The Accordion in the 19th Century - Gorka Hermosa

FRANCE:
Apart from the music inside the accordion methods and the concerts by Louise
Reisner in Paris in the years following 1835, there were other entrances of the accordion
in France: Voirin (artist of the Royal Italian Theatre and author of a method published
in Paris in 1836); and Cornette (artist of the Royal Theater Comedy Opera an author of
two methods published in Paris in 1854). Since 1880 Wanspranghe and Vantrepotte
stood out in Lille and Magnier in Liévin. [200, 202, 237, 260]
BELGIUM:
François Verhasselt (1813-1853), was the first accordion teacher, in the 1830s,
documented in Belgium. The accordionist M.H. Cuartain performed in Madrid in 1862
[328]. At the end of the century, Pierre Vanderhaegen, who even performed at the royal
palace, and, in the area of Roubaix, Gielen, Duleuy and Florimond became prominent
accordionists. [45, 79, 202, 289]
SWITZERLAND:
It is already known that in 1836 Johannes Drollinger played a very archaic
accordion at the hostel managed by Johann Samuel Hermann in Langnau [40]. The
accordion became notably popular with the style schwyzois where the first accordion
virtuosos came up: Ernst Inglin (?-1903), Rees Gwerdes (?-1911), Josias Jenny (?-1920)
and Josef Strump (1883-1929) [40]. Victor Gibelli (1872- ?) was prominent in the area of
Laussana since the end of the century, performing on a diatonic accordion with three
rows that allowed him amazing performances for the audiences of his time. [202, 289]
AUSTRIA:
Anton Ernst is considered the first accordionist in Schrammelmusik. He played
since 1890 183 in the band of the Schrammel brothers, originators of this style, with a
mixed diatonic instrument (Schrammelharmonika) 184 . [48, 409]
Fig. 98: Pierre Vanderhaegen 185 . Fig. 99: Schrammel Band in the early years of the 20 th century.
183 1891, according to Billard-Roussin [40]
184 Photograph of a Schrammel Band in the early years of the 20 th c.
185 Fig. taken from: Haine [107] page 36.
42