Real Bandoneon Sound for Tangos, nice subject! The bandoneon, is of course a main instrument and the authentic choice for South American tango - a very serious business in Uruguay and Argentina.
The piano accordion makes a pretty good attempt at the tango in the genteel surrounds of the European and North American ballrooms. Okay, so it's not the real deal, but then, does it have to be? Not really. The piano accordion and button accordion for that matter, are versatile enough to make it work, and well. The like's of Ksenija Sidorova can be heard on the Proms leading a great orchestra in the works of Piazzolla. While Stefan Hussong has made some world class recordings of tango music with his MIII Gola.
But when we see the word 'band' written on a treble switch we are not really looking to hear a replication of a bandoneon. No, we are seeing a term used to name a particular voice combination. There are certainly three such categorisation systems commonly used. The 'dots' (in LM position), the pipe organ system (16', 8') and the instrument names system ('bandoneon' etc.). Who would have thought it - a 'bassoon' and a 'clarinet' coupled create a 'bandoneon', that's musical alchemy at work! Of course, the accordion does not need to sound identical to a bandoneon. Indeed, it really does not sound much like a real bassoon or a clarinet either. As I say, it's simply a naming convention to describe the characteristics of the accordion voice combinations. It's not even universal, as a Hohner Gola clarinet sound is actually referred to as oboe on the register, or at least it used to be on the vintage ones. Go figure...
However, as a distant cousin of the bandoneon, the accordion on the LM register gives a good effect. There is a family resemblance. I personally like the LM voice on a non cassotto accordion, which can be particularly crisp and dry. To me that's the best bandoneon sound. Though some double cassotto accordions muster a decent LM voice too. I am less keen on the 3 + 1 accordions popular in Italy, as typically that is for the benefit of a desirable triple voice 'musette' tone rather than a great 'bandoneon'.
I have seen the Bandoneon piano accordion in the Cooperfisa factory many a time. I never once had the desire to play it - it's a peculiar looking instrument. But whilst manufactures like Cooperfisa and Teknofisa seek to work on new designs, particularly Fiorenzo Bernasconi's new instrument the Bercandeon, developed by Teknofisa - and I would suggest it is a stronger attempt than the Cooperfisa design.
The Bercandeon, looks quite cool there - when it's not being played, but in operation it is, shall we say, slightly inelegant - as the legs are used to open and close the double bellows. Mind you it would give a terrific work-out for the adductor and abductor thigh muscles, and you can supply the motivational accordion music too. Every cloud has a silver lining - apparently. Now, this leg bellowing is a bit of a price to pay for not having a bass strap restrict your hand and wrist movement. However, that's the way of things. Any new design can loose as much as it gains by 'mixing things up'.
Now don't get me wrong, I think it is good to experiment - I think the Kravtsov is a great idea. But I also think manufacturers need to look to the past for inspiration. They need to start building accordions with the quality of the golden age instruments. That would be a sure way of making better sounding accordions.
Interestingly, unlike the Kravtsov accordion, that is effectively a redesigned piano keyboard with treble and bass operating in (more or less) mirrored layout - high notes near the floor on both treble and bass. The Bercandeon works like the bayan with treble and bass moving in opposite direction. Anyway, each to their own - they're all part of the same big old family, after all.
