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Author Topic: Sophie's choice  (Read 2435 times)

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Andrew Kennedy

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Sophie's choice
« on: January 28, 2019, 07:12:29 AM »

I suppose this is primarily for people with MAD.

I've been thinking about Helena's comment that we just rent melodeons from the universe, and (I paraphrase) pass them on in due course. I don't think I can agree.

Mrs. K and I have been discussing the red Chinese Erica which I bought as an emergency stopgap following a bellows catastrophe, with a view to selling it when the situation was resolved. The thing is, it has bailed me out on several occasions over a period of six months or so and I now see a long-term role for it. 

It's about thirty years since I bought a brand new instrument, and I've tended to buy relatively cheaply since then, but each one has its own function, story, and, yes, patina. Consequently, I've never sold one.

So my question for you is, if your house were on fire and you could only rescue one melodeon, how would you choose which one?  (I'm more interested in the rationale than the specific instrument).
« Last Edit: January 28, 2019, 07:14:17 AM by Andrew Kennedy »
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2019, 07:47:56 AM »

Just one?  Really just one - bearing in mind that taking 'just one' generally means two?

For purely practical reasons it would probably be the Oakwood simply because of where we keep it in the house relative to likely escape routes - its home is near the bottom of the stairs making it the first one I would pass if using the stairs as an escape route and also the easiest one to grab if we needed to escape out of the upstairs windows - I don't think saving melodeons would be uppermost in my mind if that happened though.

I guess the simple answer is the one I happened to be playing at the time  :|||:
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Chris Rayner

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2019, 10:19:32 AM »

An interesting question.  I fear melodeon is not my only instrument.  I regret they my proficiency in playing all of them is modest to poor.  The choice would relate to three things: 1). The emotional resonance which each stirs in me; 2). The intrinsic musical quality of the instrument; and 3). The monetary value of the item.

I have several melodeons (no surprise there) each of which has its musical and financial values.  However, having adopted the instrument late in life, none is an old companion which has followed me through life’s triumphs and defeats.  So that rules them out, even though two of them are more valuable than any other instruments I own.

 I took up the guitar in the early sixties, I possess three which have accompanied me for fifty years or more.  Of these, a battered ancient German steel strung flat top is the one I’ve owned for longest.  I bought it for £10 in about 1964 or 65.  I was playing it before I met my wife.  I think that would be my desert island instrument.  Although it would be a toss up between it and the 12 string I bought in Madrid in 1969 while visiting my girlfriend, now wife at the university there.

This leaves the melodeons, other guitars, ukuleles, mandolin, banjo, mouth organs, recorders, whistles, Jews harps etc. to be consumed by the flames.  Or does it?  The thing about guitars is they are fairly cumbersome items.  This is part of the reason for my taking up squeezing.  My musical stash is housed in a bedroom adjacent to the master passion chamber.  Assuming I should be fleeing the combustion from my sleep, and depending on the fierceness of the conflagration I might find myself with little time to consider a rescue.  Furthermore carrying a guitar while stumbling down smokey burning stairs might imperil my own survival.  I’d probably abandon the entire orchestra, or grab a ukulele.
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Elderly amateur musician hoping to stave off dementia by learning to play the melodeon.  Main instrument a Tommy, also D/G and G/C pokerworks,  a single row 2 stop Hohner, and a new addition to the free reedery, a rather splendid Paolo Soprani four voice 120 bass c-system chromatic button accordion.  Very shiny, very loud, and about the same size and weight as a small car.  Now I’ve traded me Benny with (ahem) a cash adjustment, to a three voice 60 bass Castagnari K3.

Howard Jones

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2019, 10:49:54 AM »

Of my melodeons, it would have to be the D/G Salterelle. Not only is it the one I play most, it is the most versatile with 5 stops offering a wide choice of sounds.  I love the sound of the G/C Loffet but don't play it as much.  However in a real fire I would save my concertinas ahead of any other instruments.  I would be sad to lose the other instruments but they could all be replaced fairly easily, whereas it would be much more difficult to find other concertinas.

Wife, kids and pets will just have to look out for themselves.

