1632  Bandoneon trivia

Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:13:31 EDT
From: Charles Roques <Crrtango@AOL.COM>
Subject: Bandoneon trivia

Alberto Gesualdo makes reference to what is most likely the first recorded
mention of the bandoneon, from the "Triple Alliance" war of 1864-70. As usual
his comments are informative and help illuminate the shady history of the
origins of tango and it's instruments.

Just to keep it interesting there are references to the concertina, as early
as 1856, re Oscar Zucchi, a tango historian.

Ciriaco Ortiz, one of the great bandoneon players, also kept a small
bandoneon from his father for many years claiming that was the first one.

There is also a reference to a sailor named Bartolo "the Brazilian" who
played one as well as an English sailor named Thomas Moore. None of these can be
verified however.

But the story about Jose Santa Cruz seems to be the most credible. After the
war, Santa Cruz worked for the "Western Railroad" (Ferrocarril Oeste) and even
gained some reknown among his fellow workers and directors for his
musicianship. When the first telephone lines between the railroad stations of El Once
and Moreno were installed, Santa Cruz was put in charge of testing the new
invention by playing his bandoneon into the receiver for the respondent on the
other end to hear.

Cheers,
charles