<![CDATA[ Fanfares & Reveries - Blog - The Accordionist\'s Sketchbook]]>

<![CDATA[ Fanfares & Reveries - Blog - The Accordionist\'s Sketchbook]]>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:02:01 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Mystical Light in a Distant Land]]>Fri, 16 Jun 2017 21:33:31 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/mystical-light-in-a-distant-land

"Night Journey to the Palace of Roses," pen & ink drawing, 2.5" x 5" on heavy artist's stock.

Inspired by the films of Czech director Karel Zeman, this series of pen and ink drawings attempts to capture some of the mystical fantasy atmosphere of "The Fabulous Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1961-62) and "The Fabulous World of Jules Verne" (1958). The latter film won the Grand Prix prize at the World Exposition EXPO58 in Brussels. These films offer a wondrous sense of fantasy and incredible adventure, with magnificently decorated sets, elaborate costumes, live action, and superlative animation. I first saw these films on American television in the early 1960's and never could forget those indelible images which Karel Zeman incorporates into his marvelous productions. There is a kind of poetry in Zeman's magical storytelling, like moments of visiting the Moon to meet Cyrano de Bergerac, Tonik, Baron Munchausen and several astronauts. We further get to meet Princess Bianca, General Ellemerle, the military Adjutant and even the Sultan in a series of fantastic episodes brimming with mystery, action, adventure and sheer imaginative fun. I have titled my drawing "Night Journey to the Palace of Roses," presented here in a series of variations produced via Google's Picasa 3 photo editing software.

These versions of "The Fabulous Adventures of Baron Munchausen" and "The Fabulous World of Jules Verne" can be found on several websites. Both are English-dubbed versions of the original Czech-language films. The best versions however can be found at the Karel Zeman Museum in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in restored condition with superior audio-visual quality. The Museum can be found at www.muzeumkarlazemana.cz/en

Here are some passages from "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," translated by Edward FitzGerald (1809-1883) based upon quatrains written by Omar Khayyam (1048-1122), a Persian mathematician, astronomer and philosopher. From the First Edition (1859):

                                          Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night
                                          Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:
                                          And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
                                          The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.

From the Fifth Edition (1889):

                                          Wake! For the Sun, who scatter'd into flight
                                          The Stars before him from the Field of Night,
                                          Drives Night along with them from Heav'n , and strikes
                                          The Sultan's Turret with a Shaft of Light.

These remarkable verses generate spectacular images in an exquisitely poetic manner, somewhat reminiscent of the dreams, visions and artistic majesty one may find in the films of Karel Zeman.

The First and Fifth Editions of "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," translated by Edward FitzGerald in a superb Dover Thrift Edition.

]]><![CDATA[Sylvan Treasures of the Heart]]>Fri, 09 Jun 2017 02:32:32 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/sylvan-treasures-of-the-heart

An artistic impression of the forest groves which once stood at the west end of Baltusrol Avenue in Springfield, New Jersey in the Fifties and Sixties. The pen & ink drawing is 3" in diameter on artist's stock.

An improvisation based upon childhood memories of playing with my cousins Sharon and Kerry in Springfield, New Jersey at the western edge of Baltusrol Avenue where once there was a large forest with rocks, a stream and a stone bridge. Although my family did not live in Springfield, we often visited there allowing Sharon and Kerry to show me so many of the local attractions and scenery. I once stayed at my aunt and uncle"s house for a week affording plenty of time to explore the forested area adjacent to the neighborhood. My dad and I helped to extend Sharon and Kerry's house toward the back with a new kitchen and renovated dining room. So we were there for many weekends both working and relaxing. My cousins invited me to attend the Strawberry Festival in the springtime, held at Jonathon Dayton High School. We also saw the fireworks display in July and attended birthday parties, anniversaries and outdoor picnics at the Baltusrol Avenue address. In the years from 1955 to 1965 I came to love the forested area, the rock formations and the lyrical stream which meandered through the forest realms just a short walk from my relative's home. Sometime around the late 1960's or early 1970's this area changed drastically with the introduction of a new highway system which obliterated the forest and permanently altered the landscape which we as children had so dearly loved. This music is dedicated to my cousins Sharon and Kerry and to my Aunt Lill and Uncle Del for their warmth, hospitality and generosity of spirit in sharing their home and neighborhood with me. It is an improvisation which celebrates the innocence of children and the playfulness of the creative mind. This music reflects upon the pageantry of outdoor activities, the dance of one's inner spirit, and the breathless beauty of taking delight in four changing seasons.

