The Accordion in the year 2000 and 2023

[Fireblaze1]

Hello. I was watching a video where a famous accordion player named Tony Lovello mentioned good news about the accordion. He said there are about 1.4 million accordion players in the USA at that time in the year 2000. I thought that is excellent news. Then I checked it out further and that number may have increased larger at this time in 2023. I was also looking for accordion artist who write their own music. I found Janeth Valenzuela in Mexico and Ginny Mac in Texas. So that was even more encouraging. And I know of a popular accordion store in Philadelphia Pennsylvania where the owner once told me that he sells an accordion every day in his store. So it looks like in only took 70 years , since it's decline in the 1950s,, for this portable organ to maybe become a little more popular again . And a lot of piano and organ players are also playing it because, unlike the standard piano or organ ,, it is portable and doesn't require electricity to use. That was shown in many videos in the past few years. It's also being taught in some schools in certain states in the USA.

 

[losthobos]

The best thing for the future of the accordion will come when it's recognised as a portable organ and not a squeezebox.....

 

[Vladimir M.]

Hello Fireblaze1! I had a period when I perceived the decline of interest in the accordion negatively. However, a coin always has two sides. If it weren't for the decline in interest in the accordion, I wouldn't have my two main concert instruments. Both accordions were bought as used and are approximately 40 years old, dating from the heyday of this instrument here in Europe. I basically went back to the identical instruments I grew up with as a child. But they used to be so expensive that I only had them both on loan. During the decline of people's interest in accordion playing, I bought them in very good condition for a tiny fraction of what a new instrument would have been worth today. If I were to buy their new equivalents today, I would have to spend an amount equal to two new fully equipped cars. And I'm certainly not up to it.

Oscillation of interest in any musical instrument over time is a normal thing. In our country, accordion is still taught at conservatories and is widely used.

There is always only one correct solution: take the instrument and play....

Best regards, Vladimir

 

[JerryPH]

I was watching a video where a famous accordion player named Tony Lovello mentioned good news about the accordion.

Welcome!

Tony Lovello was not just famous, he was one of the BEST accordionists in the world... an innovator, a virtuoso and most importantly, a massive people pleaser. The day he passed, the accordion world lost one of it's finest representatives. Some people jokingly called him the Liberace of the accordion and there will never be another Tony.

 

[Tom]

Welcome Fire!

We’ve had a lot of discussions about this here on the Accordionists Forum. Everyone has their own theory. I find that at the local level people just love the accordion. I believe that interest in technology is waning and people long for something real that is not trying to sell them or sell them something.

Many people are writing music for/on accordion, including some of the people on here. If you were to start a thread, you would get a ton of examples.

Anyway, Vladimir has the perfect response,

“There is always only one correct solution: take the instrument and play....”. Indeed!!!!

 

[Giovanni]

Welcome!

Tony Lovello was not just famous, he was one of the BEST accordionists in the world... an innovator, a virtuoso and most importantly, a massive people pleaser. The day he passed, the accordion world lost one of it's finest representatives. Some people jokingly called him the Liberace of the accordion and there will never be another Tony.

I was lucky enough to meet, talk attend his workshops and see Tony Lovello perform several times at the Las Vegas Accordion Conventions.......and I agree with JerryPH......a true performer !!!! and could he Bellow Shake !!
We are not used to that level of bellow shaking in the UK !!...................WOW

 

[OuijaBoard]

The best thing for the future of the accordion will come when it's recognised as a portable organ and not a squeezebox.....

The worst thing that could happen here on Planet Squeezebox would be for our beloved instrument to be seen only as a portable organ and not one of the other wonderful things it can be, including a squeezebox. It's not an either/or universe, it's a big universe. The amazing thing about the accordion is that if your paradigm of experiencing and living with an instrument is like a pump organ you lug around, hopefully wearing a back brace or kidney belt, with a million buttons and switches to push and play with, there are accordions that can be that for you. And if your paradigm of experiencing an instrument is more like the gypsy in the crosstown Metro car, or the Fiddler on the Roof, there are accordions that can be that for you, too. Sometimes those are called squeezeboxes.

