Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:40:06 -0500
From: lairda@penn.com
Subject: Free-Bass Accordions

Dear Mr. Doktorski,

I have enjoyed your Christmas CD but am trying in vain to find more information about free-bass accordions.

Could you point me to a web site which might go into detail about these instruments? It appears from the CD cover that you have additional rows of bass buttons. Am I right about that?

Happy Holidays.

Laird Allshouse

REPLY:

Dear Laird,

Thank you for your kind words about my Classical Christmas CD.

You are correct, my instrument has one extra row of left-hand buttons (140 total) which is located above the first row of basses. The C through Eb simply doubles the regular bass row; E through B consists of single pitches one octave lower than the pitches of the regular bass row. This increases the lower range of the instrument to E1 (located 4 1/2 leger lines below the F clef staff). You can hear this in "Fantasy on Carol of the Bells."

On the high end, my instrument reaches C7 (located 9 leger lines above the G clef staff). This appears in "Stille Nacht."

Regarding information about the free-bass accordion: You might read my article The Classical Bayan, which is condensed from my forthcoming book, "The Classical Squeezebox." My book includes a chapter on the free-bass accordion, but it is not online. You can order a manuscript copy of my book at www.henrydoktorski.com/books.html.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 08:28:07 -0400
From: lisa_koepke@lpkdesign.com
Subject: Planet Squeezebox

I love this CD, especially Chris Parkinson's Mr.Isaac's Maggot. Can you recommend any other recordings of this kind of music, or sheet music? I'm learning to play the piano accordion.

Lisa Koepke

REPLY:

Dear Lisa,

Although The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. focuses on classical music, we have reviewed a number of folk CDs. I suggest visiting our Free-Reed Review page and click on the link to Folk, Jazz & Popular Music. There you will find perhaps one dozen CDs featuring the diatonic button accordion and almost four dozen CDs featuring the chromatic piano accordion. By reading the reviews you may find something that appeals to you.

You might also visit our Links page and explore other sites. I particularly recommend Roots World.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2000 16:12:37 -0500
Subject: Jim Vandelly, Bayanist

Dear Mr. Doktorski,

I hope you will mark your calendar for the Washington Balalaika Society's Spring concerts: We will be playing at the Annandale Campus of No. Va. Community College (NOVA) on Saturday, May 12, 2001 and a repeat performance at Montgomery College in Maryland (probably better for you) on the following night, May 13. Check our website http://www.balalaika.org. for more details of the concert as they develop.

Again, I enjoyed your very accurate and detailed article on the Russian Bayan on the pages of The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. website. I think I picked it up on a link from accordions.com.

Have not seen you since the 1998 AAMS (American Accordion Musicological Society) festival in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Hope you will be there in March of 2001.

Sincerely yours,

Jim Vandelly

REPLY:

Dear Jim,

Good to hear from you and thank you for your invitation. I have put a notice about your concerts on The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. News Bulletins Page. I also enjoyed visiting your site and recommend readers visit also.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 06:15:28 -0500
From: thmcg@reliable-net.net
Subject: CD's

Hi, Henry! I'm sure you'll remember me. Long time, no see, as they say. Hey, anyway, I was just listening, for the 1000th time, to your gorgeous Christmas CD, and I would like to buy 4 more of them for some of my special friends. This is your "A Classical Christmas CD."

Do you have 4 that you could rush to me? Assuming the answer is yes, tell me the total amount of the check to mail to you. If you can speed up the delivery, tell me what that would cost. I guess I'm thinking 1st class mail would get them here in a few days, which would be fine. I'd like these folks to be able to listen to your beautiful music and get into the Christmas spirit, obviously *before* Christmas!

So, please get back to me asap. I can fill out the order form and mail you a check tonite, or as soon as you get back to me.

Hope all is OK with you these days! I am having a wonderful life, and the accordion is a big part of it. Hey, by the way, I *really* love your new Website at www.henrydoktorski.com ...Classy!!

Tom McGough
Columbus, IN

Hello Tom,

Of course I remember you -- you heard my recording "Coventry Carol" on the radio. Who can forget that story? trying to decided whether it was an accordion or a reed organ. It was a great letter I received from you. You wrote,

Dear Mr. Doktorski,

I am an accordionist. One night back in January I had the radio on while I was doing something in the kitchen. It was the classical music station I like to listen to, located at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. The call letters are WFIU-FM. In fact, it was January 10 (I wrote it down).

Anyway, they played this hauntingly beautiful song... and I stopped doing the dishes, and said to myself "that sounds like maybe it's an accordion." I listened really hard, but I couldn't be sure! I have heard so many accordion tapes that I was sure I'd be able to tell. But, right up to the end, I debated with myself "yes, this is an accordion.. well, maybe it's some kind of an organ... no, it's an accordion..."

So, I listened very carefully when the announcer said it was an accordion. It was you playing the Coventry Carol - "lu lee lu lay." It had to be the most absolutely beautiful thing I have ever heard on an accordion.

Listening to you play has given me hope and confirms my own personal feeling that the accordion is the most beautiful sounding instrument there is!

Thanks for letting the world know how beautiful an accordion can sound!

A fan of yours,

Tom McGough

Good to hear from you, Tom, and thanks for remembering me!

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 13:55:36 -0500
From: thmcg@reliable-net.net
Subject: Thanks!!

Hi, Henry. Well, guess what, the 4 CD's came in the mail yesterday. Wow, that was 2 days after you mailed them. Pretty darned good, as much as we love to complain about the U.S. Mail!!

And now, guess what, I WANT TO ORDER ANOTHER OF YOUR CHRISTMAS CD'S. So, please drop it in the mail for me, Henry, and I'll send you a check for $20. I just last night thought of giving one to Jim Hemmelgarn, the music director in the men's choir that I sing in. He had sent me an email yesterday, which reads: "This afternoon in my office and I'm listening to Karl Haas and Adventures in Good Music and he is playing accordian music. Wow!" So, I thought, I'll give him Henry's CD and he can really see how good an accordion can sound (in the right hands)!

By the way, Jim heard Karl Haas on WFIU, the FM classical station out of Indiana University. In fact, it's the station where I first heard your Christmas CD being played several years ago!

OK, Henry, thanks again, and have a really nice Christmas if I don't talk to you sooner.

Tom.

Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000 19:20:06 -0800
From: gregvoz1@pacbell.net
Subject: harmonium

Dear Henry,

I just purchased a harmonium! The instrument is a Schiedmayer (German, as you can no doubt tell) and seems to date from around 1905 to 1910. The case is oak and in Mission or Craftsman style. It's got the standard five-octave keyboard C to C, which splits between the E and F above middle C. There are four sets of reeds: 16', 8', 8', 4'. The main 8' and the 16' are of a rounded tone quality (on the order of a cassotto sound), while the second 8' and 4' are very bright and reedy. There is also a fifth set that produces a very smooth celeste that runs the gamut of the instrument. I've been told this is an unusual feature because these instruments were given half-sets of reeds for solo and accompaniment purposes; such a celeste would usually have been in the treble with something else in the bass. The stop knobs are all doubled because of the split keyboard, somewhat like Italian organs.

The feature that really attracted me to this particular harmonium is its percussion stop; this engages a set of small hammers that strikes the main 8' set of reeds. This gives a noticeable bell-like ictus to the sound and also brings the tone instantly to life. As you know, free-reeds can be rather balky, especially low ones, and when the percussion is engaged, the whole instrument responds much more quickly. It's especially good for polyphonic stuff because it helps sort out the Voices.

This harmonium also has an expression stop, this is the one you mentioned, which bypasses the reservoir and allows the air to feed directly to the reed chambers. There is nothing to smooth out the bumps, however, and while it allows a high degree of expressive nuance, it is also much more difficult to control.

This is not a full 'art' harmonium because it lacks the prolongment stop and the 32' treble reed and 2' bass reeds. (I know those sound rather odd, but with the split keyboard this allowed for all sorts of effects). The prolongment is the only thing I still wish for, but it is not necessary except in some of Karg-Elert^'s works where there are sustained pedal tones. (With it drawn one strikes a key in the lowest octave and it stays down until another key is depressed, and so forth and so on, giving one a 'third hand' or pedal line.)

What surprises me is the quality of tone that comes from this instrument. While not as fine as a Mustel, it is quite good, very responsive and can be used to make serious music. Unlike the accordion with its insulated, wax-mounted reedblocks, the wood soundboard and oak case participate in and increase the overall resonance. With the 16' drawn, and in the corner where I have the harmonium, the lowest notes actually can be felt in the wall and floor! However, when it comes to expression, I think the hand-operated bellows of the accordion surpass the harmonium for control and sensitivity; probably the only instruments that surpasses the accordion in this regard are bowed strings. Now, what it has done for me is open an entirely new repertoire, Henry. I have never taken much interest in concert music after 1800, but suddenly doors are opening. I've been working on a Prelude by (the 19th century) Reinecke, with some odd dissonances and very Wagnerian sounding modulations. These are things I've only heard other play in the past; to feel this sound taking shape under my hands is a very exciting experience. My mother has never shared my passion for Early Music, so this sudden outpouring of Romanticism even has her excited. When I sat down and read through the first two lines of this Prelude, she stopped what she was doing in the kitchen, came into the living room and said, 'Greg, that's beautiful!' It certainly is, especially on the harmonium where I can give shape to its dynamic contours!

So that is my experience to date. It's not vast at this point, but I am certainly glad that I took the step to acquire this instrument. I do not yet have a picture of it, but I will take some soon. It was on the expensive side; $7500 doesn't sound like much when new concert accordions cost upwards of $20,000, but a couple people tell me I' overpaid. Hmm. I don't know. It comes in good condition and makes a good sound so I think that is all relative. When I consider that I paid $4000 for my bandoneon, this seems like not a bad price.

Hope all is well with you and MK. My best to you both.

Yours,

Gregory A. Vozar
California

Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 20:12:37 +0000
From: phil@harmoniumservice.demon.co.uk
Subject: Re: Sheng or Sho

Dear Henry Doktorski,

I have been browsing your web site - some great things on it!! I have copied off your super article on the Sheng and Sho - very good - most informative. I am fascinated by the music of John Cage - is it available on CD or cassette anywhere? I'd love to have a copy of that particular sound!! Any chance - do you think?

I also looked at your list of CDs for Harmonium. There are MANY more than you have there!! I would be willing to send you a list - as complete as I know it - of harmonium as solo and also in ensemble - if you would like me to do that. I would feel that it was one way in which I could support your work!

All best wishes again

Pam Fluke
Reed Organ and Harmonium Museum
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom

Dear Pam,

HAT HUT Records issued a limited release edition in 1996 of 2000 CD's of John Cage's Two4 for violin and sho (1991) performed by the IVES Ensemble & Mayumi Miyata. I believe this CD is now out of print. In addition, Hat Hut records has lost their 15-year sponsorship by UBS (formerly Swiss Bank Corporation) so the company may no longer be in business.

