The Anglo-German Concertina: A Social History

[Dan Worrall]

Many of you know that I have been working off and on for about five years now on a history of the Anglo concertina. That work is now finished; The Anglo-German Concertina: A Social History is now out, at Amazon.com.

 

Following a first chapter that discusses the invention, production and marketing of both German and Anglo-German concertinas, the book concentrates on the people who have played these instruments from the time of Carl Uhlig to the present, and includes chapters on England, Ireland, Africa (both Boers and various African ethnic groups), Australia, New Zealand, and North America, as well as on concertina use at Sea. A final chapter deals with the fascinating evolution in playing techniques from Victorian times to today in these various locales, including note-for-note transcriptions of many early recorded players from around the globe. There are two volumes, with 620 pages, over 440 illustrations, and 28 transcriptions.

 

More information, including freely downloadable copies of the Table of Contents, Introduction and Summary, and Acknowledgments, is now at my website at www.angloconcertina.org, where there are also links to the retail sales site at Amazon books--or one can easily search the site www.amazon.com for the books. I've sent complimentary copies to the following libraries, all of which helped with materials: US Library of Congress (Washington), Center for the Study of Free Reed Instruments, CUNY Graduate Center (New York); Vaughan Williams Memorial Library at Cecil Sharp House (London); Irish Traditional Music Archive (Dublin); National Folklore Collection, University College (Dublin); National Library of Australia (Canberra), and the National Library of New Zealand (Wellington). The books should be arriving at those archives within a week or so. Finally, the books have also been submitted for review to a number of traditional music journals in England, Ireland, Australia and South Africa.

 

The Acknowledgments lists nineteen volunteer content reviewers and one copy editor who came from the US, England, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and who each did their best during the past few years to keep me out of too much trouble. Also mentioned there are scores of others around the world who have helped me along the way with expert knowledge, material, and permissions. My deepest thanks to all of them.

 

I hope readers of the Forum will enjoy it; please let me know what you think!

 

Cheers,

Dan

[david fabre]

I've just ordered it ! Am I the first one ?

 

 

There are two volumes, with 620 pages, over 440 illustrations, and 28 transcriptions.

 

Looks like a huge, huge work...

I'm looking forward to receiving it !

 

 

David

Edited January 31, 2010 by david fabre

[Chris Drinkwater]

Congratulations, Dan. A scholarly, yet fascinating, account of the history and development of the Anglo concertina, by the looks of it. A 'must have' for any serious anglo player, I would imagine. Even though I am an EC player, I am tempted to buy a copy when funds permit.

 

Chris

[Ptarmigan]

I've just ordered it ! Am I the first one ?

David

Just ordered my copies too David, but I couldn't find them on Amazon UK so used the Dollar site instead, which is fine, but the down side is:

 

Delivery estimate: March 1, 2010 - March 19, 2010! ............

 

Maybe they're going to just float them over on the Gulf Stream!

 

I'm sure they will become required reading for ALL Anglo enthusiasts!

 

Arise ............... Sir Dan!

 

Cheers

Dick

[Alan Day]

Congratulations Dan, you took on a mammoth task and you got there.

Knowing your Historical work it will be fantastic.

Al

[michael sam wild]

Hi Dan Congratulations on the task -take a break for a few days! .

 

Just ordered it on Amazon , painless

Cheers

Mike

Edited February 1, 2010 by michael sam wild

[Greg Jowaisas]

Just ordered mine.

 

How many millions sold until you break even, Dan?

 

Congratulations!

 

Greg

[Dan Worrall]

Many thanks for all the encouragement, everyone. I do hope you will enjoy it. It was a lot of fun to research, and from all the research inquiries I have new friends all over the world.

 

Greg, I doubt that I will break even....there is no way, in our small community. I did work hard to keep costs down so that I didn't have to cut corners on the two-volume length--using a print-on-demand publisher, and doing all the print formatting myself (and the volunteer copy-editor, beginner concertina player Judy Patch, was a huge help!).

 

I also spent a lot of time figuring out who could sell and ship it most cheaply; the answer was Amazon US. Please do not look for this book on Amazon's UK site--it doesn't show up there. Use the U.S. address (www.amazon.com); please tell me if the links to it given on my website don't take you there in the UK. On my website (www.angloconcertina.org), please note the paragraph on shipping--following that advice should get the book shipped to Europe and beyond at a reasonable price and much, MUCH sooner than Dick's experience on whatever scalper site he found. I should have mentioned this in the post yesterday, that would have saved him that problem. Sorry, Dick.

