"Accordion Stories from the Heart" book by Paul Ramunni

[AccordionUprising]

Accordion Stories from the Heart
(Photos and stories of individual accordions.)
by Paul Ramunni of the New England Accordion Museum

Very interested to see another new Accordion Book Out Now.
(Cant wait to get a copy.)

http://newenglandaccordionconnectionandmuseumcompany.com/accordion-stories-from-the-heart/[/url]
Table of Contents below

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Table of Contents (cut and pasted from the Barnes and Nobel site)

Forward xiii
Introduction xvii
The Accordion…A Very Brief History xxi

The Stories 1 1.
A Personal Accordion Story 3 2.
The Flutina 7 3.
A Very Dangerous Button Box 11 4.
A Wartime Story in the Pacific 13 5.
Russian Memories 17 6.
Doorway Dad 19 7.
I Just Couldn’t Say No 23 8.
Imagine—an accordion, of all things, saving someone’s life 25 9.
A Brave Accordionist 29 10.
An Extraordinary Member of General Patton’s 10th Armored Division 31 11.
Another General Patton Story—What are the Odds? 35 12.
I said ‘Yes’ on the Dance Floor 39 13.
Gee, I Never Knew That! 41
An Accordion Gallery 43

Accordion Stories continued… 61 14.
Another Special Hohner Accordion Story 63 15.
Learning how to play a Galizi Accordion in a Coal Shed? 67 16.
Uncle Vinnie!! 71 17.
Poor Ol’ Grandpa 73 18.
The Accordion at Its Best 77 19.
Whose Accordion is This? 81 20.
A Very Special Giulietti Accordion 85 21.
Memories from Very Long Ago 87 22.
A Brave Young Accordion Player 91 23.
What You Can Accomplish If You Really Put Your Mind to It 95 24.
Stanley’s Story 99 25.
A Case of Mistaken Love at First Sight 103 26.
My Husband’s Voice 107 27. Grandma’s Knees—Accordion Trauma! 111 28.
A Man from Poland 115 29.
Peppino! 117 30.
A Funeral to Remember 121 31.
The Great Tannini 123 32.
Interesting Similarities between the Accordion and the People Who Play Them 127 33
A Few Short Accordion Stories 131
One last story… About a Good Friend and a Very Special Accordion Player 135

 

[lmschgo]

I'd like to suggest another accordion themed book:
ACCORDION CRIMES, by Annie Proulx.
You might be more familiar with a movie that was based on one of her books with the same title, Brokeback Mountain.

An Amazon book review:
Pulitzer Prize–winning author Annie Proulx brings the immigrant experience to life in this stunning novel that traces the ownership of a simple green accordion.

E. Annie Proulx’s Accordion Crimes is a masterpiece of storytelling that spans a century and a continent. Proulx brings the immigrant experience in America to life through the eyes of the descendants of Mexicans, Poles, Africans, Irish-Scots,
Franco-Canadians and many others, all linked by their successive ownership of a simple green accordion.

The music they make is their last link with the past—voice for their fantasies, sorrows and exuberance. Proulx’s prodigious knowledge, unforgettable characters and radiant language make Accordion Crimes a stunning novel, exhilarating in its scope and originality.

As novice accordion player, I too, have experienced fantasies, sorrows and exuberance.

 

[JerryPH]

HAH! You beat me to it, Bruce!

A little background to the book... the first time I went to the NEAM, I met Paul and we pretty much instantly became friends. He told me about the possibility of making a book and that people were trying to encourage him to do it and then told me a little about it... I was sold. I also heartily encouraged him to write it, and I even offered to help because the stories he shared with me, the stories that are in this book... touched me. These stories... will touch you, amaze you and I promise, will put a smile on your face too.

I am very proud to say that on my 2nd visit to his museum, I am the one that took almost every picture in that book, it was my gift to him as encouragement. I am going back to the NEAM near the end of this month for a couple of reasons, first there is a small accordion workshop given by Cory Pesaturo at the NEAM which I will try and participate at, and I will be purchasing my copy of the above book there at the time... signed by the author of course!

I am also going to do my best to make a small video with Paul discussing the book, to give people a better idea of what its about and let him use it as he will.

Paul is a very special person on a very special mission, and I wish him great success with it and any future endeavors.