Bob Ellis

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2019, 11:00:07 AM »

It would be difficult to make up my mind. I would dither between two - my Pariselle and my Guais - which are the two I like best and play most. While I was dithering, I would probably be overcome by smoke inhalation, so neither would be saved. ::)
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Phil Howard

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2019, 12:09:43 PM »

We've been here before...

... and I still don't know my answer!
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2019, 12:40:15 PM »

We've been here before...

... and I still don't know my answer!

Looks like last time around I said the one I would save would be the Binci.  I sold that over a year ago  ;D
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2019, 12:42:47 PM »

Wife, kids and pets will just have to look out for themselves.

I must admit that my first thought on reading this post perhaps a little too early this morning was 'Colin', then I realised he isn't actually a melodeon. 
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Eshed

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2019, 01:05:26 PM »

We've been here before
There are no new topics only new melnetters.

On topic though, same as Chris, it'll probably be my guitar.
Even though I play it less nowadays, it's still dear to my heart. We've been through a lot together :)
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tiny

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2019, 07:11:22 PM »

I have fewer melodeons than most I think on this forum. I do have six but three are not really playable. I have had my Hohner pokerwork for over 30 years...it gave me such joy and pleasure in the 1980's  playing with friends in, and out of my league....in sessions and in a band format...  though now I rarely play it ...

I do favour my Tommy Castagnari..its small and easy to play, suits my small frame. It sits on top of my bookcases with two other lovely boxes.... but it would be my grab moment.. I can't see myself without it really. 

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lizzy in Hoppicking Herefordshire

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tiny

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2019, 07:14:20 PM »

Although no question is silly, I am thinking this might be.

Why is it Sophie's choice? what am I missing...be kind....please.
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lizzy in Hoppicking Herefordshire

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Stiamh

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2019, 07:30:45 PM »

Although no question is silly, I am thinking this might be.

Why is it Sophie's choice? what am I missing...be kind....please.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie%27s_Choice_(novel)#Plot_summary

tiny

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2019, 08:19:36 PM »

Oh!


thank you.


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lizzy in Hoppicking Herefordshire

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Dick Rees

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2019, 09:18:52 PM »

I have acquired a good few boxes over the years, some gifted, some purchased and some inherited...too many to keep in one location.  If worst comes to worst I'd still have one or two I could fetch...including a venerable Pokerwork which lives in my car.
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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2019, 11:03:34 PM »

I hate that answering one implies a disrespect for those not chosen.

I would easily choose the Castagnari Mory, which is as close to that mythical "Last-Accordion-I'll-Ever-Buy" we're all looking for as anything I've ever found.

But the Baffetti F/Bb/Eb and the Erica A/D (hey, Helena!) are both close to my heart.
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #15 on: January 29, 2019, 07:55:16 AM »

... and the Erica A/D (hey, Helena!) are both close to my heart.

Well you can always send Erica the Red back to me  y'know.  I'd keep her safe for you :)
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NickF

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #16 on: January 29, 2019, 01:12:12 PM »

Wife, kids and pets will just have to look out for themselves.

I must admit that my first thought on reading this post perhaps a little too early this morning was 'Colin', then I realised he isn't actually a melodeon.
Well, that sorts the problem for you - you carry the Oakwood and Colin takes the rest. Simples.  8)
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Chris Rayner

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Re: Sophie's choice
« Reply #17 on: January 29, 2019, 05:05:38 PM »

Well, that sorts the problem for you - you carry the Oakwood and Colin takes the rest. Simples.  8)

Regrettably all spouses/partners/wha’evva are not equal in this respect.  I believe there might be some who would be inclined to chuck in a couple of firelighters and a match to the instrument store as they leave the premises.  Just to be sure.😳
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Elderly amateur musician hoping to stave off dementia by learning to play the melodeon.  Main instrument a Tommy, also D/G and G/C pokerworks,  a single row 2 stop Hohner, and a new addition to the free reedery, a rather splendid Paolo Soprani four voice 120 bass c-system chromatic button accordion.  Very shiny, very loud, and about the same size and weight as a small car.  Now I’ve traded me Benny with (ahem) a cash adjustment, to a three voice 60 bass Castagnari K3.
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