 

Finally, David, you weren't first, but were probably second! I sent a notice to Pauline de Snoo at the ICA for publishing in their newsletter, before I had made the announcements...so she took the first one!

 

I'll be back from time to time with links to journal reviews as they come out,and with errata as they are picked up by eagle-eyed readers.

 

Best,

Dan

[Takayuki YAGI]

Congratulations! Just ordered mine . And

Delivery estimate: March 2, 2010 - March 22, 2010

Same as UK.

--

Taka

[chris]

Hi Dan

congratulations

SO - What's next??

good luck and best wishes

chris

[hjcjones]

It looks fascinating, sadly funds don't permit at the moment

[david fabre]

 

Finally, David, you weren't first, but were probably second! I sent a notice to Pauline de Snoo at the ICA for publishing in their newsletter, before I had made the announcements...so she took the first one!

 

 

I thought I was first because after recording the first tome I did not had the usual "customers who bought this also bought..." page with link to tome 2 and had to relaunch the search. Maybe the systems needs a little time to make such links...

 

I forgot to tell that but I found that the price was very, very fair for such an enormous book. It's an excellent thing as it will hopefully allow many to purchase it. I understand it can be so because you don't have a "real" editor...

 

If you wish to send it to journals for review you could try the french "tradmagazine"

http://www.tradmagazine.com/

not sure, however, that you will sell many in france (at least one !)

 

David

[Ptarmigan]

On my website (www.angloconcertina.org), please note the paragraph on shipping--following that advice should get the book shipped to Europe and beyond at a reasonable price and much, MUCH sooner than Dick's experience on whatever scalper site he found. I should have mentioned this in the post yesterday, that would have saved him that problem. Sorry, Dick.

Best,

Dan

 

Hey, no problems Dan,

 

After all, you know what they say ....... "Good Things Come to Those Who Wait"!

 

Cheers

Dick

[Ptarmigan]

P.S. Just heard back from Amazon.

 

Items shipped on February 1, 2010:

Delivery estimate: March 16, 2010

1 package via Standard Int'l Shipping

 

Cheers

Dick

[Dan Worrall]

P.S. Just heard back from Amazon.

 

Items shipped on February 1, 2010:

Delivery estimate: March 16, 2010

1 package via Standard Int'l Shipping

 

Cheers

Dick

Well, life is full of surprises, I guess. I checked on shipping it to the Netherlands two days ago, and this is what I found for the two-volume set:

Option 1, Standard shipping (18 to 32 days): US $11.97 (total for both volumes shipped together)

Option 2, Expedited shipping (8-16 days): US $17.97 (ditto)

Option 3, Priority shipping (2-4 days): US $41.97 (ditto)

 

As you can see, Standard should be much faster than you are seeing. It may be that they are adding in some time for printing (this is a print-on-demand press, so they only print when there is an order....one of the big ways the cost is kept low). My experience in the States is that the printing really only takes two or three days. All the orders I have placed myself so far have beaten the time estimate given by several days....but who knows what happens internationally! Please let me know.

 

Now that the announcement is made, my next step is to email various vendors in the UK, US, Australia and South Africa; I have a list of suggested ones, but if any of you have a favorite folk shop that you would like to see carry it, let me know and I will email them. If one or more of them in your country get them, your local shipping time will be much quicker of course. But that will take a little time to set up.

 

I will sit tight until some of you receive your copies....then I want to hear back from you on how you like it!

Thanks again for the kind words, all. Al, I can now appreciate what your Anglo and English International projects must have been like!

 

Dan

[Robin Harrison]

Well Done, Dan.........what great passion you have to complete these projects.

The William Kimber book was stellar..........I can't wait to read this one.

Robin

[tombilly]

(this is a print-on-demand press, so they only print when there is an order....one of the big ways the cost is kept low).

 

That's an interesting idea - I'm curious to know how it can work that way. My experience as a small publisher (nothing to do with music or history!) is that the first copy is always the most expensive. After that, the run on, brings down the average cost substantially, assuming one can sell the product of course! Is there really an economic way of printing this sort of book on demand - including the covers and binding etc. I have seen print on demand service for out of print material but usually it amounts to a slightly elaborate set of photocopies.

[david fabre]

As for me :

 

Expedited Int'l Shipping (estimated delivery date: February 24, 2010).

 

Let's see which country has most efficient post offices !

(I won't bet on french ones)