What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
I understand that there is a button accordion making area in Italy...Castelfidaro? And that there is an accordion festival there in October...I know that Saltarelle and Castagnari are Italian makes and wonder what kind of music the Italians play on them as opposed to ITM?
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Actually, Castelfidardo is THE center of all accordion making, piano and button. There is something like a hundred different companies all related to accordion production situated in that region of Italy.
I don't know about the Italians themselves, however, when I think of Italian accordion music, I think of pieces like Come Back to Sorrento; dramatic ballads with lots of tremolo (musette) voicing. That may be my limited exposure to Italian music though.
Maybe the Italians play ITM as well...Italian Traditional Music that is.
By the way, the bigger diatonic accordions as well as the piano variety are used by concert grade musicians and they are not limited to just Italians. The accordion is very popular in the former Soviet bloc countries and many performers do classical music on their boxes.
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
There was an excellent ItTM band at Towersey Festival in 2005. Led by a guy playing a big Castagnari, with bagpipes, fiddle, gurdy, guitar, bass. Lots of quick tunes in 6:8, (but not jigs, very level emphasis on each group of 3, almost like 3:8.)
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
"Lots of quick tunes in 6:8"
Tarantellas probably. I presume tarantellas are the most distinctively Italian tunes, but I also know some Italian polkas and schottisches. Wouldn't know any musicians apart from Riccardo Tesi though.
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
This lot were Tre Martelli
Website quote "On the scene for some 25 years now, the TRE MARTELLI have patiently reconstructed the folk music heritage of the geographical triangle between Monferrato, Langhe and Alessandrino, gathering together a huge repertoire of drinking songs, ballads, instrumentals and dance music from walzes to polkas. The group's ethnomusicological research, as well as being a model of scholarly precision and efficacy, also stands as a heartfelt acknowledgement of those whose testimonies have enabled them to put together a corpus of oral documents of great value, once again giving substance to a collective memory that seems to be fading inexorably from the lives of rural Piedmont communities."
But apart from all that academicism (perhaps it doesn't translate well) they were an excellent live band. Well worth hearing.
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Well, the button accordeon is one of the most popular instrument in the Italian folk music. It is spread out all over the Country. It is quite different than Irish button accordeon for the tuning and the style of playing. In our music we use to accompaign costaintly the melody with the bass buttoms. In the region of Castelfidardo (named Marche) are concentrated almost all the makers of this instrument. If somebody like to listen some music I reccommend Riccardo Tesi from Tuscany or Stefano Salvi from Rome. Other name is Ambrogio Sparagna who has an accordeon orchestra and who compose original tunes.
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Thank you for all your help. Why on earth didn't I realise the I for Irish and Italian! I will look out for the music of Tre Martelli, Riccardo Tesi, Salvi and Sparagna now. It's fascinating to hear the different sounds and rhythms that people can get out of the instrument. I am getting caught up in the sheer romanticism of it all! I am drinking my tea to Ireland and Italy via Wales - a toast to the accordion and all the wonderful music it is able to emanate in the hands of a capable player. I would love to go to Castelfidaro. I just might at that. Thank you again.
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Wendyann, I think we may have been down this road before, but to recap. If you can, get a hold of the tutor L'Organetto Diatonico - storia, struttura, techica e didattica, by Roberto Tombesi & Ricardo Tesi. Comes witha tape and English translation. As well as the names mentioned here look out for Vincenzo Caglioti, Beppe Greppi and Giuliano Cameli, and others. As well as waltzes and stuff popularly associated with Italian music, there are gigas, tarantellas, polkas polesanas, mazurcas and saltarellos. Italian accordian music is as every bit as diverse as Irish music, and is equally lively and imaginative. If you get to the stage of nailing a couple of tunes bring them out to a session, and all sorts of eyebrows will be raised, as well as glasses!