Both the artwork and the video recording above are reflections based upon my memories of a now vanished forest which once stood near the home of my aunt, uncle and cousins. The present views of this area are captured via Google Earth and show the relative development of highways, neighborhoods, asphalt streets and concrete bridges, all expected elements of urban modernization (or "progress"). You would not ever know today what once was there if you had never seen the forest which enveloped this area back in the 1950's and 1960's. Perhaps this kind of development is symptomatic of many areas due to population density and the necessity of arterial roadways to alleviate traffic congestion. But it is a sad loss to those of us who love the green belt areas and hold fond memories of this particularly lovely woodland retreat. On my You Tube channel I have posted a series of accordion improvisations entitled "Baltusrol Impressions" which further explores my memories and reflections of this now vanished forest.

]]><![CDATA[Invitation to Imagination - Tales of a Fantast]]>Wed, 29 Mar 2017 03:35:10 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/invitation-to-imagination-tales-of-a-fantast

"Journey to a Gilded Palace" - pen and ink drawing on artist's stock, 2.5" x 5", inspired by "The Fabulous Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1962), a film by Karel Zeman.

There are some very evocative scenes in "Baron Prasil" by Czech director/ filmmaker Karel Zeman (1910-1989). In the United States this film was released as "The Fabulous Adventures of Baron Munchausen." Live action is combined with animation in a wonderfully inventive and charming manner. We travel to the Moon in order to meet the Baron (Milos Kopecky) as well as Cyrano de Bergerac (Karel Hoger) and a host of beguiling characters such as Tonik (Rudolf Jelinek) and the Princess Bianca (Jana Brejchova) in a series of romantic adventures. The artistic quality of this film is outstanding, with sets that sparkle via imaginative detail and design. We manage to see flying machines, sailing ships, giant fish, sea battles, land battles, castles, ornate palaces and places of exquisite beauty. Some scenes are tinted, others have a monochromatic appearance or selective use of color. The set of drawings in this post have been largely influenced by both this film and Karel Zeman's "The Fabulous World of Jules Verne" (1958), aka "The Deadly Invention" or "An Invention for Destruction."

A full color version of my pen and ink drawing illustrating the use of pointillism or stippling technique.

A blue tinted version of the original full color drawing, effects taken from Picasa 3 editing program.

This effect from Picasa 3 is titled "Polaroid" and gives a snapshot frame of the original drawing.

This effect gives a glow or luminous quality to the original drawing. Picasa 3 is a free photo editing program recommended by Kim Komando, "America's Digital Goddess."

Here is the original drawing placed on my work table with an artificial rose for inspiration. I love the light coming in through the north-facing window. Here I can work up until 6 PM without light fading significantly.

This image shows the rose taped to the work table just above the drawing.

I find that listening to music is a therapeutic asset while drawing or painting for hours on end. Classical music is my preferred choice for inspiration, but jazz can also become a great source of ideas.

Music has always been a favorable companion to my artwork. In the studio I am presently using the Model One AM/FM radio made by Tivoli Audio, hooked up to a Terk external amplified antenna. Over the years I have always been impressed by the audio designs of Henry Kloss (1929-2002). Kloss helped to found Acoustic Research, then went on to form KLH (along with Malcolm S. Low and Josef Anton Hofmann), Advent, Cambridge Soundworks, and Tivoli Audio. Most of Henry's designs are still held in high regard today including the Model 88 clock radio from Cambridge Soundworks and his Tower loudspeakers. There was a time when I enjoyed reading the three prominent audio magazines of the early hi-fi era: "Stereo Review," "High Fidelity," and "Audio." Later on I subscribed to "Stereophile Magazine" published by J. Gordon Holt in Media, Pennsylvania. Many of these publications gave rave reviews to the electronics and loudspeakers designed by Henry Kloss.

