Celebrating the Accordion

About the Doodle:

Throughout the late 1800s, manufacturers in Germany increased their accordion production due to its popularity among folk musicians across Europe. Early accordions had buttons on just one side, and each of these buttons created the sound of an entire chord. Another impressive feature is that the same button could produce two chords — one when the bellows were expanding and another when the bellows were contracting.

As Europeans emigrated around the world, the accordion’s use in music expanded. Modern versions can be played with either buttons or a piano-style keyboard, and some even have both options. They also sometimes incorporate electronic elements so they can be plugged into an amplifier or create synthesized sounds.

Today the instrument can be heard in folk music, the Latino polka, the tango, cajun music, and more! One event that the accordion is always present at is Oktoberfest. This lively festival is full of carnival fun, music, and traditional clothing like Dirndl dresses and lederhosen.

With this melody maker in hand, everything goes accordion to plan! The traditional sound continues to influence German celebrations and music across the world 200 years later.