 

[OuijaBoard]

It's so cool that Tony Lovello has come up. I didn't know of him and stumbled on him recently on the 'tube. Whoa, what an amazing musician. For all the "Liberace" image, I found him a super-tasteful player as well. I came across him while trying to see if I could find an accordion version of Lecuona's "Malaguena" that wasn't vile to listen to. I really hate it on the accordion. It's an accordion warhorse that people use to showcase virtuosity while seeming totally blind to how unpleasant multi-voice chords sound when played on both sides of the instrument at once, especially with that crashing bass that seems to be viewed as obligatory for this piece on accordion. Cassotto or no cassotto, it's just a horrid sound.

For sure, the technical wizardry and virtuosity of some of these players is off the charts. But who cares, if it sounds hideous. Tony Lovello was the only one who seemed to have stood back and thought, "Okay, but come on now . . . how does this actually sound?" He was playing his left side with high or middle switches on, little to no low reed sounding. It transformed that warhorse into a steed swift and fleet.

 

[forró]

The popularity of an instrument depends on the country.
Here in Australia, the accordion is seen like a bit of a novelty item, something an older generation plays, etc.

In South America that's not the case.

 

[JerryPH]

Depending on where you go in Canada, it's very much either the "here is your accordion, welcome to hell" situation or in places like central Ontario and BC, much more popular and the people more learned.

 

[Zevy]

I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Lovello

 

[Tom]

I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Lovello

Wow, cool pic Zevy, thanks! Looks like you must have been in an accordion store somewhere.

 

[JerryPH]

That is likely the New England Accordion Museum.

 

[Zevy]

That is likely the New England Accordion Museum.

Bingo!

 

[Thomas N]

Wow, cool pic Zevy, thanks! Looks like you must have been in an accordion store somewhere.

Or JerryPH's house.....

 

[Guido Del Prado]

Hello. I was watching a video where a famous accordion player named Tony Lovello mentioned good news about the accordion. He said there are about 1.4 million accordion players in the USA at that time in the year 2000. I thought that is excellent news. Then I checked it out further and that number may have increased larger at this time in 2023. I was also looking for accordion artist who write their own music. I found Janeth Valenzuela in Mexico and Ginny Mac in Texas. So that was even more encouraging. And I know of a popular accordion store in Philadelphia Pennsylvania where the owner once told me that he sells an accordion every day in his store. So it looks like in only took 70 years , since it's decline in the 1950s,, for this portable organ to maybe become a little more popular again . And a lot of piano and organ players are also playing it because, unlike the standard piano or organ ,, it is portable and doesn't require electricity to use. That was shown in many videos in the past few years. It's also being taught in some schools in certain states in the USA.

That is very encouraging!!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Aaron]

1.4m accordion players in the US? That means roughly 1 in 300 people play the accordion. My little town does not have 60 players. It does not even have two. My last city would have 5700....more like 100-200 of varying ability and seriousness. Even if you factor in the button box players and all the various ethnic styles, I cant see that number growing much.

I feel that nationwide, the numbers are in the ten(s) of thousands, not in the millions.

 

[Valde002]

Looks like the accordion is a dying instrument

 

[saundersbp]

Looks like the accordion is a dying instrument

Certainly not in the North of England!

I went to this today in Leeds with @petch and there must have been in excess of 200 people in the audience, and it was only a lunchtime!



It was the at the same time the most musical and virtuosic I have experienced on accordion in a live event. He was playing a Bugari Spectrum accordion, simply incredible tonally - very rounded and light soft purring strings sort of tone. Also a thoroughly nice chap who was kind enough to come up after the concert to work with our young learners. Made my day!

 

[dak]

The best thing for the future of the accordion will come when it's recognised as a portable organ and not a squeezebox.....

An organ player does not have control of the bellows. "Squeeze" is the heart and soul of the instrument.