The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1902-01-25
PLEA FOR THE ACCORDION.
A Noted French Musician Argues IN
Behalf Of the Despised
Instrument.


Can it be true that, in these days of
fine fddles, great orchestras and
grand organs, the humble accordion is
the Cinderella OF musical INSTRUMENTS?
That is a question which is difficult to
answer, after reading the statement Of
no less Judge than Emile Gautier. He
is now endeavoring to take the ac-
Gordon from its dusty shelf, or from
the corner where children often CULTS
bellows open to find the music. He
calls it "the poor mans piano" and
in proof Of its excellence, quotes from
Chateaubriand's Memories d'Outre-
Tombe." But let us hear Emile, says
the Chicago Inter Ocean.
Eve may naturally ask ourselves
why should the accordion, which is the
national instrument of Russia, just
as the harp is that of Ireland or the
guitar that of Spain, be despised incur
country? The Russian regiments have
their accordion players whose lively
notes relieve the monotony of long
marches. Why should the instrument
be overlooked in France and in other
countries? That is the question which
is put to me by one of my readers in
Bordeaux, an almost fanatical wor-
shipper of the accordion, to which he
says he is indebted for many mo-
ments of exquisite delight, and he i'm
plores your humble servant in really
eloquent terms to write few lines of
encouragement, with view to the re-
Mobilization of his beloved instrument.
"Well, it is perfectly true that the
accordion has all that is necessary, in
the integral acceptation of the words,
for an artistic instrument, because it
embodies the required qualities-ac-
curate and melodious sounds in con-
formity with the rules of music. It's
keyboard is sufficiently extensive, reg
ulated by the diapason, to bring out
the most delicate shades, in addition to
the wonderful charms within the reach
of the skilled fingers, of equaling the
violin to degree sufficient to bring
the illusion to the audience and to dis
playing an orchestral richness in the
smallest volume.
"In truth, he who in Vienna, Damian,
invented the accordion 70 years ago,
merits better place in the memory of
man than the one which has been ac-
corded to him. All that the accordion,
which embodies, more or less, SO many
instruments, and blends-their advan-
tages, represents in the lines of in
genuity, science, skill, musical genius,
and calculation, is astonishing, and we
can easily imagine the glorious tri-
umphs of the instrumen MT when it first
came out. Unfortunately its triumph
was like burning straw. Poor Damian
was soon forgotten, and his accordion
was allowed to drop almost completely
out of sight by public indifference.
Nevertheless, like the organ, the
harmonium and the piano, the accor-
dion-I speak, of course, of the in
struments of good French make, and
not Of the German trash-has its en-
tire chromatic keyboard arranged so
as to be able to produce easily any piece
of music, however difficult and compli-
Gated 1t may he. I referred above to
its orchestral richness. As a matter,
OF fact, 1t is a complete orchestra in
itself, and it is portatiye orchestra.
Under the measured action of the bell
lows, which plays the part of the bow,
it gives all the infections and all the
modulations of the violin in the up
per register, and in the lower register
1t recalls the violoncello, with this diff
ference, much to its advantage, that its
notes, made beforehand, require no
hunting in the dark, and lend them
selves easily to the most harmonious
and varied chords.
"But the great merit of the accordion
lies in the fact that anybody can learn
to play it without much trouble and
with little loss of time. AS much
cannot be said Of the violin or the
piano, which exacts, even from the
most gifted. long, stubborn, careful
and disappointing work, and presents
mechanical difficulties sufficient to dis
courage the most ardent zeal. In or
der to become an ordinary violinist or
passing pianist, tits necessary to be-
gin in youth. But at any age one can
became an expert accordion player,
provided the ear is true and the taste
is coed. There is little exaggeration
in saying that the accordion is the
piano of the poor. Let US hope that
this slight homage paid to it, and in
spired by one of its most fervent devo-
tees, may help to bring it from it's
unmerited obscurity and to open the
ears and the eyes of connoisseurs."