Fortunately, the piece seems to have been released again on Mode records at http://www.mode.com/catalog/088cage.html.

Please let me know if you have any success finding other Cage recordings for sho.

Thank you so much for your offer to send listing of harmonium CDs. I will be revising slightly my sheng article, as you can tell from recent letters from free-reed scholar Pat Missan printed elsewhere on this "Readers Letters" page!

Best,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 20:54:09 +0000
From: phil@harmoniumservice.demon.co.uk
Subject: Re: Sheng or Sho

Dear Henry,

Here is a list of CDs for Harmonium - starting with harmonium solo:

French Music for Harmonium Vol I Anne Page Voix Celeste CEL 001 MC now out of print - but demand could lead to reprint!

French Music for Harmonium Vol II Anne Page Voix Celeste CEL 002 CD available from our Museum(!)

Sigfrid Karg-Elert Music for Harmonium Vol I Anne Page Voix Celeste CEL 003 MC

Cesar Frank (harmonium & piano duos) Joris Verdin & J van Immerseel RIC 075057 CD

L'Harmonium Francais Joris Verdin RIC 123111

Guilmant & Lemmens Joris Verdin RIC 206252

Lefebure-Wely 3 Suites for Harmonichord Joris Verdin RIC 163147

The Kunstharmonium (Works by Karg-Elert) Joris Verdin Vox Temporis CD92 014, CD92 014

Sigfrid Karg-Elert (harmonium & piano duos) Johannes Michel & Ernst Breidenbach Signum CD SIG X77-00

Saint-Saens (harmonium & piano duos) Johannes Michel & Ernst Breidenbach Signum CD SIG X87-00

Sigfrid Karg-Elert Harmonium Works Vol 1 Johannes Michel Expressif 18.771 (CD)

Sigfrid Karg-Elert Harmonium Works Vol 2 Johannes Michel cpo 999523-2 CD

Sigfrid Karg-Elert Harmonium Works Vol 3 Johannes Michel cpo 999611-2 CD

Sigfrid Karg-Elert Harmonium Works Vol 4 Johannes Michel cpo 999 631-2 (double CD)

L'Harmonium au Salon Kurt Lueders et al Harmonium + others (piano, violin, voice) Euromuses EURM 2022

Cesar Franck (complete works) Arturo Sacchetti EUROPA KOCH 350-224 (set of 4 CDs)

Bolero de Concert Dick Sanderman VDGRAM CD 970829 Available from our Museum!

Charmed by the Old Reed Organ Taihei Sato (harmonium + cello) AVACO CD AVCD-007-099

Liszt Works for the Harmonium Zsuzsa Elekes Hungaroton HCD 12768

Instrs of Liszt Museum - Mason & Hamlin & Piano harmonium Jeno Jando Hungaroton HCD 31176

R Strauss Hochzeitpraludium for 2 harmoniums on ARTS CD 47260-2

Harmonium-Klavier-Duos Vols 1,2,3 (harmonium & piano) HMP 9410 I HMP 9410 II, HMP 9509-2

London Salon Ensemble Souvenir d'amour (Salon, Gypsy, Viennese music) Bosworth BOCD 171

London Salon Ensemble The Palm Court (music from the age of romance & elegance) Meridian CDE 84264

London Salon Ensemble Love's Dream (incl Voice) Meridian CDE 84307

London Salon Ensemble The Art Deco Cafe Meridian CDE 84361

London Salon Ensemble The Art Deco Cafe Meridian CDE 84361

London Salon Ensemble The Classic Salon Meridian CDE 84416

Cecile Chaminade & Franck Messe Op 167; La Nef Sacre; etc for Voice & Harmonium + Ensemble Bayer BRCD 100209

Mahler, Schreker, Schoenberg, Busoni Various pieces CD AV 6110

Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle Harmonium & piano & voices OPS 30-123

Faure & Messager Messe des Pecheurs de Villerville HMC 901292

2 wonderful arrangements by Percy Grainger of the music of Debussy: - Pagodes on Debussy Vol 1 CACD 1001 and - Bruyeres on Debussy Vol 2 CACD 1002

Mahler Symphony No 4 arr E Stein Northern Sinfonia Novalis LC 1122 This CD uses a harmonium from our Museum!!!

Schoenberg Kaiserwaltzer & other transcriptions ERATO CD 0630-13541-2

Tchaikovsky, Arensky, Dvorak (harmonium & cello) CHANEL CCS 8695

Janacek Unknown pieces for harmonium SUPRAPHON 11 1878-2 931

Sigfrid Karg-Elert Compositions for the harmonium - played on Accordian by Helmut Jacobs cpo 999 051-2

Sho Cosmos - Mayumi Miyato CBS SONY 32DG 60

The Guo Bros & Shung Tian - includes Sho REALWORLD 0777 7861542 2

Toru Takemitsu - In an Autumn Garden - includes Sho VICC 23015

Toru Takemitsu - In an Autumn Garden for Gagaku - with Sho DG POCG 3652

Savoy-Ducet - Cajun Band - accordian etc ARHOOLIE CD 418

Perlen des Bajan - Prof Bonakow & I Sokolow in Concert - accordian duos D-CD 0025

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - numerous CDs using Indian Harmonium

Best wishes

Pam Fluke
Reed Organ and Harmonium Museum
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom

Dear Pam,

Wow! What a list.

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2000 09:57:35 +0000
From: phil@harmoniumservice.demon.co.uk
Subject: Re: Sheng or Sho

Dear Henry,

Yes - it is quite a long list isn't it - pretty impressive considering there is still so much apathy re the harmonium!!! And what's more - I missed out the whole range of Percy Grainger's music - which frequently uses harmonium!! At present Chandos are doing the 'Complete Works of PG' -

The Grainger Edition - complete works Vols 1 - 26 CHANDOS CHAN 9... the numbers are all different, but all begin with a 9. the Vols with most harmonium so far are - 5,6,9,14,15

The Jungle Book Grainger HYPERION CDA 66863

All the best to you & your endeavours

Pam Fluke
Reed Organ and Harmonium Museum
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom

Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 15:54:26 -0000
From: mike.oregan@ntlworld.com
Subject: Tutor for 5 Row (C system) Chromatic Accordion
Dear Henry,

At last I managed to get a good modern tutor, although it's in German with no English translation available. This book is called: Das Knopfakkordeon C-Griff, Ein systematischer Weg, by Elsbeth Moser, published by MUSICVERLAG HANS SIKORSKI in Hamburg Germany. This is, however, not a book for music beginners as it assumes a certain familiarity with notation, etc.

Mike O'Regan
United Kingdom

Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 02:16:05 -0500
From: jaron@advanced.org
Subject: thanks for the great web pages

I really enjoyed them! I play khaen and sheng seriously- about to play my new concerto for khaen and chamber orchestra in Poland in a couple of weeks. Also play a lot of the more obscure Asian mouth organs- studied sho in Japan a bit. Have a super lu sheng, which is truly the strangest possible instrument. Just got a bandoneon on ebay on a hunch, and it turns out to be pretty good.

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you the web pages are a wonderful gift.

Best,

Jaron Lanier
New York City

Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2000 18:28:17 +0000
From: patm@globalnet.co.uk
Subject: Sheng etc.

Any more feedback regarding my comments on your sheng article? And if you're not too shell-shocked by the last barrage, here are some more comments and queries on other bits from your site:

In your Taxonomy of Musical Instruments, you say:

Many free aerophones do not use pipes (accordion, concertina, etc.), but for those instruments that do have pipes (such as the shêng, sho, khaen and organ reed pipes), pipe length has no effect on the pitch, although the pipe does function as an acoustical reinforcement for the sound.

That's not true. Although the chambers of the Western-style free reeds such as the concertina or harmonica only have a very slight influence on the pitch of the note, the pipes of the Asian free reeds have a significant influence. In the case of the sheng-type mouth organs, the pipe has to be appropriately tuned (by cutting slots into the side of the pipe), or the note will not sound at all. In mouth organs such as the hulusheng, the note is tuned by cutting the pipe to the appropriate length and the pitch can be varied in performance by partially covering the base of the pipe, thus altering its resonant frequency. In the case of free reed pipes such as the ba-wu, finger holes give different notes in the same way as on a flute, by effectively altering the length of the pipe.

An article by James Cottingham describing the acoustics of the khaen is published somewhere on the Internet. If necessary, I could find the URL for it. He goes into some detail regarding the interaction between the reed and the pipe.

The free-reed instruments are divided into two more subsets: the unframed reed and the framed reed. The simplest reed instruments are those which have no openings to channel the wind or frames within which the reeds can vibrate. The aeolian harp, a musical instrument played by the wind, can be convincingly classified as a free-reed instrument, although it is customarily categorized as a chordophone. . . . The Jew's harp (sometimes called Jaw harp) is another instrument which cannot be conclusively categorized. . . . Another example of the unframed reed is the primitive bull-roarer. . . . Another primitive free-reed instrument is the leaf (called bilu), . . .

All other free-reed instruments have a frame through which the tongue vibrates. The framed free-reed instruments can further be divided into four subsets: mouth blown, hand blown, foot blown and mechanically blown.

In "The Free-Reed Family of Aerophones", Diarmuid Pigott mentions the Following:

Tremolo Harmonica, Echo harmonica

Chromatic Chromonica, Chromatitica

Hybrid Koch Chromatic Marine Band . . . Chordal Chord Harmonica

Flute-like Klui ? From Thailand: the only free-reed resonated flute

Trumpet-keyed Shalmei

Diatonic Tyrolian Many Belled Trumpets - solo instrument . . . Chords Tyrolian Many Belled Trumpets - accompaniment

Lever Action Toy Instrument Diatonic Toy "Clarinet"

As well as Hohner, other companies have made similar instruments under different names (clavietta, pianica, etc.), but the trademarked name "melodica" seems to have become a generic name for them.

In addition to the piano-keyboard Melodicas, Hohner made a range of instruments in the early 20th century, called "blow accordions". These were basically diatonic accordions with a single set of reeds, the wind being supplied through a mouthpiece. There were also several similar instruments made in the 19th century - Louis Jaulin's harmonicor springs to mind.

More recently, Hohner produced a limited run of an instrument they dubbed the Claviola, which I have mentioned previously. It could be considered a Western version of the sheng, using a piano-type keyboard and reeds coupled to tuned resonator pipes.

As noted above, the free-reed instruments can be classified according to their type of musical scale into two categories: diatonic and chromatic instruments, (*6) although some Oriental instruments can play only a pentatonic scale.

A.C. Moule ("Musical and Other Sound-Producing Instruments of the Chinese", 1908) mentions simple free reed "toys" consisting of a tube of bamboo with a free reed inserted into each end, producing two different notes. No doubt similar noisemakers occur in other parts of Asia.

