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The Making of a Vignoni Accordion
In October 2012 on a trip to Vignoni in Italy I took some pictures and a video around some of the factories and the workers involved in producing Vignoni accordions. I hope it gives you some insight to the manufacture of these accordions. They are all made by hand in Italy. There are thousands of parts to each accordion and there is a tremendous amount of labour, skill and thought that goes into each accordion. It has come a long way since it's humble beginnings as the 'Cheng' in China around 4500 years ago.
Watch 'Making of' Video
A short video of some of the work involved in making a Vignoni accordion.
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'Making of' Gallery
A photo gallery tour of the accordion factories.
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The Cheng was the first known instrument to use the principle of the 'free reed' or the loose reed that vibrates due to pressure caused by an air source. You can see one of these in Castelfidardo's 'Civico Museo Internazionale della Fisarmonica' ( Accordion Museum ).
It was in Paris on the 6th of May 1829 that a Viennese of Armenian origin called Cyril Damian, patented the first accordion. This was a small four-octave instrument that begin the revolutionary history of the instrument. The original documents for Cyril's patent can also be found in the museum in Castelfidardo.
In Italy it was the middle of the 19th century before the accordion appeared. According to legend a pilgrim who was traveling to Loreto stopped by to stay the night at the house of Antoni Soprani, between Castelfidardo and Recanati. He carried with him a small box, it was an accordion. Paolo, Antonio's eldest son was enchanted by the small box which aroused his curiosity so much that he took it apart. He wanted to try and make an accordion of his own and soon guessed how to do it. He was given the small box by the pilgrim as a present and later opened his own small workshop in the heart of Castelfidardo (next to where Vignoni are today) and began to improve the look and feel of the accordions. Designs were changed and the accordion became an instrument of the people in an age where common people couldn't approach the inaccessible 'cultured' music of the day. The accordion was cheap, easy to produce and could be carried around easily to play lively tunes that even the poor folk could enjoy. In 1863 the Italian accordion industry began....
It was in Paris on the 6th of May 1829 that a Viennese of Armenian origin called Cyril Damian, patented the first accordion. This was a small four-octave instrument that begin the revolutionary history of the instrument. The original documents for Cyril's patent can also be found in the museum in Castelfidardo.
In Italy it was the middle of the 19th century before the accordion appeared. According to legend a pilgrim who was traveling to Loreto stopped by to stay the night at the house of Antoni Soprani, between Castelfidardo and Recanati. He carried with him a small box, it was an accordion. Paolo, Antonio's eldest son was enchanted by the small box which aroused his curiosity so much that he took it apart. He wanted to try and make an accordion of his own and soon guessed how to do it. He was given the small box by the pilgrim as a present and later opened his own small workshop in the heart of Castelfidardo (next to where Vignoni are today) and began to improve the look and feel of the accordions. Designs were changed and the accordion became an instrument of the people in an age where common people couldn't approach the inaccessible 'cultured' music of the day. The accordion was cheap, easy to produce and could be carried around easily to play lively tunes that even the poor folk could enjoy. In 1863 the Italian accordion industry began....
