The history of the accordion

The history of the accordion is short but rapid and intense, so much so that the Austrian Marck Muñichz, who registered the invention as an accordion in 1829, had to abandon his rights to the invention in 1835, due to the notable advances it had undergone. It seems that the European origin of free-reed instruments lies in oriental blown organs, which had spread through Russia in the 18th century, although not as a popular instrument.

The invention is attributed to the Chinese emperor Nyu-Kwa, 3000 years BC (the Sheng), although the substitution of reed tongues for metal ones is somewhat later. Based on the single reed, numerous inventors developed different elements. From the Parisian Pinsonnat, who invented the typophone, which gave a single fixed note, to Eschembach, who joined several.

In 1810 different Western blown organs appear, and Buschman, in Berlin, manufactures the mundarmonica in 1821, from which the well-known harmonica derives, placing a series of reeds in a row each of which produces a different note.

His son, by incorporating a small bellows, created the andolina. But it was Cyrill who obtained the patent, building an instrument equipped with bellows and five buttons, each of which, when pressed, produced two chords, one when opening and another different one when closing the bellows. These ten chords were enough to accompany numerous songs, being very simple to use and learn in popular music, especially when in 1831 Isoard Mathieu replaced the chords of each button with two individual notes produced one when opening and another when closing the bellows, thus equipping it with two diatonic scales, which gave rise to the Diatonic Accordion.

In 1834 Foulón adds the alterations, creating the first chromatic accordion. The evolution of the instrument continues and in 1854 Malhaús Bauer replaces the buttons with keys, creating the "piano accordion", which they called the "poor man's piano".

Around 1880, a second keyboard was added to it, on the right side, composed of four buttons that allowed two chords each to be played as accompaniment to the melody. Thus, the diatonic accordion was formed, which has survived to this day in the musical tradition of almost all peoples.

There are new technical modifications, such as placing two identical reeds for each note, so that it gives the same note when opening and closing the bellows, forming the basis of modern concert accordions.