Item Type: Tutor - English ConcertinaSummaryFull Description: ‘English’ Concertina Tutor: Two copies of: “How to
Learn the English Concertina Without a Master”, by C.
Roylance, “Professor of the English Concertina”,
London. Originally published from Seymour Street, Euston Square in 1877, and
with large diagram of keys & notes layout. Roylance (c. 1840–?) was
a musical instrument dealer, concertina performer-teacher, and
author-publisher of tutors for English and Anglo concertina and other
instruments. In his notes and instructions, (p. 2),Roylance dismissed the
difficulties of learning to play: “The fingering of the Concertina is
extremely easy, so with ordinary attention to the following instructions, any
person with the least musical talent, may in a very short time perform any
favourite melody” He offered his own undocumented history of the
instrument: “The English Concertina was invented by Professor
Charles Wheatstone . . . and was introduced to Public notice in June 1838. The
first instrument was sold to Capt. Gardner of the 2nd Life Guards, it was
then called the “Symphonian” [sic] with bellows, and not until
December 27th of that year, was it named the Concertina”. Each copy
is priced at 2/-, though the early edition in Merris’s listings
is priced 1/-. Roylance sponsored at least one contest—“ Mr. C.
Roylance’s English Concertina Contest, Cambridge Hall, Oxford
Street” (July 5 th, 1870), and a large pewter trophy from
that contest is
Item NC.4.9-001
in the Collection, with the engraving “Presented to Mr W J
Corton, by the Umpires, for the best-played Concertina solo at Mr. C
Roylance’s Concertina Contest at the Cambridge Hall, Newman Street,
Oxford Street, July 5th 1870.”. Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum: 5.4.1-013 |
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Created August 2009 by Neil Wayne
Last Modified 07 February 2012 by Neil Wayne, Chris Flint, Wes Williams
This page created Tuesday 14 February 2012.