For anyone interested in getting their copy, I am going to post the link below, but before I do... full disclosure time. Yes, I took the pics, but I asked for nothing in return except maybe an honorable mention in his book as the photographer. I am not making one red cent from it, nor do I want to. I did it as my small way of giving back to the accordion community via a really special man.

Link to where you guys can make your purchase of the book. Help support an incredible man doing an incredible job at preserving our most loved instrument.

https://www.amazon.com/s?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=accordion+stories+from+the+heart

Enjoy!

 

[Zevy]

I'm waiting to buy it in person. Hopefully, that will be soon.

 

[JerryPH]

Ive picked up my personal copy of the book, and love it!

Ive never done an interview style of video, but while there, I did this...



Cannot be better explained than by the author himself. I am proud to call him my friend.

 

[Alans]

Great video,wonderfully articulate man. I need to order a copy.

Reminds me of the accordion convention I attended in Dallas years ago. One of the speakers was this wonderful woman who said,you know what is so special about the accordion? It’s the only instrument we play against our heart. I’ll never forget that.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a musician as moved as an accordionist.

 

[JerryPH]

Although I know there are similar stories from other kinds of instruments, none of them seem to touch as deeply as those stories that I read in the book or heard in real life about accordions and accordion people. Maybe it's me, because I am an accordionist, but I hear many stories that are more poignant, funny and memorable compared to other instrument stories I hear. The author, Paul, captures those stories and feelings that the stories provoke, so well in his book, it is heart warming.

So pleased and proud to be able to call myself an accordionist... not a very good one, but I am one. :ch
I had a lovely surprise yesterday coming home from work. I was in the Montreal metro (underground transportation system) and heard some music, only to turn the corner to see a large bassoon, guitar and accordion playing away... they were playing the theme from Game of Thrones, and the accordionist was just beaming from ear to ear as were the others. It looked like they were having the time of their lives! I just had to stop for a minute or two and drop $5 in their hat as a thank-you for the wonderful interlude, and I smiled all the way home from their musical influence.

Made me want to actually one day try to play there... not to "busk", but just to play for the public!

 

[Tom]

Thanks! Great video Jerry! I will buy it and hopefully visit some day. I second Accordion Crimes as a great read. Another that I highly recommend is The Accordionist's Son by Bernardo Atzaga. While the accordion does not play a prominent role in the book, I like it. From Amazon:

David Imaz has spent many years living in exile in California, far from his native Basque Country. Nearing fifty and in failing health, he begins to write the story of his youth, a sweeping narrative that spans 1936 to 1999. As a young man, David divides his time between his uncle's ranch and his life in the village of Obaba, where he practices the accordion at his father's insistence― all in the shadow of the Spanish Civil War. Letters found in a hotel attic, along with a silver pistol, lead David to unravel his family's involvement in both sides of the conflict.

 

[Deleted member 48]

Thank you for bringing this new book about accordions to our attention.
Love to read about accordions and to go through the pages for old photos of accordions or accordionists.

 

[JIM D.]

In a conversation with Paul last week, he said will send me a copy. (Can't Wait! )
And to JerryPH - check your PM's

 

[JerryPH]

Done... it was a pleasure talking to you. Did you know that we killed almost an hour, yet the time passed so fast and it felt like calling an old friend!

 

[Tom]

I finally got this book and a chance to start to read it.

"Accordion Stories From the Heart" is a great book, featuring beautifully rendered photos of beautiful, mostly vintage accordions from the collection of Angelo Paul Ramunni, proprietor of the "New England Accordion Connection and Museum Company," in Canaan, Connecticut. The establishment includes a museum, as well as accordion sales and repairs.

Along with the pictures are heartfelt, engaging stories of the accordions and the people who played them, beginning with Ramunni's own story of being forced to learn the (very uncool) accordion at age 10 because his mother found it "good, clean and wholesome. "

Anyway, this is a great book, 5 stars, and I recommend the printed version ($39.95) over the ebook for the pure enjoyment of the pictures. It's the perfect coffee table book for the accordion lovers on your list, but not only.

In addition to the pure joy of the pictures and stories, there is much to learn from this book, also. I was very surprised to see, for example, the "Luttbeg double keyboard accordion circa 1931." I didn't know this idea had been tried so soon.

Anyway, a great addition to the accordion literature and I recommend getting it while you can, and I'm definitely planning a trip to Canaan next time I'm in New England.

Tom