Schrammel accordion

A Schrammel accordion () is an accordion with a melody (right hand) keyboard in the chromatic B-Griff system and a twelve-button diatonic bass keyboard. It is named for a traditional combination of two Violins, Accordion and Contrabass known as Schrammelquartet, the music being performed was called Schrammelmusik, in the Vienna chamber music tradition.

In most cases, it has two or three sets of reeds tuned in unison configuration. The sound is quite different or special, when compared to modern chromatic button accordions (CBAs). This is because it is much smaller and lighter than modern CBAs. The handmade reeds used may also contribute to its sound.

History

The first written notice about the existence of such instruments are from the 1854 Industrial Exhibition in Munich. The Vienna accordion builder Matthäus Bauer was mentioned as one who showed instruments with piano keyboards, and one with a "3 row machine and accidentals", mentioned in combination with the piano accordion. It seems likely that it was unisonoric and chromatic. Matthäus Bauer then held a Vienna privilegium (Patent, 1851). Advertisements in newspapers of the time show pictures of various accordions, that were mostly diatonic, but also piano and 3-row B-Griff configurations.

Alfred Mirek mentions the instrument as precursor of the Bayan in his book. The first Bayan was built in 1870.

By 1890 the Vienna "Harmonika" builders produced a very large range of instrument types. In 1900...
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