I hope this is all interesting and of some use to you.

All the best,

Pat Missan
United Kingdom

Dear Pat,

Me thinks I should have consulted you before publishing these articles! Although I don't have the time at the moment due to my life as organist, choirmaster & father, etc., please be assured I will get around to examining and revising the articles soon. Perhaps even before Christmas! Thanks for sharing your considerable knowledge.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2000 16:49:46 -0800
From: r.t.warner@worldnet.att.net
Subject: WARSAW QUINTET

Just came into possession of a cassette having some numbers by the WARSAW QUINTET. Never heard of them before but they are terrific. Where can I get their CDs? I know you reviewed one of them but I don't recall seeing any for sale inThe Classical Free-Reed, Inc. Online Gift Store. Enjoyed the interchange between you and Peter Soave.

Regards,
Bob Warner

Hello Bob,

A search on our Search page showed one review of their Kontraste CD, as you indicated. According to the "ordering info," the label is Prokordeon/Klaus Werner of Hanover Germany, address listed in review. I suspect that Intermusik Schmuelling probably also sells it.

Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2000 13:11:19 EST
From: Pagrecay@aol.com
Subject: Great page...very helpful

Hello...after many years, I am reviving my interest and ability on the 120 bass accordion. I also have a very small free reed pump organ that is over a century old (I think)...it has only one 'stop' which consists of a paddle moved with the knees while playing...it is very basic and very pretty to see...but it needs work...the bellows leak badly. Can anyone tell me where I can have it repaired and tuned? I live in Delaware. Thank you very much for any assistance.

Paul Grecay
Lewes, Delaware

Hello Paul,

Hmmn. I suggest visiting our Links page and scrolling to "Harmoniums." Perhaps someone there can give you some leads. I remember about 15 years ago visiting a reed organ repairman near Philadelphia; I think his name was Carl something. Be damned if I can remember more than that!

Best wishes,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 13:30:07 -0500 (EST)
From: SoavePeter@webtv.net
Subject: Re: Sinfonietta Review

Hi Henry!

I'm happy you like the CD Accordion Concerto. In regards to the Coppola, I feel "it's about time" we ([American] accordionists) have a piece to present that is well written and easily understandable. (not to mention a recognizable composer, American, with symphony orchestra, etc.....) Wouldn't it help if we had some more pieces like that??!? (Bernstein, Copland, Gershwin, John Williams etc.....!) Oh well! I'm leaving this evening for a month tour in France. Let's talk after X-Mas. Best always.

Sincerely,
Peter Soave

Detroit, Michigan

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 14:15:03 -0500 (EST)
From: The Classical Free-Reed
To: Peter Soave
Subject: Coppola

Peter,

Who was the piece composed for, what year, first performance?

Henry

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 14:40:46 -0500 (EST)
From: Peter Soave
Subject: Re: Coppola

Good luck on this one! Who knows? We haven't found any information. In the late '80's, Donald Hulme performed it a few times with Coppola conducting. I witnessed one performance at Disney World in which Donald performed standing up. The reading was quite poor and unimpressive. It was not treated with the seriousness that our often maligned instrument requires in symphonic settings. It had a Vaudeville air to it. The public response was very unfortunate. The piece was composed in 1973! I imagine Carmine wrote it for a friend. I am not aware of anyone besides Donald Hulme having performed it. I really doubt it has been presented with a major orchestra.

Sincerely,
Peter Soave

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 16:40:18 -0500 (EST)
From: The Classical Free-Reed
To: Peter Soave
Subject: Re: Coppola

Hello Peter,

I found this at accordions.com:

In 1985 when the American Accordionists' Association held its annual festival in Orlando, Florida, collaborative efforts with Disney led to numerous accordion bands performing daily at Epcot Center and Disney Village. At the same time the city's Mayor Frederick declared Orlando "Accordion City" for the festival week and Disney premiered Carmine Coppola's Concerto for Accordion and Orchestra in an exciting evening concert featuring the Disney Park Orchestra and soloist Donald Hulme.

According to my research, Donald was ATG champion in 1959, 1960 & 1961. I believe he won the CIA 1960 championship. Must have been a really fine player. Studied under Charles Nunzio.

Henry

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 17:40:19 -0500 (EST)
From: Peter Soave
To: The Classical Free-Reed
Subject: Re: Coppola

Yes, he was a fine player in his day.

Sincerely,
Peter Soave

Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 10:47:55 +0000
From: phil@harmoniumservice.demon.co.uk
Subject: Sheng or Sho

Dear Free Reed,

I have been browsing your web site - many good things there!! I am writing to ask if you can help us. We own a Reed Organ Museum here in Saltaire UK. Next October we are having an International Convention on the Reed Organ and want to do a big display on the Sheng - if possible! You have many good pics and info on your website - but when I down load the pics they are small and a bit grainy!!

I wonder - is there any way I could buy copies of good Sheng photos to help this display next October. I will pay all costs - of course!! If there is any other material that you think might be of interest - I would be most grateful for any suggestions! Your help & suggestions would be most welcome.

Best wishes & thanks for all your good work

Pam Fluke
Reed Organ Museum
Saltaire
Nr Bradford
UK

Dear Pam,

Thanks for your kind words, but I'm afraid I cannot help you. All our images we found on the Internet. Funny how something looks good on our browsers but terrible in print. Perhaps you can contact some sheng & sho players directly. If you go to our Performer's Directory page, and do a search for sheng & sho, you can find a few players who might be able to help you.

Sincerely, Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 09:12:35 -0000
From: j.m.oregan@ntlworld.com
Subject: Tremolo vs. Vibrato

Hi Henry,

I have been away at an Accordion Festival, but have now returned and must catch up with quite a few things. While I was at the Accordion Festival I got into an "argument" with a chap who was running a workshop. The subject was TREMOLO v. VIBRATO in general, but as applied to accordions in particular. This guy (as far as I am aware) got his facts mixed up, stating that TREMOLO was a rapid interchange between TWO NOTES (to me a sort of "two-hammer" reiteration). He also said that TREMOLO on the accordion was produced by tuning one or more of the 8-foot registrations slightly sharp/flat.

I maintained the following: TREMOLO is a rapid variation in the AMPLITUDE of a note - while VIBRATO is a rapid variation in the FREQUENCY of a note and the INSTRUMENT is irrelevant.

What is your opinion on the subject - or can you suggest anyone who can give an authoritive definition. ENCYLOPEDIA BRITTANICA backs me up, but I can't get access to the GROVES MUSICAL DICTIONARY for confirmation.

Regards
Mike J. O'Regan
United Kingdom

Mike,

Regarding your friend at the accordion festival, if you ask me, I say you are both right! (and wrong). The two words, vibrato and tremolo, although technically having different definitions, are often used to refer to the same thing. My Webster's New World Dictionary (1984) defines the two terms:

Vibrato: Music; a pulsating effect, less extreme than a tremolo, produced by rapid alternation of a given tone with a barely perceptible variation in pitch, as by the slight oscillation of the finger on a violin string or bay a slight wavering of the tone in singing."

Tremolo: Music; 1) a tremulous effect produced by the rapid reiteration of the same tone, as by the rapid up-and-down movement of the same tone, as by the rapid up-and-down movement of the bow or plectrum: in singing, sometimes, same as vibrato. 2) a device, as in an organ, for producing such a tone.

So, here we have a reference work which is not exactly clear. However, there are scientific definitions of the two terms.

Nicholas S. Lander wrote in "Recorder Home Page: Vibrato and Tremolo on the Recorder," (see http://members.iinet.net.au/~nickl/vibrato.html)

"Vibrato" is a collective term covering oscillations of pitch, intensity or timbre that singly or in combination serve to enrich the musical sound (Neumann 1978: 521). In Early Music at least, Donnington (1974: 229) suggests that we should reserve the word tremolo for fluctuation of intensity, often but not necessarily amounting to a reiteration of the note, and the word vibrato for a fluctuation in pitch not amounting to a change of note. When two notes a tone or semitone apart alternate we speak of a trill. When the notes are more than a tone apart we speak again of tremolo or tremolando. All of these were regarded as specific ornaments in the baroque period.

According to Donnington, it is mainly tremolo, not vibrato, with which good singers bring their tone to life, and it is vibrato with which string-players enhances their tone.

Reference: Neumann, F. (1978). Ornamentation in Baroque and Post-Baroque Music, With Special Emphasis on J.S. Bach. Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Donnington, R. (1974). The Interpretation of Early Music: New Version. Faber & Faber, London.

So there you have it. Your friend is correct when he says tremolo refers to rapidly reiterating a note or chord. But tremolo also refers to a fluctuation in dynamics (usually) without breaking the note. In reality, both are the same. The first refers to a exaggerated tremolo and the second to a subtle tremolo. Some 19th-century American harmoniums used an electric fan inside the instrument to produce a pleasing tremolo. (Once I played at a party under a revolving ceiling fan. My accordion sounded whacky; out of tune. I suspected the fan and confirmed my theory, when I moved to the other side of the room. My instrument sounded normal.

Pipe organs (and some harmoniums) have a mechanical attachment which quickly shakes the wind reservoir to cause an amplitude modulation (tremolo). Accordionists do the same by rapidly shaking their left knee, or rapidly waving their left hand or quickly pressing and slightly releasing a right hand key (but not enough to cause the note to stop sounding).

Regarding the addition of a second rank of reeds (or pipes) tuned slightly sharp or flat to produce a beating effect: this is something else entirely and is called voix celeste (literally French for heavenly voice) on the organ. It is called violin and musette on the accordion. Webster defines it as "an organ stop producing a soft, tremulous effect." (related to tremolo?)

In my opinion, voix celeste is neither tremolo nor vibrato; both pitches are continuously sounded as straight tone without tremolo or vibrato, but our ears seem to hear the combination as a vibrato! Perhaps there is a perceptible variation in air pressure (dynamics) which can be measured by scientific instruments, but even when the two pitches are electronically generated and isolated into the left and right speakers of a set of headphones, our brains still "hear" the beats, even though none physically exist!

Add to this the confusion of the "Leslie" rotating electric organ speaker which is simply a loudspeaker and horn which rotate rapidly around an axis. This produces both tremolo and vibrato: tremolo as the amplitude of the sound increases and decreases as the speaker horn rotates, and vibrato as the pitch of the tone varies according the doppler effect!

Is this enough for all of us? If language were precise, there would be five different terms.

Vibrato: pitch fluctuation (as in violin vibrato)

Tremolo: dynamic fluctuation, as in a vocal tremolo, accordion and organ tremolo (including rapidly repeated notes)

Beating Effect: resultant beating from two nearly identical tones played together, as in the voix celeste on the organ and violin/musette on the accordion

Rotating Effect: resultant tremolo/vibrato from a rotating sound source.

Electronic Processes which produce the above four effects.

Readers, got any other thoughts on this?

