Why play early music on the accordion?

Modern philological research into early music over the last ten years has broadened its horizons and has overcome the strict legacy which was to only use certain historical instruments. It now focuses its attention on the musical language and allows early music to be played on a modern instrument.

The accordion is not an antique instrument . It started to appear at the end of the 1800s, then after a series of technological changes it became known as a ” classical “ instrument in the second half of the twentieth century. It has two distinctive features that makes it suitable for playing early music : its similarity with portable organs and its clear and brilliant sound which resembles the harpsichord and similar instruments.

I like to call it a “synthesis ” of the antique keyboards and as such I believe it is the right instrument if not “the ideal” instrument to play the solo keyboard repertoires of the 1600s and 1700s.

The instrument that I use is even closer to a historical instrument as it is the only existing accordion with A at 415hz and tuned according to the Vallotti system.