One of the most endearing aspects of the art of Karel Zeman is his use of music in the soundtracks prepared for his films. There is a lovely music score composed by Zdenek Liska in "Baron Prasil" with Frantisek Belfin conducting the Filmovy Symfonicky Orchestra. This music adds layers of charm and mystique to the action on the screen, blending a sense of orchestral enchantment to the artistic merits of the story. In one of the film's most evocative scenes, Baron Munchausen calls himself a "Fantast," a visionary or dreamer. Perhaps this is also a tale of the artist who brings forth imaginary worlds and invites an audience to willingly embark upon a similarly fantastic journey.

]]><![CDATA[Adventures in Pen & Ink Paradise]]>Mon, 27 Feb 2017 13:56:14 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/adventures-in-pen-ink-paradise

Color Pen and Ink Drawing, 5" x 5" on artist's board, inspired by Science Fiction and Fantasy themes.

Georges Seurat and Pointillism

I have always loved the distinctive style of French Post-Impressionist painter Georges Seurat (1859-1891), noted for his use of Pointillism (also known as Divisionism or chromoluminarism). Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" (1884-1886) remains a favorite for its remarkable colors, texture, size and conception. Chromoluminarism is characterized by the use of small juxtaposed dots of color which interact optically to produce a vibrant purity and recognizable texture throughout. In Pointillism the use of dots of paint does not always focus upon the separation of colors. Much of the color theory behind these concepts began with French chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul, American physicist Ogden Rood and French art critic Charles Blanc, inventor of the color wheel. Ogden Rood spoke of purity, luminosity and hue in his work on the nature of colors. The idea is to entice the eye of the beholder to do the mixing and blending of light, color, line and texture. In the case of the above drawing, of course I am using color pen & ink instead of paint, but the technique remains the same.

Influences and the Evolution of Technique

I first learned the technique of "stippling" while attending Drew University in Madison, New Jersey during Botany courses taught under Doctors Robert Zuck and Florence Zuck in the late 1960's. Stippling involves the technique of painting, engraving or drawing by means of dots or small touches. Such methods can be very time consuming but the results merit a fine degree of accuracy and sometimes a lovely sense of natural texture. Over and over again one can visualize the fantastic design and detail of nature, to begin to comprehend the marvelous components of life we see in a typical day. Our Botany courses taught us to value the act of keen observation and to thoroughly follow through on representational drawings.

Another influence in this style of drawing may be seen to be inspired by the Scottish botanist Robert Brown (1773-1858), noted as the inventor of "Brownian motion." Brownian motion has been defined as the erratic random movement of microscopic particles in liquid or gas, as a result of continuous bombardment from molecules of the surrounding medium. This gives the artist an idea that colors may be reacting to one another in various particles of light, that one may attempt to understand the often unseen forces of nature such as humidity, air currents, gravity or electromagnetic fields. So there remains a swirl of sometimes invisible phenomena which the artist desires to illustrate through his use of manifold points and dots of color.

In High School Physics class I remember learning about vectors and the idea of visually representing direction and magnitude via mathematics and physics on a graph. Mr. Fields taught us to determine the position of one point in space relative to another by designing a visual chart which quantified both magnitude and direction. An example of a vector is velocity which describes how fast something is moving and in what direction it is going. When I think of such momentum or force fields, I can visualize the effect of sunlight on a natural landscape and imagine how an artist might illustrate such effects via painting or drawing in swirls or dots of color.

The animated films of Czech Filmmaker Karel Zeman (1910-1989) also have exerted an enormous impression on my artwork beginning in the 1960's when I first saw his remarkable work. "The Fabulous Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1961) aka "Baron Prasil" and "The Fabulous World of Jules Verne" (1958) are prime examples of Zeman's genius. You often cannot tell what is live action and what is animation in a Karel Zeman film, for everything is wrapped in a decorative atmosphere of wondrous fantasy. The stories are inventive, featuring a sense of childlike imagination and special effects which are often disarming in their enchantment and cinematic charm. "Off On a Comet" (1967) and "The Stolen Airship" offer similar tales of adventure and imaginative journey through time and various landscapes.