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 06:38:38 -0000
From: j.m.oregan@ntlworld.com
To: The Classical Free-Reed

Hi Henry,

By all means publish both my original letter and your exhaustive reply, for which I thank you very much. If I manage to get any more on the subject I'll let you know - maybe publishing will bring some interesting follow-ups. Another angle on the subject is the so-called "tremolo arm" lever device which electric guitar players use to vary the tension of their strings, thus varying the tone. Probably this should really be called a "vibrato arm!"

Regards
Mike

Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2000 13:04:19 -0500
From: foddo@wilmington.net
Subject: Nice Site...

I was wondering if you could help me with some info. My fiancée, who was born and raised in Columbia, has a little concertina that was her mother's (who passed away). It's just a little piece of junk with no real value. But very valuable to her. It's her most valuable possession by far. It has a tag on it "Made in German Democratic Republic". It does not say Germany, but German. There is a metal (looks like tin) tag on the other side which has a stamp of a harp with a $ sign in the harp. The harp is basic and looks like one of those old hand held lutes. There are only 10 buttons on one side and 10 (plus one for air) on the other side. 20 buttons for playing in all. I was able to open it up and repair the little pieces of wood that had come loose (the ones that open & close over the reeds) and now all the notes play. Sort of like a harmonica in a box. The bellows are in good shape, but there are about 6 missing buttons on it. There only little pieces of plastic (maybe mother of pearl - but I don't think so) glued to a little piece of dole rod which is then supposed to be glued to the arm that opens the reed hole. The buttons are only about the size of 2/3 of your little fingernail. Would you have any idea where I might be able to buy some of these? I have one which I was able to pull off that I can take a picture of, or even send for comparisons to someone.

I would also (if possible) like to learn a little simple Spanish song on it to play for her. Perhaps you could suggest something easy. I play guitar and would not have any trouble picking something up if there is something available that could show me what each note was and had the music to a little song. I realize this is a very basic instrument, but I can't think of anything she would appreciate more. Like this instrument, she is a very simple woman who is out of place in this complex society. Thanks for your valuable time.

ps.. I just found your site and bookmarked it for further exploration. Thanks again.

Frank J. Oddo
Wilmington, NC

Dear Frank,

I suggest you visit The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. Links Page and scroll down to Diatonic Accordion, Concertina and Bandoneon Sites. Here you can find some concertina experts who are much better able to assist you than I. Good luck.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 19:06:39 +0000
From:patm@globalnet.co.uk
Subject: Sheng article

Hi Henry

I've been meaning to write to you about this for some time and when Richard Martin printed the sheng article from your web site in "Harmonica Educator", I finally forced myself to get around to it.

These are intended as comments, rather than corrections or criticisms. I assume that the sources you used for this article are for the most part much more knowledgeable than I am, with regard to these matters. However, there are a few points I feel obliged to question.

First of all, Richard's comment in the magazine, that "the history of the Western mouth organ can be traced back to the sheng". This particular summing up of things is one of my personal "betes noires", as it is something of an over-simplification, to say the least - and an extremely common one. Although Pere Amiot's sheng caused a lot of experimentation with free reeds in Europe, the form of the Far Eastern free reed is very different (as I believe I have pointed out before) from the Western one, being attached to one side of the reedplate, rather than being integral with it (and usually, but not always, sounding with both positive and negative pressures, where the Western version is set to repond to just one direcrtion of airflow). Sadly, history does not seem to have recorded how this difference evolved, but I suspect that there was same influence from the guimbarde (my preferred term for "Jew's harp" which offends many people, or "jaw harp" which is simply inaccurate) makers and possibly the clock builders of Europe - who in turn may have been influenced by the African kalimba family of instruments. Also, as many of the first Western free reeds seem to have been used in keyboard instruments, it is likely that the reed organs such as the regal had some influence, even though they used beating reeds. Besides, Amiot's sheng was not the first free reed instrument to be known to Europe - Mersenne's "Harmonie Universal" depicted a free reed instrument some century and a half before Amiot's sheng was brought to the West and Hermann Smith (in "The World's Earliest Music") puts forward the suggestion that the free reed was known to the ancient Greeks, although I do not know of anyone else who shares that particular opinion. Anyway, to cut along story short, whilst the sheng was obviously inspired a lot of experimentation, it is really not the simple story that "the sheng was the ancestor of the harmonica/accordion/harmonium", as is so commonly stated.

In fact, in the first part of the article, you state that the naw is "in all probability the oldest member of the free reed family". This is also very questionable. It is not even safe to say that it is the oldest member of the mouth organ family. If one assumes an evolution of instruments from simple to complex, then there are several single-piped mouth organs that almost certainly came before the naw, khaen, sheng, etc. Also, the free reed itself probably predates the mouth organ. The simplest forms of free reed instruments are the simple noise-makers so common in the East, where a free reed is set into the side of a buffalo horn, or bamboo tube, etc. In turn, these probably derived from the Asian guimbardes, whose shape is much more like the free reed, that the Western guimbardes.

I must also protest (in a very polite way!) that the history of free reed instruments has a tendency to focus on the mouth organs, ignoring the other free reed instruments, particularly the reed pipes such as the Chinese ba-wu and hulusi, the Thai bee saw, the Vietnamese alal, etc. The most comprehensive article I have seen which examines the full variety of free reed instruments is by Terry Miller, in "Music East and West - Essays in Honor of Walter Kaufmann".

OK - back to the article in question. Although the naw commonly has bamboo reeds, I believe many of the "improved" instruments use brass reeds. It is possible to bend notes with the thumb, because the reed depends on the full length of the pipe to give its pitch, unlike the khaen, sheng, etc., which all have tuning slots cut into the side of the pipe. (However it is possible to bend notes on these latter instruments by partially uncovering the finger holes - this is much easier on the sheng, which typically has much larger finger holes than the khaen.)

The bit that most grabbed my attention was the comment of note 1, which says that the Chinese name for the naw, "hulusheng", means "barbarian sheng". In Mandarin, "hulu" means literally a gourd, so "hulusheng" would mean "gourd sheng", to distinguish it from the sheng using carved wood or metal windchests. Similarly, "hulusi" means "reed pipe" and the gourd whistles that are attached to pigeons are usually called simply "hulu". It may be that it has a figurative meaning which is less than flattering, but this is the first time I have heard of it.

As an aside to note 2, the word used to denote a sheng reed ("hang", in this verse rendered as "tongue") is also used to denote the guimbarde - perhaps more confirmation of the origins of the free reed.

Note 9 says that the Chinese name of "lusheng" (often spelled "liu-sheng") also means "barbarian sheng". I was always lead to believe that it simply meant "small sheng". Although the Hmong version of this instrument is often quite large, there are many 6-pipe sheng found in China that are quite small. I have one myself that is about 10" long, with pipes ranging from 6"-13". Again, it may be that the term "small sheng" also has a pejorative interpretation, but I've never heard of it before.

Well, that was longer than I had intended to write, but I hope my comments are of interest and are taken as a sign of my enthusiasm, rather than being interpreted as heavy criticism.

Best wishes to you.

Pat Missin
United Kingdom

REPLY:

Dear Pat,

You've said a mouthful! It will take me a little time to draw up a reply! Until then, my best wishes to you.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 19:16:29 -0000
From: vlowe@uk.packardbell.org
Subject: enquiring

Hi, my name is Matthew Royle. I am currently studying at North Trafford College and I have been set an assignment to write a dissertation on Harmonicas. I have been looking everywhere for information but the subject seems to be of limited resources. I have spoken to my tutor and he suggested contacting you for some information. I would be very grateful if you could send me any literature, if you can then please could you e-mail me back to give you my postal address. thank you for your time,

Matthew
Manchester, England

REPLY:

Hello Matthew,

The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. web site has a number of articles about harmonica. Go to our Search Page and do a search for "harmonica." You will receive a list of 80 documents which include that word in their texts. Some will be more valuable to you than others, but I imagine some twenty or so will be invaluable. Such as our review of Peter Krampert's book: Encyclopedia of the Harmonica, articles by Richard Martin, Greg Panfile, Blackie Schackner, Robert White, and myself, an interview with the "King of the Classical Harmonica" Larry Adler, and several reviews of important harmonica CDs.

Then go to our Links Page and visit the six harmonica sites listed.

Finally go to our Performer's Directory page and do a page search for harmonica. You will find about ten classical harmonica players. You may also write to them for information.

I do not have anything in print to send you. Please tell me who is your teacher who suggested you write to me? I will be grateful if you send me a copy of your dissertation when completed.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder

The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2094 02:55:05 +0200
From: bpofuk@inet.hr
Subject: Peter Soave in Zagreb

Dear Mr. Doktorski,

I just want to thank you for your excellent web site which was of great help to me in preparing myself for an interview I conducted earlier this night in front of the audience in Zagreb concert hall Lisinski with Maestro Peter Soave, after his concert with Rucner Quartet. I am sure you know about them and the CD they recorded with Soave. Well, I was so proud of them tonight and happy that those excellent musicians gave us opportunity to listen to Peter Soave himself.

Of course, they performed Piazzolla's Five Tango Sensations and Adios Nonino. Well, your reviewer was really not exaggerating a bit while saying that they did even better job than Piazzolla himself with Kronos Quartet. [Editor's note: see Tango Moods CD Review]

Maybe you will be glad to know that during the interview I quoted your statement about Soave being the best accordion and bandoneon player in the USA ever. [See Pride and Passion CD Review.] It was an extraordinary experience and Zagreb audience, including me, also learnt a lot about bandoneon and its exciting history from well spirited Maestro Soave. I am very looking forward to his next concert in Zagreb next February when he will perform Piazzolla Aconcagua Concerto with Zagreb Soloists string ensemble.

All the best in your work and life,

Branimir Pofuk

PS. I am journalist, music critic and deputy editor of culture at "Jutarnji list" Zagreb based, the second biggest daily newspaper in Croatia.

Dear Branimir,

Thank you for sharing this exciting news for us. I wish you all success in your endeavors. For the record, I wrote, " Peter Soave is the greatest accordionist in United States history. Period. No one comes close." I do not know if he is the greatest bandoneonist. I think Raul Jaurena, who lives in Elizabeth, New Jersey, may be. Raul is certainly more experienced, having performed for several decades longer than Peter, including Piazzolla concertos with orchestras in Europe. It is possible that Peter may be the best United States-born bandoneonist, as Raul was born in Argentina, if I remember correctly when I visited him in 1998.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2000 14:26:00 -0500

From: shegman@tcinternet.net

Hi , I have a Web site devoted to melodicas. A free reed keyboard. Is this something you would like to list . I realize it is a bit different. www.melodicas.com

thanks
Steve Hegman
Minneapolis, Minnesota

REPLY:

I have included your listing in our Links page.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2000 22:58:57 EDT
From: Hyuthere@aol.com
Subject: Listing

Dear Henry,

I wish I could have attended your recent concert (Strauss Waltzes from Roses from the South with piano and string quintet). I am sure it was successful. If you have other concerts planned in the area in the future, please send me announcement. I would like to attend one of your performances. Please include my name in your listing under USA Accordionists in The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. Performers' Directory.

