Re: klez accordion

[Owen Davidson <owend...>]

No, I meant that the chromatic button accordion was the first fully
chromatic double-action accordion.  It began as a modified three-row
diatonic.  The addition of the Addition of the piano-style linear
keyboard came later.  I remember reading somewhere that when the Deiro
brothers brought the piano accordion to the stage, Pietro was playing
the innovative piano accordion, while Guido played a chromatic button
instrument with a paper depiction of a piano keyboard taped over the
buttons.

Maybe Wendy knows more about this story?

Owen

"Paul M. Gifford" wrote:

> You must have meant that the *diatonic* accordion came first.  But I
> would disagree that it was not in widespread use in America in the
> 19th century.  It was introduced in the 1840s and was popular among
> "non-ethnics" (if I can use that term), at least based on various old-
> timers I've encountered and talked to, as well as in references in
> local histories, etc.  Of course it was popular with Germans, Czechs,
> etc.  But weren't Italians, specifically Pietro and Guido Deiro,
> responsible for popularizing the piano accordion, by playing on
> vaudeville?
> 
> Paul Gifford