Sepia tone instead of color. Digital variation through Picasa 3.

Blue tint instead of full color.

Almost like a night scene instead of daylight.

Reverse image.

Another reverse image with unusual color effects.

Picture of the studio with the drawing on my artist's desk.

Northern light is best for drawing and painting. It is the most even throughout the day.

The set of color pens in my studio.

The Sharpie permanent markers come in an ultra fine point set of 24 pens. The Bic Mark-it pens are labelled fine point but offer a wider imprint in a set of 36 colors. You can use both sets to delineate a scene, with the bold points to add dramatic color and the ultra fine points to add fine detail, dimension and subtle textures throughout.

]]><![CDATA[Journey to the Planets via Pipe Organ]]>Fri, 29 Jul 2016 04:29:36 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/journey-to-the-planets-via-pipe-organ

Gustav Holst: The Planets - Organ Transcription by Peter Sykes
This is one of the most amazing transcriptions I have heard for pipe organ, a truly transcendent piece marvelously transcribed by Peter Sykes and performed at the Great Skinner Organ installed at Girard College Chapel in Philadelphia. What a grand transformation from the orchestral original by composer Gustav Holst (1874-1934) to a fine demonstration of the capabilities of the symphonic organ as envisioned by Ernest M. Skinner. Peter Sykes plays all 7 parts of the Holst Suite assisted by his wife Victoria Wagner. For this post I will share just a couple selections from You Tube user Gioiellidellamusica who has posted the full Suite on his channel.

Cover of Raven CD featuring NASA photographs

The CD liner notes share some very interesting background information on both this instrument and the accompanying recording. The organ was apparently built between 1931 and 1933 and features a marvelous organ chamber mounted above the ceiling where all the pipes are installed. The distance to the ceiling is 100 feet with the chamber measuring 40 feet in height above the ceiling. The chamber stretches 60 feet in length with 40 feet width at one end and 22 feet width at the opposite end. This becomes a huge acoustic advantage in the propagation of sound. Peter Sykes relates that one selection ("Neptune") requires two players at one time playing all four manuals and pedal, utilizing "four hands, two feet, and a pencil holding a long note!"

All of the selections composed by Holst for "The Planets" have been transcribed in this spectacular recording by Peter Sykes. I think that "Venus" and "Neptune" may be my favorites, but overall this is a remarkable feat of transcription and one of the most satisfying organ recordings I have ever heard. Only in the "Neptune" sequence do I miss the wordless chorus which usually appears in the orchestral versions. But through my imagination I can blend in my own inner choral accompaniment which sounds perfectly suited to the organ recorded here.

Notes on the Full Score

In listening to this recording, I have written some of my own personal observations on the effects of its sound and atmospheric thrust.

Mars: the Bringer of War 7:29
- menacing bass - expanses of vast sound - martial phrases - moments of climbing intensity - spurts of raw power

Venus: the Bringer of Peace 9:06
- silvery quietness - marvelous textures - graceful phrases - melodious harmonies - a hushed atmosphere - a sense of divine purity and rare serenity - beautiful voices throughout

Mercury: the Messenger 4:49
-playful running up and down the keyboard - light, mystical touch - clusters of notes, like a gathering in a musical garden - a dazzling burst of virtuosity and a dance upon the keys

Jupiter: the Bringer of Jollity 8:50
-full spectrum introduction - a calling forth to all dimensions near and far - like a dialogue of different voices - also an Elgarian theme which is introduced in noble fashion - fun to listen to with lots of life - magical ending in this segment

Saturn: the Bringer of Old Age 8:57
-mysterious, brooding entrance - a quiet, reflective sound - almost like examining the interior of a great and ancient temple - a slow march emerges, like a procession from one place to another - waves of sound in slow succession - openings in time - larger and larger perspectives - sense of hesitation and renewed quietness - beautiful voices and mysterious passage - silvery quiet ending in warm tones

Uranus: the Magician 5:46
- a broad opening with rhythmic pulses - fantastic development - neat clusters of sound - a sparkling presentation - a sense of pulse and incessant rhythm - kind of a joyous ride from one measure to another - almost Wagnerian - dense textures, notes flying everywhere - relentless energy - bold chords at end with quiet segments

