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A factory of bandonions
The manufacture of the bandonions in this factory
in Germany stopped in 1942 because of the second world war. It
began again then, then was expropriée in 1948 and in 1952, it
integrated "Klingenthaler Harmonikawerke" and the manufacture of the
bandonions definitively stopped in Carlsfeld in 1964.
At that time in Argentina, nobody any more buys bandonions and
everyone listens to Beatles.
For a few years, several attempts at new manufacture have had
place with more or month of success, but it seems that those which
tested these new instruments, consider that that is not worth even any
more the sorrow to buy of old instruments which one must repair
whereas those are new and with a really exceptional sound.
Meet with Anja Rockstroh, impassioned allemande who manufactured
again bandonion and which finally makes it possible this instrument to
continue its musical adventure in the purest tradition of legendary
Alfred Arnold (famous "doble A").
A small revolution for those which dreamed some!
• Since how much years the bandonions were not manufactured
any more and which was your motivation?
The instruments have not been manufactured in this form
for approximately 40 years. I find important that such a
tradition is perpetuated. Of course, which pushed us with
refabriquer bandonions is also the love that we dedicate to the tango.
Personally, I like the sound of this instrument and his
enthralling history.
• How and how long you put to reach the quality of today?
Which old and new material do you use?
We spent approximately four years, with tops and bottoms.
We use traditional materials exclusively to manufacture our
instruments. The most important elements are the blades and the
combs blade holders. We succeeded in getting the same zinc to us
which was used formerly and thus influencing in a decisive way quality
of the instruments.
• How were held the various stages between the idea of
refabriquer and the possibility of proposing new instruments today?
We analyzed during several months all materials, and
bought a very good old bandonion to measure all the parts of them.
Then we got the tools necessary to manufacture. As I
already mentioned, that took much time to us, and several times, we
thought of not being able to conclude our project. In these
moments of doubt, Rocco Boness, a German bandoneonist, supported us
much. It is also a tuner and recognized restorer of bandonions.
Thus we approached the goal little by little. Each
bandonion east guarantees two years and can be personalized.
• Can you describe me the places? Can one come to see
you?
It acts of an old factory with Klingenthal. The
factory is an old property of the family, where musical instruments
were already manufactured before the war by my ancestors.
Klingenthal is with Center-Is of Germany, in the "Vogtland".
This small city is as famous for the possibilities as it offers
to the amateurs winter sports.
We are delighted by any visit to our factory. You will
find there us Monday at the 7 a.m. Friday to 5 p.m.. Our
Internet site, www.bandonion-carlsfeld.de contains inter alia a plan of access to our factory.
How much are you to work and which are your roles in this
team?
In this moment, we have four employees. As for me, I
am responsible for the sales department.
Will you make presentations in other countries?
I will try to make known our instruments in all the
countries where the bandonion is played, and I would wish that our
instruments be recognized and are played in the whole world. I
always will fight for that and hopes as well as the history of the
bandonion will continue to be written.
• Which are currently your "ambassadors", in other words,
which are the musicians who already bought you bandonions?
We carried out many research on the bandonion these last
years. For approximately seven months, we have had finally a
bandonion which sounds like the old instruments. We had to
traverse a long way to arrive from there there. It seems
important to us to weave close links with the Academies of Music of
France and the Netherlands, so that their pupils buy our bandonions.
These last months, of many bandoneonists of reputation tested
our instruments (Marcelo Nisinman, Carel Kraayenhof...). One of
the most known musicians who bought a bandonion on our premises is
Victor Villena, who lives in Paris.
• Do you have a personal bond with Argentina?
I had the occasion to meet Julia Pugliese (the widow of
Osvaldo Pugliese) at the time of a concert in Rotterdam. It was
shown very enthusiastic when it listened to one of our instruments,
manufactured like old the Alfred Arnold. I met at the same place
Color Tango, in which it idea also rained much. I will go in all
the cases to Argentina this year, there to contact the professionals
and to present the instruments to them.
• How many different bandonions y-a it?
We have two Argentinian models, 110 (for children) and 142
(diatonic traditional), two chromatic models, 148 and 146 and one
model Concertina 106 of Carlsfeld.
• Y-a it of German who buys some to you? Will the
German tradition with the bandonion profit from the dash of this new
manufacture?
For me, it is especially important that the soloists and
virtuosos of the scene of the tango rediscover the instrument.
We will be this year also with the Living room of the Music with
Frankfort, from the 6 to April 9, in hall 3.1, stand F 20.
• Do you intend to return to you to Argentina?
Yes, I would go in December with the Orchestra of
Rotterdam, to present our bandonions in Argentina, the very same day
where we will célèbrerons the 100 years of the birth of Osvaldo
Pugliese to the Theatre Colonist.
Interview carried out and translated from German by Anna
Guyenot on February 11, 2005 in Rotterdam for Solange Bazely
Spanish translation of Bernardo Nudelman
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