On my music and beyond: Towards the golden era of the classical accordion

The classical accordion is stronger than ever! Compared to my student days at the turn of the millennium, it is hardly considered a novelty anymore. Performers are winning major international classical music competitions open for all instruments, and an increasing number of composers are embracing it worldwide. Some compose to fulfil commissions initiated by accordionists or their ensembles, others because their music demands timbres that only the classical accordion can produce, and still others simply because they are amazed by a particular musician.

I am deeply honoured to share my thoughts on this instrument, which has introduced me to a wide range of musical genres. The classical button accordion has the most ingenious system imaginable, featuring an isomorphic button layout that allows players to transpose chords while keeping their interval structures intact by shifting their hands while maintaining the same finger positions. Even musicians with smaller hands can easily span intervals of two octaves, and the instrument’s agility is unmatched. The tone is highly flexible, offering precise control from attack to release.

Collaborating with performers has always inspired me, and I tailor my pieces for the musicians premiering them. As an improviser, I rarely compose works for myself. Instead, I use my practice time to learn something intriguing and unfamiliar, often commissioning composers whose work interests me. Therefore, the majority of my compositional output is for other instruments, and most of my accordion works are the result of commissions from various artists or organisations. Shape-Shifter, a concerto commissioned by the Kokkola Winter Accordion Festival and The Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, showcases the instrument’s extraordinary capabilities. It includes some of the most virtuosic passages ever written for the accordion, pushing the boundaries of the instrument. In this concerto, I explore the multifaceted character of the instrument, which acts as a timbral chameleon – capable of blending seamlessly into an ensemble or standing out as a solo voice.

“Shape-Shifter showcases the accordion’s extraordinary capabilities.”

Squeezing Some Extras in Between Tones

However, as a curious person, I am always searching for new means of expression, and what could be a better target for exploration than my own instrument? One of my earliest ventures into sonic innovation was the quarter-tone accordion, developed in 2006 with composer Sampo Haapamäki and the Italian manufacturer Pigini. The main motivation was Haapamäki’s idea to write a concerto for the new instrument, but of course, I was also compelled to compose for it. The result was Hyperchromatic Counterpoint, a 47-minute composition exploring multiple approaches to composing in 24edo (24-tone equal division of the octave as opposed to our everyday 12edo). It remains my most extensive work to date.

To my great delight, many colleagues have started to work with the quarter-tone accordion, which has also generated significant interest among composers. I alone have premiered five concertos, as well as many chamber and solo works, not to mention the contributions of my colleagues. In a relatively short time, the quarter-tone accordion has developed quite an extensive repertoire. Additionally, improvisers have embraced the new instrument with joy, and my improvisations on the quarter-tone accordion have already been documented in at least ten albums and featured in countless concerts.

Since the application of 24edo tuning for the accordion, historical temperaments have also gradually emerged. Nowadays, you might even find yourself at a concert hearing works in mean-tone and Pythagorean temperaments performed by Ander Telleria on his newly innovated accordion. In Finland, my wife, concert organist and accordionist Susanne Kujala, recorded both volumes of The Well-Tempered Clavier on her instrument, tuned using Bradley Lehman’s well temperament based on the spiral figure Bach himself drew on its title page.

I have already mentioned that the accordion has been guiding me to new musical worlds. For example, the development of the quarter-tone accordion has occasionally led me to compose in other microtonal systems such as 19edo and 31edo. Accordions featuring those tunings do not (yet) exist, but I have had the privilege of working with skilled string players whose abilities to navigate such dense microtonal systems have almost left me speechless. Given the great interest in tuning systems within the accordion world, I believe their variety may expand in the future.

“Hypercromatic Counterpoint remains my most extensive work to date.”

Crafting Tomorrow’s Accordion

For the past four years, I have held the position of head of accordion studies at the Sibelius Academy. During this time, I have sought and found, with the help of my colleagues and students, many ways to further improve the construction and sound of the instrument. One of the most promising discoveries is the bi-directional reed, which Michael Bridge (with whom I recently worked for six weeks at the Metropolitan Opera) discovered at the world’s largest accordion museum located in Superior, Wisconsin, USA. This instrument was likely built in the 1950s using unique technology, and I doubt the builder produced many others.

The classical accordion is an extremely complicated instrument, having two reeds for the same note: one for bellows opening and the other for closing. Bi-directional reeds could halve the required number of reeds, eliminate quickly ageing ventils, and probably enhance resonance. However, achieving something practical would require substantial investments for research, which accordion manufacturers cannot possibly afford. The accordion and other free-reed instruments remain under-researched, while every other acoustic laboratory seems to be focusing on modelling grand pianos. Perhaps one day, some brilliant acoustician will eventually wake up and revolutionise this field!

My latest innovation with the accordion deals with the sound projection of the instrument. After extensive listening, I became frustrated that both manuals project sound away from the audience. For the right-hand manual, I even devised a solution, which we managed to produce together with manufacturer Pigini into a prototype called the timbralizer. It functions somewhat like an organ’s swell box, acoustically modifying the overtone series while maintaining or even enhancing the instrument’s original acoustic properties and evenly projecting the treble reeds’ sound across the concert hall.

A Golden Era Within Reach

The classical accordion stands at the threshold of its golden era. Its ascent from obscurity to prominence reflects a remarkable confluence of tradition and innovation, driven by the passion of musicians and composers worldwide. With ongoing advancements in technology, a growing repertoire, and an expanding community of artists, the accordion’s potential knows no bounds. Its story is still being written, and I am confident that its brightest chapters lie ahead.

Featured photo: Vaaramedia