The
Musikwinkel
or music corner is situated in
the
Vogtland, the southern region of Saxony.
Here exists a long tradition in the manufacturing of wind and cord instruments.
You can proof this fact visiting the
Musikinstrumenten-Museum Markneukirchen
with more than 1000 exhibition objects and a stock of 3000 units
from the near vicinity and overseas.
The new invention or rediscovery of the free reed in the early 191#1
century inspired instrument makers all over Europe
to make experiments for the invention of new musical instruments.
In 1835 Carl Friedrich Uhlig constructed in Chemnitz a diatonic
square headed bellow instrument he called Konzertina and
which did not use predefined chords
like Demian's accordion (Vienna, 1829) but instead single notes arranged
in a fashion which allowed to play different harmonies.
This instrument was an independent development
from Sir Charles Wheatstone's Concertina
(1829), and which
was patented in 1844. It played chromatic scales and the notes were
distributed to both hands. An overview of the historical
development is given in The Bandoneon History.
Near 1848 Carl Friedrich Zimmermann
founded a reed instrument manufacture in
Carlsfeld
and which turned out to be the basis for the glorious bandoneon industry
for the town. The home of most bandoneons is indeed Carlsfeld in Saxony.
After Heinrich Band Band, Heinrich died in 1860, the original Zimmermann's
factory was sold in 1864 to Ernst Louis Arnold, a former
coworker of Zimmermann, who continued to build the
more popular bandoneons with up to 130 voices at that time.
The great demand of these versatile and progressive instruments allowed
to increase production making Carlsfeld
to a center for the bandoneon industry. Alfred Arnold,
not being the first of Ernst Louis' sons, did not become the
successor, though having demonstrated his suitability.
Instead, in 1911 he founded a new production
plant in the same place to serve basically the overseas market,
and becoming a successful competitor of his father.
But due to the First World War, the production of bandoneons
rapidly declined. It took very long, until the end of the
20ties to recover the previous production levels, and in
1930 the highest. Alfred Arnold died in 1933, just the time when the
Hitler regime came up: The bandoneon was considered
a worker's class instrument and despised. Though the production
continued, it was nearly only for export. Due to the war preparation, the
provision of materials was restricted. Many parts previously produced
in the own manufacture had, to be acquired from outside. The Dix company
was now the provider of reeds.
Things did not improve after World War II so the interest in the
bandoneon dropped in favor of the accordion which was available all over
the world.
The last bandoneon left the Ernst Louis Arnold factory in
1964 and their craftsmen had to produce parts for diesel injection pumps.
After the fall of the wall in 1989, the 1100 inhabitants of Carlsfeld began
dreaming of a new bandoneon industry. But the original
know how was lost and only a few of the old workers are still alive.
Fortunately near by there works the big Harmona,
accordion factory of Klingenthal which
absorbed part of the original know how, together with highly specialized
instrument makers, able to revive such production.
Many different instrument makers
are currently working on how to make
bandoneons with the sound of the original double reed Alfred Arnolds.
Besides
Klaus Gutjahr of Berlin,
who works on new constructions since many years,
the Carlsfeld people is anxious of having back their traditional
factory.
The start made Mr. Rockstroh of Carlsfeld in 1997, producing a handmade
bandoneon. It was tuned by Dieter Seidel, former tuner of the Arnold factory
after the war. With this prototype he could demonstrate to own the necessary
know how for building instruments. However, in this case the heart
of the instrument, the reed boards, are still original Alfred Arnold's.
I had the opportunity to play this instrument and I must say, that besides
some necessary mechanical improvements, the sound is quite close to the
original.
A further trial was made by Uwe Hartenhauer
of Klingenthal, the big
accordion center near Carlsfeld, and who is
bandoneon serviceman since a long time, skilled enough to direct
a future bandoneon manufacture. Uwe Hartenhauer went to Buenos
Aires and Montevideo contacting professional bandoneonists and possible
future customers exploring the commercial possibilities.
He noticed the few potential customers would not ensure a fluid
production. The actual professionals do not
need additional instruments and the youngsters don't have the money
for new ones. The needed investment for tools and
equipment would raise to about 1 million Deutsche Mark (about 570 000 us$ at
the time).
Only one tool for one single of the 15 different reeds is about 5000 us$
worth. This would require selling 500 instruments a year to achieve
a reasonable price. Using reeds from other providers could circumvent
this inconvenience. Or, for at least to demonstrate the sound quality,
make the reeds by hand.
Finally, on February 2002, a new octave tuned 142 voice model with zinc
reed boards was made using the traditional techniques.
It was presented at the
Frankfurter Musikmesse on March 13 - 17th at Halle 1.2 Stand E 37.
In parallel a sponsored project of the
Vogtländischer Förderverein für Musikinstrumentenbau und Innovation e.V.
became public on October 7th 2000,
on occasion of the annual
Carlsfeld Bandoneon Meeting,
where two newly made pupil instruments were presented.
They were built by specialists of the
Institut für Musikinstrumentenbau Zwota
applying the know how of the previous
mentioned HARMONA factory. The keyboard design of the 110 voices is
based on the Einheitsbandonion, permitting thus to be used by local young
pupils like at the introduction ceremony.
The 10 year old Robert Wallschläger and his teacher Dieter Seidel
during the presentation ceremony.
In spite of the used aluminum reeds, the sound of the new instruments
is quite promising.
A short sound check was particularly pleasant for the treble side of the
smaller of the both specimen.
Images of the new instruments:
Additionally there is a project running
for creating a full sized double reed 142 voice instrument with zinc
reed boards. This fact let us expect a bandoneon manufacturing which
will finally terminate the expensive search for an adequate old instrument.
The increasing interest in bandoneons during the last years may be
helpful to promote this instrument. The town hall recognized the need
of creating a bandoneon museum. In spite of the actual strong economic
problems which passes the region, Carlsfeld made it possible to occupy
several people working on this task.
They collect several specimens and sheet music which is
hosted for the moment by the local
grammar school which makes it impossible to allow public traffic.
After solving the uncertain property conditions of the original
Alfred Arnold house which is expected to be the future museum,
the new institution may be established.
Meanwhile Mr. Wallschläger
built up a small private museum located in
Carlsfeld, Hauptstrasse 7, where you can visit his collection.
He will give detailed information about the bandoneon history.
The front of his house is decorated with a large painting showing a
bandoneon player.
Since 1993 bandoneonists from Germany and other countries meet
once a year during a weekend in October in Carlsfeld to exchange
ideas, sheet music and, of course, play their music. The meeting
is held in German, but many visitors from abroad make the
meeting international. Martina Zapf of Carlsfeld tells about
the
8th Bandonion Treffen in 2001 in German.
The 2002 Meeting will take place from October 11th to 13th.
For information and hosting please contact:
Hauptstrasse 68
D-08325 Carlsfeld
phone +49 377752 2000
fax +49 037752-2791
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Poster Bandoneon Festival 2007
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download
