Who invented the accordion and when was it patented?
Cyrill Demian filed a patent for the accordion in Vienna on the 1st of January 1829. This document described a device that combined melody and chord playing into one box-shaped object.
Questions about Accordion
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where did early free-reed aerophones exist before the accordion patent?
Earlier attempts at free-reed aerophones existed in Berlin around 1822 attributed to Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann. A wooden instrument discovered in 2006 bears the name F. Löhner Nürnberg and may predate other known examples.
How many accordions were produced annually by Russian factories in 1874?
Production numbers grew rapidly reaching over 700,000 units per year by 1874. Novgorod Vyatka and Saratov governorates joined the manufacturing effort during the 1860s while cities like Oryol Ryazan Moscow and Vologda developed their own regional varieties by the 1880s.
Which countries adopted the accordion as a mandatory skill or hosted the most players?
North Korea adopted the instrument as a mandatory skill for all teachers according to Barbara Demick's research. China now hosts more accordionists than any other nation combined since its introduction in 1926.
When was the first accordion concerto composed and who wrote it?
The first accordion concerto appeared in Russia during 1937. Luciano Berio wrote Sequenza XIII for accordionist Teodoro Anzellotti in 1995.