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The
Dargaville Museum (New Zealand) presents...
'Accordion Gems' by Kevin Friedrich
...A Master Collection
of Accordions through Time...
Aratapu
Library Purchased - June 2006
Dedication of the Accordion Gems Display - 3 December 2006
Aratapu
Library relocated to Harding Park - January 2007
Grand Opening of New Music Wing at the Dargaville Museum - 21
October 2007 at 1:00 PM
Launching of Accordion Gems Exhibit in Display Cabinets - 29
March 2009
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The
'Accordion Gems' Collection |
The
Dargaville Museum presents 'Accordion Gems' by Kevin Friedrich...
A Master Collection of Accordions through Time...
The collection serves as the anchor display in the newly established
Music Room, the latest addition to the Dargaville Museum. In addition
to a variety of instruments form the accordion family, the display
includes original manuscripts, rare recordings, a 300 piece Accordion
Figurine Collection and other accordion related items. |
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Above
and below: some of the Accordion Gems instruments in their
hand crafted native timber cabinets
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Above:
Ailsa Williams (Connecticut, USA) visiting the Accordion
Gems Display
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Above:
some of the Accordion Gems instruments in their hand crafted
native timber cabinets
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Above: examples of a Uniform Keyboard as well as Tanzbar
mechanical roll playing instrument
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An example of an early Paolo Soprani e Figli instrument
from the late 1800's. Donated to Accordion Gems in loving
memory of the owner Gaetano Foti who was born on December
8, 1881 in Sicily, Italy and passed away on April 19th,
1961 in New York City, NY. The instrument was donated
by his grandson Thomas J. Mora of New York City.
The following manufacturing information is placed under
a glass panel on the front of the instrument:
Premiata Fabbrica di Armoniche
Comm. Paolo Soprani e Figli
Castelfidardo, Ancona, Italia
Riproduzione Vietata
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Above:
Disc recording in center - This is a rare recording (which
plays inside to out) of a 37 year old Anthony Galla-Rini
(born January 18, 1904; died July 30, 2006) performing
the Premiere of his own Concerto No. 1 in G Minor,
on 15 November 1941, at the Fine Arts Auditorium in Oklahoma
City, with James Neilson conducting.
Small cylinder to the right: Pietro Frosini (1885-1951)
Accordion Solo, Sonata In C Major,
Edison Blue Amberol Cylinder record #3127, take 3, mold
10. Cylinder released April, 1917.
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Graham
Romani was one of the leading composers, arrangers, writers
and historians on the accordion during his active career
in the United Kingdom. A friend, teacher and mentor of
the late Ben Emmett in Dargaville,
Graham Romani was also the teacher via TAPEspondence of
Joan Emmett (Brown).
Three of his Original Manuscripts are on display:
Little Dance Suite (composed 18 October 1961)
Valse Lyrique (composed 1940-1943)
Sonatina for Accordion (composed April 1947, revised December
1951 & December 1961)
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Tiger
Accordion: In the mid 60's, it was recognized that the
changing dynamic in music was heading towards Rock'n'Roll
and that it captured the interest of youngsters. Working
with Bill Palmer, the Ernest Deffner Coop. designed and
introduced the Tiger Combo'Cordion. It was a line of compact
and colorful accordions in a choice of three Fiat car
colors - Fire, Sun and Blue Moon, featuring quint reed
(5th) treble tuning for "piercing lead or swinging
chords in audio colors to flip the crowds" according
to Hullabaloo magazine's description. Electronic pickups
provided a spectacular "biting" sound and a
voice microphone was fixed onto the top of the Combo'Cordion
ready for song. The instrument's keyboard angle (below)
followed the slanted grill so that flying fingers could
easily be seen by the audience.
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The
Accordion Figurine Collection is displayed in both a
dedicated cabinet and throughout the Accordion Gems exhibition
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| The
Dargaville Accordion Collection |
Dargaville
was at one time, home to eight accordion bands conducted by several
different accordion teachers from Dargaville including Ben Emmett,
Doreen Emmett, Joan Emmett, Irene Langman, Frank Vilich and Mary
Passell.
In addition, many immigrants working in the Kauri and Gum Digging
industries as well as maritime workers used the accordions. The
instruments in this section, were used by residents of the Dargaville
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Several of the instruments played by various people from
the Dargaville area
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| The
Puhoi Hotel Pub Collection |
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In addition
to the Accordion Gem's display, the Dargaville Museum proudly
houses the unique collection of instruments from the Puhoi Hotel
Pub, highlighting some of the earliest accordionists in New
Zealand.
Among the early pioneers in New Zealand were settlers from Bohemia.
Many of them settled at Puhoi, just north of Auckland. There
were several early type button accordions brought out in the
first shipload of settlers in 1863 and until very recently,
the descendants of these early settlers still played button
accordions and entertained at the Puhoi Hotel Pub.
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Members
of the famed Puhoi Hotel Pub Band during the early 1900's
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The remaining instruments from Puhoi
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Contact
for the Accordion Gems Exhibition: Kevin Friedrich
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Copyright©
2012 Accordions Worldwide. All rights reserved.
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