Neptune : the Mystic 9:03
- ethereal beginning - a sense of establishing place or identity - swirling between mysterious chords and clusters of notes - setting down a pattern - an otherworldly canvas - variations in sound level as if coming closer to something fantastic - a sense of generation of sound and spirit - a gigantic pulse from one end of the universe to the other - sense of far-off distance - lifting up in space from ground to ultra-heights - building up of atmosphere - quiet charm and mystical envelopment - swirling finale with treble enchantment - fade to infinity

Another Version of this Transcription

Hansjorg Albrecht has recorded the Peter Sykes transcription on the Oehms label featuring two pipe organs at the Medieval Church of St. Nicholas in Kiel, Germany. Albrecht performs on the 48 rank 1965 Detlef Kleuker organ and the 17 rank Aristide Cavaille-Coll/ Charles Muton organ at opposite ends of the nave. This recording is available from ArkivMusic.com. The Peter Sykes recording on Raven is available from Amazon.com. (For comparison purposes, the Skinner Organ features over 100 ranks and almost 7,000 pipes

]]><![CDATA[A Swedish Folk Tune on the Galanti Accordion]]>Tue, 08 Mar 2016 15:27:53 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/a-swedish-folk-tune-on-the-galanti-accordion

The Galanti keyboard. Photo by Max Cossio

A folk tune from Sweden performed upon the vintage Galanti accordion. Musical notation marked "liedmassig" or "slowly." The sheet music is from Volume One of "Das Grosse Akkordeon-Buch" (Le Grand Album pour l' Accordeon), published by Edition Melodie, Anton Peterer Music & Books, Zurich, Switzerland. All of the selections in this 4 volume series have been collected and arranged by Herwig Peychaer. This particular Galanti is a tone-chambered instrument with 4/5 reeds in LMMH configuration. It is a Super Dominator from the late 40's or early 50's. The bassoon reeds are in the single tone chamber.

The Galanti Super Dominator is from the Golden Age of accordion manufacturing and features marvelous tonal qualities. There is a unique rounding to the shape of the accordion body, allowing for a neat fit between player and instrument. The reeds are handmade, considered to be some of the finest available in production (late 1940's and early 1950's). The overall construction quality is superb with wonderful components utilized throughout interior and exterior design. It is a pleasure to play this instrument. When I first received this accordion, I played for 5 hours straight just to hear the rich-sounding textures and voices displayed in each octave. Following are some photographs and ads regarding the Galanti.

The beautiful lines of the vintage Galanti accordion. Photo by Max Cossio.

The black/ white/ silver design of the Galanti is quite striking overall, almost like an Art Deco object. Photo by Max Cossio

Interior of the Galanti accordion showing the bass and treble reeds. The bassoon reeds are in the tone-chamber. Photo by Max Cossio.

An ad for the 1950 Galanti Super Dominator. From Flickr photo-sharing site.

An ad for the 1948 Galanti Super Dominator. From Flickr user Al Q.

]]><![CDATA[A 4th Century Text set to 13th Century Plainsong]]>Thu, 11 Feb 2016 05:14:24 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/a-4th-century-text-set-to-13th-century-plainsong

Words by Aurelius C. Prudentius, 4th Century, translated by John M. Neale and Henry W. Baker. This melody is also known as "Divinum Mysterium," 13th Century Plainsong arranged by C. Winfred Douglas in 1916. My friend Mary has sung professionally with the Phoenix Bach Choir (now known as the Phoenix Chorale) and has studied Classical music for many years. She loves to play the hammered dulcimer and is an accomplished pianist and organist who also loves folk music. I accompany Mary on my vintage 1950's Scandalli accordion, a 4/5 reed instrument in LMMH configuration.

This lovely song captures a sense of eternity and ministers to the inner places of one's soul. Here my friend Mary Bowers offers a beautiful rendition of this traditional hymn via her distinctive voice and unique powers of artistic interpretation.

