still performing in his late nineties before his passing in 2010. His LP "Concierto de Bandoneon" went through more than one LP issue many decades ago plus a CD version. It included Beethoven, Bach Inventions, Schumann, Chopin, and this:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=xKBwDwQULck&pp=ygUOR2FicmllbCBjbGF1c2k

 

[OuijaBoard]

Here is Klaus Gutjahr of Berlin playing Bach sans the FX. He recorded this on a CD or LP many years ago, not sure if the album has post FX. Klaus Gutjahr is also one of a handful of artisans currently making bandoneons to order. A very nice tanguero, too.

 

[GeorgeH76]

I am constantly amazed when listening to this artist's performances on what must be one of the most difficult instruments to master:



Sure, there is some post-playing manipulation of the sounds, but goddamit - the fingering and bellows control!

Wow! I'm used to hearing the Chemnitzer in a different environment.

 

[Ffingers]

Here is Klaus Gutjahr of Berlin playing Bach sans the FX. He recorded this on a CD or LP many years ago, not sure if the album has post FX. Klaus Gutjahr is also one of a handful of artisans currently making bandoneons to order. A very nice tanguero, too.

Bach organ works demand some kind of cathedral-like reverberation, though.
Whether or not synthetic reverb applied post production is appropriate to the purist ear is debatable.
Hrustevich in appropriate settings has made accordion adaptations of many organ works rather successfully, in my view.
ergo -

 

[Tom]

Wow! I'm used to hearing the Chemnitzer in a different environment.

My (former) bass player’s cousin. Nice guy. At the Chula Vista, I’ve been here. Good find Geaorge!

 

[PeterFromAkita]

Classical on bandoneon, and then especially bellow control, please check out Rodolfo Daluisio. The recordings are old and not very high quality, unfortunately.

 

[OuijaBoard]

Bach organ works demand some kind of cathedral-like reverberation, though.
Whether or not synthetic reverb applied post production is appropriate to the purist ear is debatable.
Hrustevich in appropriate settings has made accordion adaptations of many organ works rather successfully, in my view.
ergo -

I agree that your original post is significantly "prettier," though in no way better played than the FX-less Bach example. Yes, it is prettier due to the FX and due to the Partita form which features lots of single line playing which is less harsh on free reed instruments. My point about Clausi and Gutjahr was simply that bando has been used for classical, not just "traditional," for ages.

I find it to be the case that free-reed instruments generally can sound harsh and even dissonant played in multiple voicings, be it an accordion system or a concertina system. This goes better with dance-based folk genres than much of the classical repertoire, to my (subjective) taste. IMHO this is why people love and respond to "classical" free reed playing that is folk or traditional derived, like the "Czardas," or the Brahms Hungarian Dances.

I rarely want to listen to free-reed classical, and when there are examples I like they tend to be single-line heavy with any chording sparse and backgrounded. Another feature of the Partita in the original post. I also think 2/3 cents detuning on the treble can add a more singing quality to a line without sounding "wet." I think an MH setting also can accomplish that sometimes.