I was busy this summer. I presented a workshop and concert on the Music of Eugene Ettore at the AAA Festival in Washington. I also played at the AAA Workshop in New York City moderated by Dr. William Shimmel. There I played several Ettore works as well as the "Concert Waltz for Accordion and String Quartet" by Gary Daverne. Some of my future activities will be a workshop and performance next March at the King of Prussia Festival organized by Stanley Darrow. I will also travel to Texas for the TAA Festival run by Norman Seaton. And, I am available for other concert dates in the future.

Rita Davidson
West Orange, New Jersey

REPLY:

Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 09:24:16 -0400 (EDT)
From: free-reed@trfn.clpgh.org
To: Hyuthere@aol.com
Subject: Re: Listing

Hello again, Rita.

When are you playing for Stanley's festival? I will try to make it. He always asks me to participate, but since I work weekends as church organist, it is very difficult for me to get away. In the past, when I worked in West Virginia, I could get away more easily and often participated.

How did you like the Schimmel festival? I played in there in 1997. Had a great time. See Bach/Vegas/Dog.

Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 00:22:12 EDT
From: Hyuthere@aol.com
Subject: Re: Listing

Dear Henry,

Stanley's accordion weekend will be the the first weekend in March 2001. I have not received a schedule yet but I will be playing either Saturday or Sunday.{ I will be in school teaching on Friday.} I appreciate that you would like to hear me play. As soon as I know of the date and time, I will inform you. I have known Stanley over 20 years. He has often asked me to play. This will be my first time there and I am looking forward.

As you know, I am trying to keep the music of Eugene Ettore alive. It is a very important part of the accordion literature and, unfortunately, has been neglected for a long time. I met Jorgen Sundquist last year at the ATA of NJ competition. We had a long talk and I learned that he is very fond of Eugene Ettore's music and includes his solos in many of his concerts around the world. I was able to give him some of the Ettore solos that he did not have. At the Sunday concert there, he and his duet partner, Oivind Farmen, played the duet version of "Five O'Clock Rush". They are a great duet team!!

In August I participated for the first time in the AAA Festival organized by Dr. Schimmel. I had never been to one before. I attended all 3 evening concerts.It was a fantastic experience to be there and hear all the wonderful accordionists, musicians,different styles of playing, personalities, ways of presentation, use of the accordion with other instruments, etc. etc. And the K Trio were an important part of it . I have heard their performances several times. They are always musical, entertaining, and impressive. All three are superb musicians both technically and interpretively. I read their article on Accordions Worldwide. I check the accordion news weekly.

There were many other people who also participated.: Dr Robert Young McMahon, Ray Rue, William Schimmel Micki Goodman, Kathleen goodman. Lee McClure, Anahid Sofian, Kevin Friedrich, Carmen Carrozza, Dr. Thomas Massucci, Ed Friedman, Allysa Lamb, Mary Mancini, Mario Tacca, Paul Stein, Will Holshouser, Jim Day, Godfrey Nelson, Lorrain Nelson, Philip Howlett,.Ms. Borzova,the Elegant String Quartet: Lorraine Marks, Maurice Kelhoffer, Dereck Maishman, Leah Karpman. Not all of the mentioned people are accordionists. If you would like the complete program of the AAA Weekend, let me know and I will be happy to mail you a copy.{It would take too long to type out the complete program here}.

I look forward to eventually meeting you. In the meantime, keep up the great work with The Classical Free Reed, Inc. It is an extensive, interesting, and friendly resource for all accordionists and music lovers. I like the way you treat all contributors to the Readers Letters with the same respect whether they are professionals or just beginners.

Hear from you again soon!!

Rita Davidson
New Jersey

Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2000 16:08:30 -0500
From: mdesciscio@Nalco.Com

Subject: Accordion Tuning

Henry

In listening to your wonderful recordings (eg Gershwin and Christmas) the tuning of your accordion is excellent. I want to get mine tuned 440 dry. I play a standard 4 reed low middle middle high. The tuners I've used always want to give me a slight musette with one set of the middle reeds. I don't want that, but they seem to do it anyway. Henry, may I ask who you use to tune your accordions? Again I want a dry 440 so I may comfortably play with a violin or piano etc.

Thanks

Mike DeSciscio

REPLY:

Hello Mike,

Thanks for the kind words about the tuning of my accordion; it is 440. Leo Niemi deserves all the credit. He is a miracle worker. I believe he is seriously considering retirement; I would call him soon, if I were you! You can find his address & phone number at http://trfn.clpgh.org/free-reed/essays/niemi.html.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 08:27:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: joemad9@hotmail.com
Subject: Rhapsody in Blue and Molinari

Greetings,

I noticed that you mentioned a John Molinari album in your article about The Accordion and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. That particular album ( Molinari Accordion Solos Volume 3) is a 10" 33 1/3 RPM and not a 78. Also, please let me know if you are interested in any of his albums. Accordia reissued some of his albums in the 70's and 80's. Rhapsody in Blue is now on "Classic Favorites".

Thank You,
Joe Madison

REPLY:

Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 15:51:15 +0200
From: widar@accordionscandinavia.pp.se
Subject: SV: Rhapsody in Blue and Molinari

Hello!

Regarding Rhapsody in Blue played by Molinari, I have it on 3 records:

78 rpm Accordia 1957-A (Side B of this is Bach - Gavotte)
10" 33 1/3 rpm, Accordion Solos vol. 3
12" ALP-116 "Classic Favourites"

Kind regards
Håkan Widar
Varberg
Sweden
http://hem.passagen.se/accordionscandinavia

Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2000 17:13:42 GMT From: joemad9@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: SV: Rhapsody in Blue and Molinari (fwd)

Hi Henry,

I forgot about the singles. Yes I have emailed Håkan before. John Molinari is my grandfather. I'm in the process of making a website for Accordia Records but if you are interested in John Molinari's "Classic Favorites" you can find it at this link: http://cgi6.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewListedItems&userid=accordia&include=0&since=-1&sort=2&rows=25

In the near future some CD's will be made of Molinari's recordings. I will let you know.

Joe Madison

Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2000 22:35:42 EDT
From: Rbaksa@aol.com
Subject: Accordion Sonata

Henry,

A while back I mentioned to you that the American Accordion Association commissioned a new work from me for the instrument. Due to a series of foul ups the piece was published before I had a chance to hear some live performances. Now that I have heard it performed, I am making a few changes in the music. I would like to offer anyone who has purchased the first version a chance to get the new version free of charge if they will simply send me the old copy, along with a SASE to

Robert Baksa
P.O.Box 424
Kinderhook, NY
12106

Thanks,

Robert

Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 02:26:26 GMT
From: ringves@hotmail.com
Subject: Still Haven't Purchased the Free Bass Yet !

Hello, Henry.

Long time, no hear. This is Robert Ingves writing. It must be about two years since I last wrote to you. As you may recall, I have been saving up to purchase my dream accordion over the last few years. And I have just come across a used accordion locally which is very tempting.

The only thing which causes me to hesitate is that this accordion's free bass uses the quint system, NOT the chromatic system. The accordion is a Titano "Royal" with 4 sets of treble reeds and (I believe) 7 sets for the bass. It sounds good and it has not been abused.

My question is:

Of the different free bass systems, am I right to assume that TODAY the chromatic "C" system is the most popular? In other words, is the quint system the accordion equivalent of betamax videotapes?

Regards,

Robert Ingves

REPLY:

Hello Robert,

I should say that this is not exactly cut and dried. Salvatore de Gesualdo (see recent review) plays a quint free-bass accordion, and so do many other Italian and some American players (Robert Young McMahan, Stanley Darrow, etc.) who swear by their instrument.

My opinion? It depends on what you want to do with it. If you are preparing for a virtuoso career as concert accordionist, I'd wait for a chromatic instrument. If you -- like me -- just dabble around, it might not make such a big difference. Although di Gesualdo is fantastic, he doesn't play very difficult passages on the left hand on the CD I heard. The great chromatic players, Ellegaard, Hussong, etc. play incredibly fast left-hand passages.

Classical quint free-bass players are invited to send their comments to The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. for publication. Although I will probably only print letters from those accordionists who have made professional recordings, as it guarantees that they can actually do something with their instrument.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 14:32:26 +0200
From: tpecanov@freemail.org.mk

Dear Sir or Madame

My name is Toni Pecanov, born 19.02.1982 in Strumica-Macedonia. I started to play accordion when I was 7 years old; now I am in my first year at the Music Akkademy in Macedonia. I have participated in some competitions and seminars for accordion and composition.

• Three first place trophies in my country in competition for accordion
  
• Second place in the International Competition in Yugoslavia in 1998
  
• Twelve on the list in the International competition honoring Astor Piazzola in Italy in 1998
  
• Tenth on the same competition in 1999
  
• 13th in the International Competition in Klingenthal 2000 in Germany

I would like to continue my education abroad, studying accordion and composition, perhaps in Hanover, Witen, London, Denver or some other good academy. Pleace tell me how may I apply for a scholarship, as my financial situation is not so good.

my address:

Bratstvo Edinstvo45/2
92400-Strumica-Macedonia

Answer me like on your child no.

REPLY

Dear Toni,

Please see my letter to Pavel below.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2000 14:38:21 EEST
From: pavelvass@hotmail.com
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Pavel Vassilev. I am an eighteen year-old schoolboy who studies piano accordion at"Dobrin Petkov"-High School of Music in Bulgaria. My interests are in classical music. In May next year I will finish my high school. I would like to continue my accordion education in the USA.

It is difficult for me to apply for any university in the USA because of the financial condition of my family. Can you please provide me information about the entrance requirements at your musical institution? Does your institution offer a degree in accordion? Do you have full scholarships? What I must do to deserve it?

I would be very grateful to you if you give me such kind of information.

My mailing address is:

Pavel Vassilev
3,Silistra str.,fl.1
Plovdiv 4002
BULGARIA

Sincerely: Pavel Vassilev

REPLY

Dear Pavel,

I'm afraid at this time that Duquesne University does not offer accordion as a major instrument. You may be able to study the instrument for college credit but you must choose a different major, such as composition, music education, therapy, etc. It is possible to receive a scholarship to the University by performing accordion with the Duquesne University Tamburitzans, the ensemble of young folk artists dedicated to the performance and preservation of the music, songs, and dances of Eastern Europe and other related folk cultures. The performers are full-time students who receive substantial scholarships from Duquesne University, with additional financial aid provided by the Tamburitzan Scholarship Endowment Fund. For audition information see their website at http://www.duq.edu/Tamburitzans.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 18:25:43 +1000
From: 99219345@garbo.nepean.uws.edu.au
Subject: Research

Dear Mr. Doktorski,

My name is Elizabeth Jones and I am currently researching for my Doctorate of Creative Arts at the University of Western Sydney, Australia. The title of my subject is an Accordion Exposition. I have found The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. website a valuable resource material during the past year. At the moment I am doing the rounds of grant/trust funds that are offered in Australia to continue my research in America, Canada and Denmark.