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
I first heard Italian music at Sidmouth 2004 (Ricardo Tesi) and for the first 20 minutes or so I was, well, bored; but after that the set took off and I really enjoyed it. Jump ahead one year and a few days and I got to see Tre Martelli (twice) at Towersey and thought they were brilliant (I have since got three of their CD's - I love 'em).
As has been said above Castelfidardo (and to a lesser extent Recanati and Loreto) is a hot bed of accordion music and well worth a visit! Also, Italy has only been a unified country for about 140 years so there is still a large variation in their music and culture.
The little I have so far discovered is that, to my mind the northern Italian (e.g. Tre Martelli) sounds similar to the English style (where they seem to play mainly two or more row boxes). Futher south the more popular traditional instrument is the organetto - a one and a bit row box. The bit row is important as it allows the notes of the major chord (GBD for example) to be played on both the push and pull of the bellows (on a 'normal' diatonic box the G would only be available on the push on either row - this would be a GC box in this example) and the Italians use this feature to play the tune without waggling the bellows - typically they play two bars on the push followed by two on the pull. This style also means that they don't need the air button to play and indeed some of the smaller, cheaper boxes don't have air buttons fitted!
What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
I understand that there is a button accordion making area in Italy...Castelfidaro? And that there is an accordion festival there in October...I know that Saltarelle and Castagnari are Italian makes and wonder what kind of music the Italians play on them as opposed to ITM?
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by wendyann
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
ITM
Italian Traditional Music
duh!
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by Ottery
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Actually, Castelfidardo is THE center of all accordion making, piano and button. There is something like a hundred different companies all related to accordion production situated in that region of Italy.
I don't know about the Italians themselves, however, when I think of Italian accordion music, I think of pieces like Come Back to Sorrento; dramatic ballads with lots of tremolo (musette) voicing. That may be my limited exposure to Italian music though.
Maybe the Italians play ITM as well...Italian Traditional Music that is.
By the way, the bigger diatonic accordions as well as the piano variety are used by concert grade musicians and they are not limited to just Italians. The accordion is very popular in the former Soviet bloc countries and many performers do classical music on their boxes.
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by rogfox
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Ottery beat me to the pun!
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by rogfox
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Country & Western, just like everybody else.
KFG
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by KFG
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Pedant Mode On Salterelle are French (mind you most of the parts are Itaian).Pedant Mode Off
As for players try http://www.riccardotesi.com/
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by goldfrog
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
There was an excellent ItTM band at Towersey Festival in 2005. Led by a guy playing a big Castagnari, with bagpipes, fiddle, gurdy, guitar, bass. Lots of quick tunes in 6:8, (but not jigs, very level emphasis on each group of 3, almost like 3:8.)
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by TomB-R
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
"Lots of quick tunes in 6:8"
Tarantellas probably. I presume tarantellas are the most distinctively Italian tunes, but I also know some Italian polkas and schottisches. Wouldn't know any musicians apart from Riccardo Tesi though.
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by flipdievleugelt
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Tarantellas are from south italy. Each Italian region has his own traditional dance and music ( and food , and wine.. )
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by gian marco
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
This lot were Tre Martelli
Website quote "On the scene for some 25 years now, the TRE MARTELLI have patiently reconstructed the folk music heritage of the geographical triangle between Monferrato, Langhe and Alessandrino, gathering together a huge repertoire of drinking songs, ballads, instrumentals and dance music from walzes to polkas. The group's ethnomusicological research, as well as being a model of scholarly precision and efficacy, also stands as a heartfelt acknowledgement of those whose testimonies have enabled them to put together a corpus of oral documents of great value, once again giving substance to a collective memory that seems to be fading inexorably from the lives of rural Piedmont communities."
But apart from all that academicism (perhaps it doesn't translate well) they were an excellent live band. Well worth hearing.
