The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1903-06-27
PLEA FOR THE ACCORDION.
A Noted French Musician Argues n
behalf of the Despised
Instrument.

dne fiddles. 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. lie
calls il "the poor mans piano" and
in proof of its excellence, quotes from
Chateaubriand'S "Memoires d'Outre-
Tombe." But let us hear Emile, says
the Chicago Inter Ocean.
1--WE 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 espised in our
country? The Russian regiments have
their accordion players whose lively
notes relieve the monotony Of long
marches. Why should the instrument
be overlooked N France and in othsr
countries? That is the question which
- B't ~ az ~ biAN VI my ANANfA9 40
Bordeaux, an almost fanatical wor
shiper of the accordion, 10 which ne
says he is indebted for many mo-
mcnts Of exquisite delight, and he ip-
plores your humble servant in req iy
eloquent terms 20 write a 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 acceplation 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. Its
keyboard is sufficiently extensive, reg
ulated by the dapason, to bring cut
the most delicate shades, in addition to
the wonderful, charms within the reach |
of the skilled fingers, of equaling the |
violin to a degree sufficient to bring |
the illusion to the audience and to dis. |
smallest volume.
"ln truth, he who in Vienna, Damian,
invented the accordion 72 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
s"nuity, science, skill, musical genius.
s"d ejaculation, is astonishing, and we
reu easily imagine the glorious tri.
n-"pSs of the instrument when it first
s~me out. Unfort1na-eIy its triumph
was like burning straw. Poor Damiap
was soon forgotten, and his accordion
was allowed to drop almost compile tely
out of sight by public Indifference.
Nevertheless, like the organ, the
harmonium and the piano, the accor-
dion-l speak, of course, of the in.
struments of good French make, and
not of the German trash--has its EN-.
tire chroma5ic keyboard arranged 50
as to be able to produce easily any piece
OF music, however difficult and compli
Gated it may he. ] referred above to
its orchestral richness. AS a matter
OF fact, it is a complete orchestra in
itself, and it is a portative orchestra
Under the measured action of the bel
lows, which plays the part of the bow,
1t gives all the infections and ali the
installations 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 nc
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.
the most ardent zeal. In or
der to become an ordinary violinist or
passing pianist, it is 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 good. There is little exaggcration
in saying that the accordion is the
piano of the poor. Let us hope that
his slight homage paid to it, and in
spired by one of its most fervent devo-
ices, may help to bring it from it's
obscurity and to open the
ears and the eyes of connoisseurs."