Earlier this year my Aunt Shirley Evans contacted you in regards to this matter and she mentioned to you that she was the accordionist in the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour and also about the work that Lennon composed for her - Shirley's Wild Accordion. I was going through the readers letters when I discovered your letter mentioning this telephone conversation. You mentioned that her niece was Rebekah Greig from New Zealand. Unfortunately this is not the case. My mother is June Jones - nee Evans, Shirley's sister. The phone conversation was in regards to my studies and Shirley is delighted that her work with the Beatles has been included in your article, The Beatles and the Free-Reed Instruments.

As a bit of background knowledge Shirley was living in Australia with my parents at the time of mum's pregnancy and throughout the first years of my life. I often heard her practicing and attended different shows which featured both Shirley and Winnie Atwell. Most of our family believes that the result has been my love for the accordion.

I still hope to make it across to America early next year and would love to catch up with you. I have sent an attachment of my CV in case you are interested. I have also forwarded a copy to Thomas Fabinski as I would be interested in doing some CD Reviews. It would have a dual purpose to help out the volunteers at the website and would also count towards my DCA portfolio.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely
Elizabeth Jones

Attachment: Biography

Elizabeth Jones was born in 1972 in Sydney, Australia and began her studies on the accordion at the age of five, first with Else Brandman and from 1990 with Margaret Brandman - Blake. After completing a Bachelor of Music degree at Sydney University in 1992, she joined the Advanced Postgraduate Course at the Royal Academy of Music in London where she studied accordion with Professor Owen Murray until the end of 1995 and piano with Antoinetta Notariello until the end of 1996. Elizabeth is currently continuing her studies at the University of Western Sydney where she is researching the pedagogical and performance styles of the accordion for her Doctorate of Creative Arts.

Her concert performances have taken her to London, Hong Kong, China, New Zealand and throughout Australia, where she has performed as guest artist and recitalist at major venues. In 1999 Elizabeth performed with Opera Australia in their winter season production of Wozzeck and also performed with Cockatours Productions in their season of Fiddler on the Roof at the Hills Centre. During 1999 she was also a regular performer at special services at the Garrison Church and also performed with the NSW State Police Band. She has given numerous broadcasts for the ABC and 2MBSFM, as well as featuring on recordings. During 2000 Elizabeth has performed at the Garrison Church, the Wollongong Art Gallery and was featured on Win News, Wollongong. Elizabeth has collaborated with many composers based in Sydney to promote the accordion as a concert instrument. The composers include Eric Gross, Margaret Brandman - Blake, Ko-Ting Sung, Terumi Narashumi, and Andrew McBirnie (U.K.) Her most recent premiere was "And The Sun Danced On Easter Morn' " an intermezzo for accordion and organ by Eric Gross.

She has lectured frequently for the Australian Music Examination Board and the Accordion Society of Australia, and in 1992 was invited by the composer Peter Sculthorpe to give a workshop on composing for the accordion. She has also recorded pedagogical material for the AMEB.

Currently Elizabeth is the Federal President of the Accordion Society of Australia, and also is the Co-Musical Director of the NSW Division of the Accordion Society of Australia.

Elizabeth has just finished recording her first CD: ANIMI CAUSA. The CD is a collection of transcriptions for the accordion dating from the 16th Century to the 20th Century.

REPLY

Dear Elizabeth.

Many thanks for your interesting letter and I look forward to receiving your CD. I have corrected the letter as you asked. Please send your address so I may include it in our Performer's Directory. My best wishes to you and I also hope to meet you next year.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 12:41:39 -0400
From: jbomback@hugomedia.com
Subject: RE: Yunnan Review

Dear Henry,

Thank you so much for publishing the wonderful review of Yunnan Instrumental Music. I am extremely pleased and excited that a HUGO CD has been featured on the exquisite web site of The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

I also had a chance to read your wonderful articles on the sheng, sho and khaen. Well done. I spent quite some time on your site and found it to be informative, educational and very entertaining. I learned a lot and will revisit again as I discovered that I have so much more to know learn about the free-reed family of instruments. A wonderful discovery, indeed.

You can be assured that we will send you any new recordings that feature free-reed instruments.

With all good wishes,

Josef Bomback, vice president and chief executive officer
HUGO Media

P.S. How can I get in touch with Mr. Vozar? I would like to thank him as well. He did a great job.

Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2000 08:42:03 +0100
From: j.m.oregan@ntlworld.com
Subject: Tutors for 5 Row Chromatic (c system) instruments

Does anyone know of a good MODERN tutor book for the 5 Row Chromatic (C system) accordion? I know of the ANZHAGI tome which is some 60 yrs+ old, but I am looking for something more up-to-date.

Mike O'Regan
Nottingham Accordion Club
United Kingdom

REPLY:

Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2000 08:48:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: SoavePeter@webtv.net
Subject: Chromatic tutor

Premier Methode D'Accordeon par Andre Astier et Joss Baselli en 2 volumes (books 1 & 2 available) for 3 and 4 row chromatic accordions. These books start from beginner level and are written in French. They are complimented by 3 technique books entitled l'Ecole De La Virtuosite by the same composers. The first grade is for beginners only.

Books may be ordered from:

Opaline Editions
13, rue Gambetta
92100 BOULOGNE
FRANCE

Peter Soave
Michigan

Date: Sun, 3 Sep 2000 15:49:18 +0200
From: ivanobattiston@tin.it
Subject: R: Seven Words

Thank you very much, Henry! Your CD review of my recording of Gubaidulina's Seven Words is excellent, and very cultivated. Thank you!

Some news for The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.:

I'm working on a new CD with David Bellugi (recorder) (see http://bellugi.superdada.com). Some MP3 files of this new CD are available at: http://digilander.iol.it/bellugi/sounds/david_%26_ivano/.

Surfing people can listen to this music:

- J.S. Bach: Sonata BWV 1020
- Jewish liturgical song: "Shalom Alechem"
- G.P. Cima: Sonata in d
- G.P. Cima: Sonata in g
- B. Bartok: 6 Roumanian Folk Dances
- D. Ortiz: Two "Recercada" and "O felici occhi miei"
- A. Corelli: "La Follia"
- Anon 16th cent.: "My Lady Carey's Dompe"

Ivano Battiston

P.S. I'm terrible sorry: my English is very poor!

Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 11:38:31 -0700
From: cclayton@pdq.net
Subject: Concertinas

I know nothing about Concertinas. I am 77 years old and like to play the guitar but my fingers won't make the chords anymore. But before I buy one I need some answers:

How does it work? Do you play chords with one button on the left hand and notes with the right hand, or what? How do you make a chord? Does it play only in one key? If yes which keys is it available in? If yes, how do you play in different keys? How many notes in a key can it play? Can it be amplified? Can you send me any literature that would explain at least the above?

I will use it strictly for sing-a-long sessions. What is the easiest concertina to learn and to play for this function?

Carl Clayton

Hello Carl,

Nice to meet you.

> How does it work?

> Do you play chords with one button on the left hand and notes with the right hand, or what?

> How do you make a chord?

> Does it play only in one key? If yes which keys is it available in? If yes, how do you play in different keys?

> How many notes in a key can it play?

> Can it be amplified?

> Can you send me any literature that would explain at least the above?

> I will use it strictly for sing-a-long sessions. What is the easiest concertina to learn and to play for this function?

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2000 18:31:35 -0700
From: john@kingseed.com
Subject: Updated Link

Howdy Henry,

I am the webmaster for the Bay Area Accordion Club in San Francisco. Our web site has been moved to a new URL. It is now www.baaccordionclub.org. Would you please update our link on your site?

I think your site is great.

Thanks,
John Seckman
San Francisco

Date: 5 Aug 00 20:35:15 MDT
From: dmitry-mironenko@usa.net
Subject: letter

Hallo!

This is Dmitry Mironenko. I live in Belarus. Not so long ago I learnt about your organization and decided to write you.

I'm a student of the Belorussian Academy of music. I play the key accordeon. Now I'm 21, for 16 years I study the accordion. I managed to achieved certain success and not only once I became several times the laureate of the national Competitions, and in 1998 I became the winner of the International Competition in Moldova.

The sense of my appeal to you is a tremendous threat to my study and to my existence as a musician. I need to buy a new professional instrument, 'cause my accordion is very old one; it break too often and I have no chance to study well. A new accordeon in our country costs several thousands in US dollars. Perhaps you've heard about our poor country and the situation in it -- the extremely deep economic crisis with no future. My scholarship is 15 US dollars per month. Even I starve, I'll not manage my fantastic dream. But this dream is the condition of my professional existence and survival. And I'm sure that I deserve to be a good musician, that this is my way in life.

I hope that once we shall meet and my accordion will sound to you. Please write to me! Perhaps you'll find the way how to help me. My address is: dmitry-mironenko@usa.net. Thank you very much. God bless you.

Dmitry Mironenko

REPLY:

Dear Dmitry,

Thank you for your letter. I have great sympathy for your predicament. The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. can assist you with free publicity; I will post this letter on our "Readers' Letters" page in the hope that some of our readers will respond generously to your appeal.

A few weeks ago, in a letter (printed below on this page) to Signe Vainu of Estonia (who also requested support), I wrote,

"The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. is a nonprofit organization. We survive only by the help of our dedicated volunteers as the meager sales from our Online Gift Store prohibit us from paying even a small stipend to our staff, such as our webmaster (myself), our editor (Thomas Fabinski) and our various writers."

I hope our readers will respond. Please let me know if you receive any sponsors.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2000 00:46:46 EDT
From: JRahmes@aol.com
Subject: Polka from the Fringe

Dear Free Reed:

Do you really still have copies of Guy Klusevsek's: Polka Dots and Laser Beams, & ?Who Stole the Polka? at your Online Gift Store? I want 'em - please let me know ASAP. I really want 'em, they're getting hard to find in the stores. Thanks,

John Rahmes

Dear John,

Yes, we can get you copies of Polka Dots and Laser Beams, & ?Who Stole the Polka? from our distributor. Order away! They're GREAT albums. I just LUV 'em.

