The Anglo or Anglo-German concertina is a member of the

concertina A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It consists of expanding and contracting bellows, with buttons (or keys) usually on both ends, unlike accordion buttons, which are on the front. The ...

family of free-reed instruments.

History

The Anglo originated as a hybrid between the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and German concertinas. The button layouts are generally the same as the original 20-button German concertinas designed by

Carl Friedrich Uhlig Carl Friedrich Uhlig (1789–1874) was a German luthier, known for inventing the German family of concertinas, from which are descended variants such as the Anglo concertina, bandoneón, Carlsfelder concertina, and Chemnitzer concertina. Uhlig ...

in 1834. Within a few years of that date, the ''German concertina'' was a popular import in England, Ireland, and North America, due to its ease of use and relatively low price. English manufacturers responded to this popularity by offering their own versions using traditional English methods: concertina reeds instead of long-plate reeds, independent pivots for each button, and hexagon-shaped ends. Initially the term ''Anglo-German'' only applied to concertinas of this type built in England, but as German manufacturers adopted some of these techniques, the term came to apply to all concertinas that used Uhlig's 20-button system.

Play

The heart of the Anglo system consists of two 10-button rows, each of which produces a

diatonic Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterize Scale (music), scales, and are also applied to musical instruments, Interval (music), intervals, Chord (music), chords, Musical note, notes, musical sty ...

major scale in a pattern devised around 1826 by Bohemian designer Joseph Richter for use in a harmonica (

Richter tuning Richter tuning is a system of choosing the reeds for a diatonic wind instrument (such as a harmonica or accordion). It is named after Joseph Richter, a Bohemian instrument maker who adopted the tuning for his harmonicas in the early 19th century ...

). Five buttons of each row are on each side. The two rows are musically a fifth apart. For example, if the row closest to the player's wrist is in the key of G, the next outer row is in the key of C below. An advantage of the Richter tuning is that pressing three adjacent notes in one row produces a major triad. Also, because the travel direction inverts as you progress up the scale, at the point where the scale crosses from one side of the concertina to the other octaves can be played in the home keys. A third row of extra notes was eventually added, loosely derived from the C scale. These added accidentals and notes that already existed in the diatonic rows, but in opposite bisonoric orientation, to make additional chords possible and certain melodic passages easier. At this point the instrument was

chromatic Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterize scales, and are also applied to musical instruments, intervals, chords, notes, musical styles, and kinds of harmony. They are very often used as a pair, ...

over two octaves, but not every chord or other note combination was available in either push or draw. There is little variation between makers and models in the layout of the notes in the core diatonic rows, but somewhat more variation in the number and layout of the 'helper' notes. The two most common layouts of this 30-button variety are the Jeffries and Lachenal systems. Layouts with 36, 38 and 40 buttons are not uncommon, and a few anglos have as many as 55 keys (such as the one

John Spiers John Spiers (born 1975) is an English diatonic button accordion, melodeon, concertina and bandoneon player. He is widely recognised as one of the leading English melodeon players of his generation. Career file:Purbeck_Valley_Folk_Festival_2 ...

plays). Instruments in the key of C/G are most typical. Other key combinations are also available—G/D and B/F being the most common alternatives. B/F and A/E were popular with the Salvation Army. The Anglo concertina is typically held by placing the hands through a leather strap, with the thumbs outside the strap and the palms resting on wooden bars. This arrangement leaves four fingers of each hand free for playing, and the thumbs free to operate an air valve (for expanding or contracting the bellows without sounding a note) or a drone. Anglo concertinas are often associated with the

music of Ireland Irish music is music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland. The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th and into the 21st century, despite globalis ...

, though they are also used in other musical contexts, particularly in music for the English

Morris dance Morris dancing is a form of English folk dance. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers, usually wearing bell pads on their shins. Implements such as sticks, swords and handkerchiefs may ...

and

Boeremusiek Boeremusiek (Afrikaans: ‘Boer music’) is a type of South African instrumental folk music. Its original intent was to be an accompaniment to social dancing at parties and festivals. History Boeremusiek is originally European, but once it was br ...

. Famous English players of the Anglo include

Scan Tester Lewis "Scan" Tester (7 September 1887 – May 1972) was an English folk and English country musician. Overview Lewis Tester was born in Chelwood Gate, near Horsted Keynes, Sussex, England. At about the age of five he acquired the nickname ...

William Kimber William "Merry" Kimber (8 September 1872 – 26 December 1961), was an English Anglo concertina player and Morris dancer who played a key role in the twentieth century revival of Morris Dancing, a form of traditional English folk dancing. He was ...

, and John Kirkpatrick. File:Coleman concertina.jpg, 1854 London File:Gearoid Pierre.jpg, sitting File:Marek Szurawski.jpg, standing File:Anglo-concertina-paper-box.jpg, paper box File:Anglo concertina keyboard chart.png, a keyboard chart

Producers

George Jones is often credited as the first English chromatic Anglo concertina maker. British firms active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries include those founded by

Charles Wheatstone Sir Charles Wheatstone FRS FRSE DCL LLD (6 February 1802 – 19 October 1875), was an English scientist and inventor of many scientific breakthroughs of the Victorian era, including the English concertina, the stereoscope (a device for di ...

, Charles Jeffries (who built primarily Anglo-style concertinas),

Louis Lachenal Louis Lachenal (17 July 1921 – 25 November 1955), a French climber born in Annecy, Haute-Savoie, was one of the first two mountaineers to climb a summit of more than 8,000 meters. On 3 June 1950 on the 1950 French Annapurna expedition, along ...

(who built concertinas in both English and Anglo styles and was the most prolific manufacturer of the period), and John Crabb.

References

* Worral, Dan (2007)
''A Brief History of the Anglo Concertina in the United States''
Concertina.com * Eydmann, Stuart (2005)

Chapter 6: The Anglo-German Concertina: Product Diversification in an Expanding Market. Concertina.com {{Authority control Concertina Irish musical instruments English musical instruments South African musical instruments