Forget the image of a musette ballroom accordion, with several rows of round buttons! Or even that of an accordion with a small piano keyboard. In Quebec, it is the diatonic accordion with a single row of 10 buttons that livens up the evenings of yesteryear, just like the “trad” evenings of today. Robust and capable of dominating the hubbub of a party, it was first imported from Europe, then made here for a century.
Quebec and Louisiana are among the rare places in the world where this small instrument is still used and produced, each button of which emits a different sound depending on whether the air is blown or drawn. In 2021, the playing and crafting of the diatonic accordion were designated elements of intangible heritage by the Ministry of Culture and Communications of Quebec.
It was in 1843, among the Ursulines of Quebec, that the first accordions appeared in the province, a few years after their invention by the Austrian Cyrill Demian in 1829. Imported from Europe and considered precious objects, they were then intended for young girls from good families who learn to play during their studies. But from 1890, diatonic accordions produced industrially in Germany invaded the Quebec market. The instrument quickly became very popular. It brings life into homes at a time when electricity is not yet available. Associated with pleasure and dancing, it also stands out for its powerful sound, which is very appreciated during evenings and large family and social events.
Since that time, there have always been accordionists, men and women, in Quebec. Coming from families where music is very present, most have never taken lessons and do not know how to read music. They learn to play this instrument by observing and imitating people around them. It is only after practicing diligently that they manage to reproduce the tunes heard at parties. They develop a great skill in memorizing traditional Quebec pieces, a repertoire nourished by several influences (French, Irish, Scottish, English and American), which forge its unique character.
It takes a lot of ingenuity, patience and time to master this instrument. Because, unlike chromatic accordions with piano keyboards or several rows of buttons, which allow you to approach a vast musical repertoire, the diatonic accordion has much more limited harmonic, melodic and technical capabilities.
Over time, a few virtuosos of the diatonic accordion made their mark in Quebec. The first recordings on disk, in 1926, allowed some of them to become known. From the 1930s, it was through radio that talented accordionists became famous.
Television took over during the 1960s, encouraging the emergence of musicians who were masters in the art of creating a particular ornamentation or rhythm. Carried away by the wind of modernism that blew across Quebec in the 1970s, the diatonic accordion almost sank into oblivion; Fortunately, a few enthusiasts are giving it new impetus and passing on their love of this instrument to the next generation. Thanks to them, today we find, in the four corners of Quebec, accordionists who have achieved great mastery of their art.
During the 20the century, the craze for the diatonic accordion led to the creation of manufacturing workshops in various regions of Quebec. These are usually modest premises, where only one or two craftsmen work. Most produce the instrument’s components themselves, apart from the reeds, these small metal parts found inside accordions, and the cardboard used for the bellows, imported from Italy.
The instruments made in Quebec are very efficient and very different from what we find elsewhere in the world. Designed to perform the Quebec repertoire, which usually requires notes to be played quickly following a dancing and lively rhythm, they are powerful, light and robust. They contributed to strengthening Quebec musical practice and giving it its distinctive character.
In recent years, several initiatives have emerged, particularly in the Montmagny region, in order to highlight and encourage the transmission of knowledge and know-how linked to this instrument. […]
It must be said that the diatonic accordion has strong roots in this region, where we have long found not only numerous accordionists, but also some accordion makers. This region also stands out for the holding of an annual festival where accordionists from all over the world meet and for the presence of the only museum dedicated to the accordion in Canada.
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