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2000 05:25:54 EDT
From: JRahmes@aol.com
Subject: Re: Polka from the Fringe

Dear Henry-

I really appreciate your enthusiasm, and I am a big fan of Guy Klucevsek as well. But the fact that you say that you will be getting the 2 "Polka from the Fringe" CDs from your distributor means you have none in stock. Record stores in NYC say that these things are very, very, very long out of print. Have you seen any lately ? Could you be so kind as to verify their availability with your supplier, before I send a check? I hate to be a pain, but your information contradicts about 3 years of scrounging in record scores for these CDs. What motivates me is the personal need not to get my hopes up unnecessarily - not to be a pain. Thanks,

John Rahmes

REPLY:

Dear John,

Thank you for your letter and I appreciate your concern. Before I replied to your first mail I contacted our distributor who assured me that the items are available. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Henry

Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2000 09:04:51 -0500 (CDT)
From: lacidesromero@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Congratulations

Dear Henry!

I have received your 2 CDs in the mail, A Classical Christmas and Music by George Gershwin. They are both very beautiful. The recording is excellent, your orchestral arrangements are very poised, and the sound of your Victoria accordion is very pretty. You are a great master, congratulations!!

Nine years ago, I knew an accordionist in Spain, Angel Huidobro, who had a Victoria accordion equal to yours. Well, now I'm leaving to the airport, I will travel to Cereté, at the north of Colombia, where I will offer a Concert. When I be back, I will contact you again.

Sincerely yours,
Lácides Romero
Bogota, Colombia

Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2000 09:57:35 -0700
From: lanfell@ix.netcom.com
Subject: Asian Free-Reed Instruments Articles

I really enjoy your site, thanks. Could you tell me how I can obtain permission to reprint the article Asian Free-Reed Instruments by Henry Doktorski? Perhaps you can even grant me the permission. I sell antique shengs, and I would very much like to include a copy of this article when I ship a sheng to the buyer.

Lanny Fellers

REPLY:

Dear Lanny,

Thanks for asking!

Yes you may do so, provided you include the following statement:

Originally published by The Classical Free-Reed Inc.
Internet address: http://trfn.clpgh.org/free-reed
email: free-reed@trfn.clpgh.org.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 13:00:29 +0300 (EEST)
From: svainu@siba.fi
Subject: question about concert-cycle

Hello!!

My name is Signe Vainu. I am a 6th-year student of Sibelius Academy's soloist department in Helsinki, Finland and my instrument is classical accordion. I was born in Tartu, Estonia and my nationality is Estonian.

Accordion is rather poor-known as an solo-instrument of serious/classical music in Estonia. There is no possibility to study classical accordion in Estonian Music Academy. But there is possible to study it in H.Eller n. Music School in Tartu, but of course it is not high school.

In last few years, already 3 accordionists who graduated H.Eller n. Music School are accepted as a student to Sibelius Academy and Royal Danish Music Conservatoire. This is a very big step of the classical-accordion developement in Estonia. As I am one of these students, I found it just a right time to organise a classical-accordion concert-cycle in Estonia. There would be 10-12 concerts during a year, in every month one in Tallinn as well as in Tartu. There will be about 16 soloists from different countries included Estonia, Finland, Denmark, Lithuania, Russia and also from Germany.

Is it possible for The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. to help this project financially? It would be very important as well as for Estonia to all the countries who will take part of this concert-cycle!!

With best regards and waiting for your reply,

Signe Vainu, (Sibelius-Academy)
Vanha viertotie 21 as. 317
Helsinki 00350

REPLY:

Dear Signe,

What an ambitious project! Your concert cycle will certainly be an important event in classical accordion history and I wish I lived close enough to attend some of the concerts.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid all we can do is give you some free publicity by posting your letter on our Readers Letters page. If you send us a news release, we will be happy to post it on our News Bulletins page.

The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. is a nonprofit organization. We survive only by the help of our dedicated volunteers as the meager sales from our Online Gift Store prohibit us from paying even a small stipend to our staff, such as our webmaster (myself), our editor (Thomas Fabinski) and our various writers.

My best wishes to you.

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 14:14:48 -0500 (CDT)
From:bkhol@webtv.net

I visited your website. I find it great. You care about free-reed instruments in classical music is me very sympathetic. You hard work is admirable.

Bohumil Khol
Czech Republic

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 19:17:31 EDT
From: JJooley@aol.com

Hello,

I purchased a 1924 "Alfred Arnold" bandoneon approx. 15 years ago as a novelty item as I had dabbled briefly with a piano accordion. Recently I've come to understand the rarity and history of the instrument. In conditions present, I'm unable to provide proper storage for preservation and would appreciate any information I could receive as to placing it for sale. I also have accompanying Alfred Arnold instruction books. The instrument is in very good condition and is with it's original case and I would prefer it be placed in an environment for appreciation and possible use.

REPLY:

Dear Friend,

I suggest you visit The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. Links Page and scroll down to "Diatonic Accordion, Concertina and Bandoneon Sites" and contact the webmasters of those sites. In addition, you might subscribe and post your message to the Bandoneon Discussion Group. Information about joining is provided at Greg's Bandoneon and Tango Pages.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 12:47:56 -0400
From: FabinskT@tacom.army.mil
Subject: RE: Princess Review

What a funny sounding movie, Princess Isabelle! I'll have to show my wife your review. She prefers that I only practice when she is out of the house. One time she said that my playing might be disturbing our neighbors even though the windows were closed! It's a good thing my accordion doesn't know how to cook like her or else it would really be a toss up!

Thomas Fabinski
Warren, Michigan

REPLY:

Tom,

Accordionists are not alone in their passion to their instrument which sometimes leaves their women unsatisfied. Jane Ciabattari wrote in "Parade's Special Intelligence Report" published July 23, 2000:

Riley B. King -- the Mississippi-born musician better known as "B.B." (for Blues Boy) -- is devoted to his trademark electric guitar, "Lucille." . . . King was in New York City last month to open his new club, but that doesn't mean he's settling down at 74: He also has clubs in Memphis and L.A., and he has 200 concert dates this year. B.B. confessed that being on the road has ended many a relationship. "If my record label says, 'You've got a date in Timbuktu,' I've got to go." he told us. "About 15 times, a lady has said: 'It's either me or Lucille.' That's why I've had 15 children by 15 women."

Henry

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 12:53:27 -0400
From: cchampa@goucher.edu
Subject: Chinese Sheng

Thank you for giving me such an excellent introduction to the Chinese Sheng! I recently purchased one of this interesting instruments and I appreciated the information found on your website. I intend to purchase the Sheng Masterpieces CD that you have in your bookstore as well.

I am writing to inquire for help in finding a Sheng teacher in the U.S. I live in Minnesota and I would like to know if the Free-Reed organization could put me in contact with a Sheng teacher in that area. If not, would it be possible to contact someone with questions concerning the reeds used with this instrument? Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Caralyn Champa

REPLY:

Hi Caralyn,

I know of no sheng teachers offhand, but I'm sure that Zheng-Ting Wang at wangzhengting@hotmail.com can help you.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 13:09:34 +0530
From: bensonco@vsnl.com
Subject: Accordion Duets

Hi. My name is Ravindra and my teacher's name is Mr. Prakash. We play accordion duets and we live in Bangalore in India.

Your site is very interesting and I would like to buy music books which have scores written for accordion duet playing. So could you please send us a list of books/scores you have for accordion duets so that we can place our order. We play landlers/waltz/polkas/tarentallas/javas etc.

REPLY:

Dear Ravindra,

Namaste! (I assume by your name that you speak Hindi). I have been to India four times, but never as far south as Bangalore. I hope to visit again sometime, and bring my two children Sunita and Siddhartha, as their nanaji and naniji (grandfather and grandmother) live in Bombay.

Regarding accordion duet music: We do not sell music, but we may be able to assist you in your search.

Our specialization is classical music for accordion. I have performed recitals from one exceptional book of duet versions of Astor Piazzolla tangos published by Saira of Finland. However, they are difficult and written for free-bass accordion. Contact amsprod@sci.fi.

To find landlers/waltz/polkas/tarentallas/javas etc. as you requested, I suggest an internet search for accordion music publishers for duet arrangements. Off hand, I would suggest visiting www.accordions.com as they have several publishers on their site.

Specifically, you may visit Ernest Deffner Music Catalog at www.accordions.com/deffnermusic. They have a large selection of duet music for accordion. I hope this is helpful.

You might also look at the free downloadable accordion scores at http://scores.free.fr/accordeon.htm.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

P.S. Have you seen our review of Krishna Meditations by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami?

Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 12:53:35 -0400
From: patrickkiley@home.com

hello henry.....

yesterday was the first time that i had actually looked at the free-reed site and i really did not realize all the things that you have been able to accomplish......AMAZING!......

Patrick Kiley
Pittsburgh, PA

Date: Sun, 02 Jul 2000 17:48:24 -0400
From: mabelson@telerama.lm.com
Subject: Wurthner Variations

Hello! I read with great interest your review of Alphen Opus 2 when they played at the WQED-FM studios earlier this year. Purely by accident, I happened to catch the performance of the Wurthner Variations as I was listening to my car radio, and enjoyed it so much I practically drove off the road.

I was hoping that the performance would be re-broadcast, but no such luck. Is there any chance that you or someone you know might have taped that Performance in Pittsburgh broadcast? I have looked everywhere for recordings of the work, but have only been able to find a CD of Wurthner conducting the Hohner orchestra.

Any help you could provide would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Michael A. Abelson

REPLY:

Michael,

The WQED-FM studios promised to make a copy of the broadcast for Alphen Opus 2. Perhaps they might make a copy for you, too. Contact Paul Johnston at pjohnsto@wqed.org.

Also, I am glad that the music of Alphen Opus 2 did not cause you death on the highway!

That almost happened to me once. I was driving north on route 19 listening to WQED-FM and they played a recording of Kathleen Battle and Jesse Norman singing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" with orchestra. I practically had an orgasm at the climax of the piece, what with Norman singing a rhapsodic High A with fermata and Battle exploding with a hair-raising High D above that!

Whew! I always have had a weakness for beautiful lyric sopranos.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2000 17:21:14 -0500 (CDT)
From: lacidesromero@yahoo.com
Subject: Colombian accordionist

Dear Friend,

I saw your website, The Free-Reed Review, and I found the manner in which you present the accordion very interesting. Congratulations!

I’m a self-taught accordionist and along with studying musical theory, technique and performance (and composing), I have given considerable attention to experimenting with the mechanics and acoustics of the instrument. As a result, I’ve made some interesting—at least I hope so—modifications to its tuning and sonorities.

Presently, I’m an accordion teacher on the Faculty of Arts at the National Teachers University of Bogotá. I also work professionally as a piano and accordion tuner and own and operate a small recording studio.

I would like to send you review copies of some of my recordings. The first CD is called Contrastes and includes selections by Piazzolla, Nazareht (a Brazilian composer), Cervantes (Cuba), Scott Joplin, Milhaud and myself; I am accompanied by the Venezuelan pianist Arnaldo García. The second CD is Acordeón en Concierto Solista (obviously solos) and includes works by Handel, Haydn, Grieg, Dvorak, Rimsky-Korsakov and myself.

