A piece of history in a traditional musical instrument: the accordeon!

I’m an hopeless romantic, I love spending afternoons browsing old photos and thinking about moments of the past. I love savoring the joyful moments experienced, and feeling close to the people who filled them.

Last Holidays were particularly nostalgic and I had been thinkig about my family a lot. Memories of when I was a child and I used to play together with my grandparents and my cousins.

Today’s technology allows to capture millions of moments of everyday’s life: take a picture of any event, even the least significant ones. Maybe this is the reason why old photos have a more “intense relevance”, as if they were more “real”.

In the past, pictures were taken to enclose really memorable moments and when you looked back at them, well…you have the feeling you’re brought back in time. When I was a child, it was very common to get together with all neighbours, both young people and grown-ups.

I remember very well when adults just winked at each other and that was enough to start celebrating, without any particoular reason. My father started playing the accordion, my aunt began to sing the notes of the melody and then we were all suddenly dancing, young and old people, all together, in the street.

Sometimes this off-the-cuff street parties happeed to celebrate a profitable workday in the farmland, or a national holiday, in short, it did not take much to get the party started!

Looking back on these pictures I thought that many of our traditions are gone or fading. And that’s why last month when I was back to Italy, I decided to go and visit the International Museum of Accordeon in Castelfidardo, that has been the town with the largest production of this instrument for over a century.

In addition to documenting the history of this famous instrument, the museum pays tribute to the many craftsmen and industrial entrepreneurs, who through their commitment, have helped transforming culturally this area of Le Marche.

And from Castelfidardo, in fact, is also the famous Paolo Soprani, who created a workshop at the end of 800, where he improved the quality and the aesthetic of the accordion. Originally, that was just a Viennese rudimentary contraption. Paolo made the first modern accordion and gave birth tor a flourishing craft industry of this instrument.

The quality of accordions made in this charming town, is appreciated all over the world. To my grandfather, his accordion was more precious than a gem. Indeed, it was his own gem!

The International Museum of Accordeon in Castelfidardo

I would like to thank the staff of the Castelfidardo Accordion Museum for having welcomed and for coming with me in this beautiful “journey to the childhood memories”.

If you find yourself in Le Marche, my dear friends, please rememebr to add Castelfidardo in your destinations to visit. A few minutes from Loreto and the stunning park of Monte Conero, this town will offer breathtaking views. The proof of the pudding is in the eating!

For more information please visit to: http://www.museodellafisarmonica.it/

 

 

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