Bandoneón
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The bandoneón is a free-reed instrument particularly popular in Argentina. It plays an essential role in the orquesta tipica, the tango orchestra. The bandoneón, called bandonion by its German inventor, Heinrich Band, was originally intended as an instrument for religious music and the popular music of the day, in contrast to its closest cousin, the German concertina (or Konzertina), considered to be a folk instrument. German emigrants to Argentina brought the instrument with them in the early twentieth century, where it was incorporated into the local music. Like accordions and concertinas, the bandoneón is played by holding the instrument between both hands and either pushing in or pulling out the instrument while simultaneously pressing one or more buttons with the fingers.
Unlike the piano accordion, the bandoneón does not have keyboards per se, but has buttons on both sides; and also unlike most accordions, most buttons on the bandoneón produce a different note when played closing than when played opening. This means that each keyboard has actually two layouts - one for the opening notes, and one for the closing notes. Since the right and left hand keyboards are also different, this adds up to four different keyboard layouts that must be learned in order to play the instrument. There is also a difference between the notes produced on the button layout of an Argentine-tuned bandoneón versus a German-tuned one.
Additionally, none of these keyboard layouts presents a scalar sequence of notes. A few of the adjacent buttons form triads, for example the buttons under three adjacent fingers might sound G, B, and D when the instrument is pushed in, and F#, A, and C when it is pulled out -- an example from an Argentine-tuned bandoneón. This makes it easier to play some simple music with I-V harmony, but quite challenging to play elaborate scalar passages and runs.
[edit] Famous musicians
The late Argentinian composer and tango genius Ástor Piazzolla was a leading exponent of the bandoneón. His "Fugata" from 1969 showcases the instrument which plays the initial fugue subject on the 3rd statement, then moves on to the outright tango played after the introduction.
[edit] Bandoneonists
List of some bandoneonists:
- Lisandro Adrover
- Julio Ahumada
- Roberto Álvares
- Eduardo Arolas (1892-1924)
- Ernesto Baffa
- Alejandro Barletta
- Oscar Bassil
- Francisca Paquita Bernardo (la primera mujer bandoneonista).
- Miguel Caló
- Claudio Constantini
- Domingo Federico
- Leopoldo Federico
- Raúl Garello
- Rufo Herrera
- Rubén Juárez
- Pedro Laurenz (1902–1972)
- José Libertella
- Marcos Madrigal
- Pedro Maffia (1899-1967)
- Nestor Marconi
- Rodolfo Mederos (1940-)
- Marcelo Mercadante
- Gabriel Merlino
- Alexander Mitenev
- Osvaldo Montes
- Rodolfo Montironi
- Juan José Mosalini
- Julio Pane (1947-)
- Ástor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
- Julián Plaza
- Alejandro Prevignano
- Antonio Ríos
- Eduardo Rovira (1925-1980)
- Osvaldo Ruggiero
- Dino Saluzzi (1935-)
- Luis Stazo
- Fernando Tell
- Omar Torres
- Aníbal Troilo (1914-1975)
- Fernando Obregón
- Javier Vallejos
- Victor Villena
[edit] External links
- Christian's Bandoneon Page
- Squeezebox, an open repository of squeezebox knowledge on Wikia.
- Geschichtliches zum Bandoneon
- Grifftabellen
- Bandoneons at the Bergen Museum
- Bandonion & Concertinafabrik Klingenthal - Klingenthal - Germany
- Bandoneonbau Uwe Hartenhauer - Klingenthal - Germany
- Premier Bandoneonbau Peter Spende - Berlin Germany
- Klaus Gutjahr - Berlin Germany
- Bandonion Restauration und Balgbau Wuppertal Germany
- Bandonion and Concertina maker Harry Geuns - Kinrooi Belgium
- Akkordeonwerkstatt - Rorschach Schweiz
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