I anxiously await your overall reviews as well as your reaction to my instrument, which demonstrates the results of my experiments and modifications.

Sincerely yours,

Lácides Romero Meza
Bogota, Columbia

Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2000 21:35:54 +0500
From: moben@one.net.pk
Subject: free reed

i want to reed free

my address is : 24, l block
model town extention
lahore
pakistan

REPLY:

Dear friend from Pakistan,

Thank you for your letter, but I think we have a misunderstanding. (English is not the most clear language, especially for those to whom it is a second language.) The free-reed is the sound source of a category of musical instrument; it is not free from cost. In fact, some free-reed instruments may cost more than 35,000 US dollars. (Pigini Mythos bayans and Hohner Gola accordions)

However, compared to a clarinet reed, bassoon reed, or reed pipe in an organ, all of which vibrate against another object to produce sound, the free-reed vibrates freely; it does not strike against anything to produce a sound. Please see A Definition of the Free-Reed.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2000 15:41:00 -0700
From: invisual@gte.net
Subject: Stradella

Henry, a trivia question for you & your interesting forthcoming book on the history of the free reed instruments (excerpts of which I've enjoyed).

Any idea where the name for the Stradella bass system came from? Is it just because Dallape (or some other local) developed it (located in town of Stradella, Italy). Furthermore, is the town Stradella so-named because it was literally located along a one-time "small road."

Or, was it (& maybe the bass system) named for the 17th C. composer Alessandro Stradella? In the case of the latter, could it be that Stradella was an appropriate name because A. Stradella was famous for his accompaniment of voices, i.e., voci in Italian (which refers to the reeds of an accordion). Alessandro was also experiencing a tremendous vogue in the nineteenth century (when the Stradella system was formulated) as the subject of operas with eight being written about him as the central figure because of his romantic life, even including one written by Flotow -- in which case, naming the system would be like calling an instrument a Les Paul or Eric Clapton model, whatever. Probably Occam has the answer and it was just a casual topical name -- but what do you think?

Dr. Paul Magistretti
California

REPLY:

Paul,

I have not thought too much about it, but your letter is fascinating! I seriously doubt if the bass mechanism was named after the 17th-century composer Alessandro Stradella, as the accordion during the mid-eighteenth-century was for the most part simply a folk instrument. But I might be wrong!

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 21:06:11 -0500
From: sandell@coredcs.com
Subject: beatles article

Your essay on The Beatles and Their Use of Free-Reed Instruments was great. I just read it. I found it while I was surfing around visiting Beatles sites and I followed a link to your essay.

Greg Sandell
Wisconsin

REPLY:

Thank you, Greg, for your appreciation. In February I received a surprise phone call from Shirley Evans, who played accordion in Magical Mystery Tour. You can read about my conversation with her by scrolling down this page.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle by Mark Lewisohn has a photo of Shirley. I also discovered a biography of Shirley which I have posted as an end note to the article.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2000 22:00:40 +0200
From: RIKARDO@santandersupernet.com
Subject: Acordeón Divertido's ISBN

Dear Henry,

Thank you very much for recommending my method. (reader's letters: 3 Jun 2000). The ISBN number is 84-605-8083-0 (it is written in on the back side of the front page). I have just finished the translation into English and several corrections and changes, but I want to test it before publishing.

The Ellegaard book you mentioned in your reply is Akkordeon Schule für die Jugend, It was published by Thore Ehrling Musikar and written by Mogens Ellegaard, Lars Holm and Torbjörn Lundquist. Although written in German, it is very easy to use. What I don't know is the date of publishing, but I think this can help Stefaan. The book is very good.

Thank you very much again and congratulations for your work.

Sincerely,

Ricardo Llanos Vázquez
Juan XXIII 5-6ºizq
01004 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Spain

Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 17:06:53 -0400
From: cchampa@planet-mail.com
Subject: sheng inquiry

To whom it may concern,

I recently went to an exhibit in Washington D.C. called "Music in the time of Confucius" and I am interested in learning how to play the Sheng. Do you know where I could purchase one of these intriguing instruments? I live in Baltimore, but I have easy access to D.C. and other regional cities. Thank you for your help. Please contact me at cchampa@planet-mail.com.

Sincerely,

Caralyn Champa

Dear Caralyn,

You might try House of Musical Traditions at 7040 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park MD 20912, USA, 301-270-9090. They offer shengs for sale at http://www.hmtrad.com/instr/winds/flutes/windmisc.html#exotic . Readers, do you know of any other sheng dealers?

You might enjoy our articles about the sheng and reviews of sheng compact discs. May I suggest The Classical Sheng and Shengmasters?

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2000 22:47:51 GMT
From: jazzlarson@hotmail.com
Subject: double keyboard accordion

I recently saw an accordion with a keyboard on both sides, I would like to know where I could purchase one, who made them, how much do they usually cost, and any other information you can give me. Thank you.

Ryan Larson

REPLY:

Hello Ryan,

This is news to me! Where did you see it? I once saw a drawing of an instrument like this built in the 19th century. I'll put this letter up on our "Readers Letters" page in case an informed reader might be able to help you. Please keep me informed of any new developments.

Thanks,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2000 10:13:56 -0400
From: hmtrad@hmtrad.com
REPLY:

The accordion this person saw is no longer made. It is a Soprani-Luttbeg, and is discussed in the "Oddballs" chapter of my book, The Pretty Complete Guide to Squeezeboxes It was a very impractical system, because of some technical problems involving fingering movements that conflict with the role of the left arm in bellows manipulation, and it never caught on. There are very few of these accordions around - most in the hands of collectors and museums.

Wendy Morrison
Takoma Park, Maryland

Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 19:56:21 +0100
From: patm@globalnet.co.uk
Subject: Couple of things

First of all, the Shengmasters CD which I ordered from The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. Online Gift Store is brilliant - at this rate, I will soon have worn out my copy! Are you expecting to be able to offer any more CDs in this vein?

Secondly, The Free Reed Journal (Allan Atlas, editor) lists in its bibliography a book by Alfred Mirek called "The Book of Free Reed Instruments: Scientific and Historical Commentaries on the Development and Classification Schemes of the Major Classes of Free Reed Instruments". Have you any idea where I may be able to obtain a copy? Alan Atlas said he stumbled across it in a library, but didn't know of anyone who might be able to help me get a copy. I'd order it through my local library, but to be honest, the UK library system is next to useless these days. (I'm still waiting for some texts that I requested about 7 years ago!) I'm having similar problems obtaining his other book "Reference Book on Harmonicas". House of Musical Tradititions in Maryland used to stock this book, but they seem to be having problems in obtaining fresh supplies of it. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

BTW, I recently got hold of a new(ish) free reed instrument - have you encountered the Hohner Claviola? It's almost a hybrid of the melodica and the sheng. Very interesting instrument - brought out in 1997, discontiued almost immediately!

Pat Missan,
England

REPLY:

Hello Pat,

Good to hear from you! I'm so glad you received the sheng CD; the Chinese postal system can be slow at times. It is a great album. Of course, if someone sends us a review copy of another sheng CD, we will be happy to review it and if the label is willing, offer it for sale at our Online Gift Store.

I have not heard of the Hohner Claviola. I suppose their initial sales were not spectacular. Regarding, Alfred Mirek, perhaps you can contact him directly. His address is:

Alfred Mirek
Blok 1, apt. 78
Zatonnaja St 10
115142 Moscow
Russia

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2000 19:59:02 -0300
From:byacsa@prodigy.net.mx
Subject: Re: 2 QUESTIONS

Dear Henry:

I also planned to put a short accordion history in the booklet of my new CD and I have 2 questions:

1) The date of birth and death of Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann, you put (1805-1864) and www.accordions.com wrote (1775-1832) which one is correct?

2) Can you mention something about the BIBLE REGAL in the accordion history?

Thank you very much.

Antonio Barberena
Mexico

REPLY:

Hello Antonio,

I think I did not mention the Bible Regal because it was not a free-reed instrument. Please see http://www.bergstrom.dk/regal.html.

According to The New Grove Dictionary of Music, volume 8, page 164, Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann lived from 1805 to 1864.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sat, 3 Jun 2000 18:46:00 +0200
From: stefaan.lutenet@belgacom.net
Subject: method for classical free bass accordion

Hello,

I play a convertor accordion (button accordion C1 model) and I'm looking for a good study manual. Do you know a good printed method with ISBN-number? I am also looking for internet sites where I can download free accordion scores.

Sincerely,
Stefaan

Dear Stefaan,

I know of just a few good convertor/free-bass accordion methods, You might try "La Nuova Dinamica Fisarmonicistica" by Elio Boschello published by Berben of Italy. It has no ISBN number. In Spanish is Accorden Divertido / Akordeoi Alaia by Ricardo Llanos published by Erviti Musica of Spain. No ISBN number is listed. I have an excellent method by the great Danish master Mogens Ellegaard, but I can't find it anywhere in my library. I suggest writing to a few accordionists in your own country. You can find a partial list at The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. Performers Directory.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski, founder
The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.

Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2000 21:14:39 +0200
From: aol@accordion-online.de
Subject: Demian's patent

Dear Henry,

I have put online some pages from Demian's 1829 patent for the accordion. I'm not able to do an English translation of this old fashioned Austrian document, sorry. There are too many obsolete words, spelling mistakes and strange specialities of syntax. It wouldn't make sense to edit it for standard English. You will need a specialized linguist for a proper result. The deciphered original is published at http://www.accordion-online.de/instrum/demian.htm.

Martin Weyde
Hamburg, Germany

Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2000 14:53:25 -0300
From: byacsa@prodigy.net.mx
Subject: NEED INFORMATION

I ´ve just finished my new CD of classical accordion and I need some information about 2 composers: Adamo Volpi and Vladislav Solotarev, such as: date of birth, date of death, a little biography, principal works, etc. Can you provide this informaion or let me know some links about them? I´ll apreciate a lot!

Antonio Barberena
Mexico

Dear Antonio,

Good to hear from you! The following is from my soon-to-be-published (I hope!) book, The Classical Squeezebox.

Among dozens of Soviet composers who have written for the bayan, two deserve special mention: Zolotaryov and Gubaidulina. Although Vladislav Zolotaryov (1942-1975) wrote vocal music, string quartets, compositions for chamber and symphony orchestras and an oratorio (Monument to the Revolution), his works for bayan are considered to be his greatest musical achievements. Lips and Surkov wrote in Anthology of Compositions for Button Accordion, "The creative work of Vl. Zolotaryov can be described as a milestone of the utmost importance for the incontestable progress of accordion music. . . . In his Partita (1968), Six Children's Suites (1969/74), his Sonata No. 2 (1971) and Sonata No. 3 (1972), and Five Compositions (1971), the advantages of the new-type [converter free-bass] accordion have, as never before, been wholly revealed. The instrument has become a full and equal participant in the chamber sphere of art music."