Melodeon Facts

The Accordion is in the bellows-driven, free-reed family of instruments having chords and melody notes, which were developed in the early part of the 19th Century. The earliest accordions had a single row of ten buttons each operating a valve, which controlled the airflow to a pair of metal reeds inside the instrument. These reeds were tuned to a diatonic scale, using a layout similar to the harmonica. With each button two different notes could be obtained, one by 'pulling' the bellows another by 'pushing' the bellows. The in and out movement of the bellows changes the notes and adds the rhythm necessary for the dance tunes. This is what is today called a melodeon.

The single row melodeon was introduced to Ireland in the last quarter of the 19th century. It was imported as a C instrument, but was usually changed to D by the musicians in order to be in tune with session musicians. Compared to the uilleann pipes and violin, it's low price made it a popular instrument in rural households. Along with the concertina, the melodeon has been linked to the decline of the uilleann pipes, but other factors may not have been taken into account.

Its rise in popularity coincided with the growth of the set dances in the 1880s and 1890s. The melodeon's clear rhythmic qualities found favour among set dancers and its ten keyboard buttons and two bass keys made it an easy instrument to learn.

A cheap instrument, at the turn of the century it cost 10/s (50p) and a second-hand one sold for 4/s (20p). Reg Hall says he has an advert from a newspaper in east London offering a free melodeon to people ordering seeds.

The melodeon was often a gift from emigrant relatives in America. In County Mayo melodeons were also brought home as gifts to younger brothers and sisters by potato pickers working in Lincolnshire.

In some districts neighbours would subscribe to purchase one for dancing and the "joined box" would be left in a local house, out of the reach of children. So popular was the instrument in Ireland at one stage, the German manufacturer Hohner issued a model with the word "Ceili" in large letters on its label.

Like the concertina, the melodeon was a popular instrument among women at a time when "lady" pipers and fiddlers were rare.

Thanks to Ronan Nolan for the above information. Check out his informative web site www.iol.ie/~ronolan/index.html for lots of information about Irish music and musician biographies.