Bandoneón

Infobox Instrument
name=Bandoneón

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classification=Free reed aerophone
range=
related=
*Chemnitzer concertina
*Concertina
musicians=
*Ástor Piazzolla
*Aníbal Troilo
builders=
articles=

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 predecessor, the German concertina (or "Konzertina"), considered to be a folk instrument by some modern authors. German sailors and emigrants to Argentina brought the instrument with them in the late nineteenth century, where it was incorporated into the local music. Like 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. It is considered part of the concertina family of instruments as they differ from the accordion family, though both are free reed instruments.

Unlike the piano accordion, the "bandoneón" does not have keys as per a piano, but has buttons on both sides. Additionally the notes produced on push and pull are different (bisonoric). 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 layouts are also different, this adds up to four different keyboard layouts that must be learned in order to play the instrument. However, there is the advantage that the notes tend to progress from the base clef on the left hand to above the treble clef on the right. To make matters even more confusing, there are Bandoneons that are monosonoric (same note on push and pull). These variants are more compatible with a chromatic tuning structure.

None of these keyboard layouts is structured to facilitate playing scale passages of notes. Instead the structure is designed to aid the playing of chords, which makes sense when one considers the origin of the instrument and its intended purpose. For a beginning player, certain runs and musical forms can be difficult, but to an experienced player they come quite naturally.

With its arrival in Argentina around 1870, the Bandoneon was adopted by those wishing to incorporate it into the Milonga music of that time (which requires a very fast player indeed). What sprang from that is Tango. A look into the inside of a modern bandoneon:

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 1st statement, then moves on to the outright tango played after the introduction.

List of some bandoneonists:
*Luis Vasquez leader of the influencial Milondombe
*Alejandro Barletta
*Alejandro Prevignano

*Alexander Mitenev
*Aníbal Troilo (1914-1975)
*Antonio Ríos
*Ástor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
*Claudio Constantini
*Dino Saluzzi (1935-)
*Domingo Federico
*Eduardo Arolas (1892-1924)
*Eduardo Rovira (1925-1980)
*Ernesto Baffa
*Fernando Obregón
*Fernando Tell
*Gabriel Merlino
*Javier Vallejos
*José Libertella
*Juan José Mosalini
*Julián Plaza
*Julio Ahumada
*Julio Pane (1947-)
*Hector Ulises Passarella
*Leopoldo Federico
*Lisandro Adrover
*Luis Stazo
*Marcelo Mercadante
*Marcos Madrigal
*Miguel Caló
*Nestor Marconi
*Omar Torres
*Oscar Bassil
*Osvaldo Montes
*Osvaldo Ruggiero
*Francisca "Paquita" Bernardo (the first bandoneonist woman)
*Pedro Laurenz (1902–1972)
*Pedro Maffia (1899-1967)
*Raúl Garello
*Roberto Álvares
*Rodolfo Mederos (1940-)
*Rodolfo Montironi
*Rubén Juárez
*Rufo Herrera
*Ryōta Komatsu
*Tolga Salman (1969-)
*Victor Lavallén
*Victor Villena

External links

* [http://www.inorg.chem.ethz.ch/tango/band/bandoneon.html Christian's Bandoneon Page]
* [http://squeezebox.wikia.com Squeezebox] , an open repository of squeezebox knowledge on Wikia.
* [http://www.bandonion.de/1164.html Geschichtliches zum Bandoneon]
* [http://www.bandonion.de/3735.html Grifftabellen]
* [http://bergenmuseum.uib.no/nettutstillinger/bandoneon/flash.html Bandoneons at the Bergen Museum]
* [http://www.bandonion-carlsfeld.de Bandonion & Concertinafabrik Klingenthal - Klingenthal - Germany]
* [http://www.bandoneon-hartenhauer.de Bandoneonbau Uwe Hartenhauer - Klingenthal - Germany]
* [http://www.bandoneon-berlin.de Premier Bandoneonbau Peter Spende - Berlin Germany]
* [http://www.inart.de/gutjahr Klaus Gutjahr - Berlin Germany]
* [http://www.bando-bando.de Bandonion Restauration und Balgbau Wuppertal Germany]
* [http://www.bandoneon-maker.com Bandonion and Concertina maker Harry Geuns - Kinrooi Belgium]
* [http://www.akkordeonwerkstatt.ch Akkordeonwerkstatt - Rorschach Schweiz]