]]><![CDATA[Wayfaring Stranger - Mary & Glenn]]>Thu, 11 Feb 2016 04:35:06 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/wayfaring-stranger-mary-glenn

My dear friend Mary sings this traditional Southern American folk melody as I accompany her on my vintage 1950's Scandalli accordion (LMMH, 4/5 reeds). Mary has sung professionally with the Phoenix Bach Choir (now known as the Phoenix Chorale), and is also an accomplished pianist/ organist and hammered dulcimer player. She loves Classical music as well as folk music and traditional hymns and spirituals

This Southern American Folk melody is one of my favorites and offers unique changes from major to minor key in an atmospheric and captivating manner. My friend Mary Bowers reveals her marvelous gifts in vocal artistry in this memorable video recorded several years ago. The sheet music is from a collection of hymn tunes and folk songs arranged by Hal Leonard. The vintage 1950's Scandalli accordion was given to me as a gift from friends around 2003 at a time when I could not afford to purchase a new instrument. My friend Jerry Sleger from Wisconsin did some repair, tuning and restoration on this accordion, allowing for full performance capability of those remarkable Italian reeds.

]]><![CDATA[Variations on a Swedish Tune]]>Wed, 27 Jan 2016 21:14:56 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/variations-on-a-swedish-tune

Variations on a Swedish tune entitled "Christmas Day," from "Wee Sing for Christmas," published by Price, Stern, Sloan and collected and arranged by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp. I have added some improvisational elements to these variations, in both tempo and melodic line, allowing for an eclectic mix of styles and expressive moods. Performed upon the Hohner musette accordion, a 4/5 reed instrument in LMMM configuration.

This tune also appears in "Wee Sing - More Bible Songs" as "Father Noah" with different lyrics by Nancy Klein set to the same Swedish melody. I like variations because they permit the musician some creative potential in which to rearrange musical elements and present new ways of hearing familiar songs. This Hohner musette accordion allows for a wide variety of different reed voices to change the atmosphere, tempo and texture of each variation. Until recently I have not had access to a local pipe organ, but I would like to hear similar variations on that instrument as well. One of the strengths of the Hohner is the richness of the bassoon register which permits almost a Jazz-like flavor to the music. The musette tuning is especially popular in Europe and Latin America as well as in American folk music.

]]><![CDATA[An Arrangement for Accordion by Elsie M. Bennett]]>Fri, 22 Jan 2016 05:46:53 GMThttps://www.fanfaresandreveries.com/blog---the-accordionists-sketchbook/an-arrangement-for-accordion-by-elsie-m-bennett

An arrangement by Elsie M. Bennett (nee Blum) from the publication "Hebrew and Jewish Songs and Dances - Volume One," published by Pietro Deiro Publications in New York City. All of the selections in this music book have been compiled and arranged by Elsie Bennett, a very talented accordionist and music teacher. Elsie held degrees from Columbia University Teachers College in New York and Wayne University in Detroit, and also managed her own studio and music shop in Brooklyn for many years. Elsie was a champion of sponsoring new music and Classical pieces for the accordion and a tireless promoter of accordion artistry. Performed upon my vintage 1950's Hohner Tango II M accordion, a 3/5 reed instrument in LMM configuration. Hohner produced this model between 1953 and 1961.

I love all of Elsie Bennett's arrangements for accordion in the volume entitled "Hebrew and Jewish Songs and Dances - Volume One," published by Pietro Deiro in NYC. I have not been able to find a copy of Volume Two, and it appears these are long out of print. Henry Lefkowitch of Metro Music Company and Harry Coopersmith of the Jewish Education Committee of New York assisted Elsie in the selection of these marvelous compositions. Esther Youlous and Esther Golbert helped to edit the text, according to the Publishers. Elsie's arrangements are the best I have found for their accessibility and ease of play for many students of the accordion. This particular volume contains many well-loved traditional hymns, folk songs, popular tunes and folk dances. My friend Jerry Sleger helped to tune this vintage Hohner and partially restore the instrument with new wax and leathers. I find that vintage instruments possess the acoustic sounds I am looking for in music of this variety, far more than modern instruments of recent manufacture. And there is always the unique satisfaction gained by holding in your hands a marvelously put-together instrument which allows the music to blossom and sing according to the spirit of the composition.

]]>