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by TomB-R
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Well, the button accordeon is one of the most popular instrument in the Italian folk music. It is spread out all over the Country. It is quite different than Irish button accordeon for the tuning and the style of playing. In our music we use to accompaign costaintly the melody with the bass buttoms. In the region of Castelfidardo (named Marche) are concentrated almost all the makers of this instrument. If somebody like to listen some music I reccommend Riccardo Tesi from Tuscany or Stefano Salvi from Rome. Other name is Ambrogio Sparagna who has an accordeon orchestra and who compose original tunes.
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by msmgreco
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Thank you for all your help. Why on earth didn't I realise the I for Irish and Italian! I will look out for the music of Tre Martelli, Riccardo Tesi, Salvi and Sparagna now. It's fascinating to hear the different sounds and rhythms that people can get out of the instrument. I am getting caught up in the sheer romanticism of it all! I am drinking my tea to Ireland and Italy via Wales - a toast to the accordion and all the wonderful music it is able to emanate in the hands of a capable player. I would love to go to Castelfidaro. I just might at that. Thank you again.
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by wendyann
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Wendyann, I think we may have been down this road before, but to recap. If you can, get a hold of the tutor L'Organetto Diatonico - storia, struttura, techica e didattica, by Roberto Tombesi & Ricardo Tesi. Comes witha tape and English translation. As well as the names mentioned here look out for Vincenzo Caglioti, Beppe Greppi and Giuliano Cameli, and others. As well as waltzes and stuff popularly associated with Italian music, there are gigas, tarantellas, polkas polesanas, mazurcas and saltarellos. Italian accordian music is as every bit as diverse as Irish music, and is equally lively and imaginative. If you get to the stage of nailing a couple of tunes bring them out to a session, and all sorts of eyebrows will be raised, as well as glasses!
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by Rudall the time
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
http://www.organetto.it/pages/didattica.html
Riccardo Tesi e Roberto Tombesi - L'Organetto Diatonico (per strumenti a 2-4-8 bassi)
Edizioni musicali Bèrben - Via Redipuglia, 65 60100 Ancona - tel. 071.204428
# Posted on January 3rd 2006 by Rudall the time
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
...me again...if you can't read Italian, you can run whole webpages through babelfish:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/
# Posted on January 3rd 2006 by Rudall the time
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
..and don't forget the Sardinian Trad. Music for Organetto & Launeddas...
# Posted on January 3rd 2006 by gian marco
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
what are the Launeddas? see http://www.sardinia.net/sonus/
# Posted on January 3rd 2006 by gian marco
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
I first heard Italian music at Sidmouth 2004 (Ricardo Tesi) and for the first 20 minutes or so I was, well, bored; but after that the set took off and I really enjoyed it. Jump ahead one year and a few days and I got to see Tre Martelli (twice) at Towersey and thought they were brilliant (I have since got three of their CD's - I love 'em).
As has been said above Castelfidardo (and to a lesser extent Recanati and Loreto) is a hot bed of accordion music and well worth a visit! Also, Italy has only been a unified country for about 140 years so there is still a large variation in their music and culture.
The little I have so far discovered is that, to my mind the northern Italian (e.g. Tre Martelli) sounds similar to the English style (where they seem to play mainly two or more row boxes). Futher south the more popular traditional instrument is the organetto - a one and a bit row box. The bit row is important as it allows the notes of the major chord (GBD for example) to be played on both the push and pull of the bellows (on a 'normal' diatonic box the G would only be available on the push on either row - this would be a GC box in this example) and the Italians use this feature to play the tune without waggling the bellows - typically they play two bars on the push followed by two on the pull. This style also means that they don't need the air button to play and indeed some of the smaller, cheaper boxes don't have air buttons fitted!
Compo
# Posted on January 10th 2006 by Compo
Re: What kind of music do Italians play on button accordions?
Tarentella's and On Top of Spaghetti -all covered with cheese?
I'm guessing of course.
# Posted on March 13th 2006 by Lint - upon - Tweed