THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE ACCORDION
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Page No.
Dedication i
Photo of Pietro Deiro, Vince Cirelli, and Ron Flynn ii
Photo of Charles Magnante and Ron Flynn iii
Collage of Ron Flynn’s Accordions and Photographs iv
Table of Contents v-viii
Index of Photographs ix
Acknowledgments xi
About the Authors xii
How This Book Came About xv
A Beginning Word About the Information in this Book xvii
Foreword: By Dr. Willard A. (Bill) Palmer, Senior Editor, Alfred Music Co. xviii
PART I: GOLDEN AGE OF THE ACCORDION IN SAN FRANCISCO
PROLOGUE 1
San Francisco -- The Early Beginnings 2
Some Afterthoughts 25
Biaggio Quattrociocche: Early Accordion Music Publisher and
John Barsuglia: Early Accordion Teacher (By Ron Flynn) 28
Pictorial History: Guerrini Accordion Company 39
Pictorial History: Colombo & Sons Accordion Company 51
Pictorial History: Standard Accordion Company 65
Appendix 73
Bibliography 86
PART II: GOLDEN AGE OF THE ACCORDION IN CHICAGO AND
THE MIDWEST
Some Thoughts About the Accordion History of Chicago (By Manny Quartucci) 88
Biographical Sketch of Manny Quartucci (By Edwin Davison) 97
The Fantastic Art of Art Van Damme (By Ron Flynn) 100
Special Tribute to the Remarkable Leo Sash (By Ron Flynn) 104
Alice Hall – Queen of Accordion Jazz (By Jim Mihelic and Edwin Davison) 109
Mort Herold – Renowned Chicago Accordion Virtuoso (By Eddie Chavez) 111
PART III: GOLDEN AGE OF THE ACCORDION IN NEW YORK AND
THE NORTHEAST
Personal Reflections on Pietro Frosini (By Marcello Roviaro) 118
Remembering My Father, Guido Deiro (By Count Robert Deiro) 121
My Life and Career (By Charles Nunzio) 123
My Life and Career with the Accordion (By Frank Umbriaco) 131
Through the Years – My Live in Music (By Frank Gaviani) 133
An Interview with John Reuther (By Ron Flynn) 140
A Memorial Tribute to John Reuther (By Edward Chavez) 166
Comments on the John Reuther Interview (By Bill Palmer) 168
Tribute in Memory of Bill Hughes (By Bill Palmer) 172
The Life and Musical Works of Joe Biviano (By Edwin Davison) 177
History is Made at Carnegie! (By Joe Biviano) 184
Charles Magnante – The Man. The Artist We Loved –
A Multiple Tribute By His Friends (By Ron Flynn) 187
PART IV: GOLDEN AGE OF THE ACCORDION IN OTHER MAJOR AREAS
OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
Maestro Anthony Galla-Rini – Accordion Pioneer, Teacher, and Concert Artist (By Bill Palmer) 206
My Early Life and Personal Recollections of the Champagne Days of the Accordion (By Myron Floren) 213
Frank Yankovic – America’s Polka King (By John Buday) 223
Dick Contino – The “Rudolph Valentino” of the Accordion (By Edwin Davison) 231
John Molinari – Acclaimed San Francisco Accordionist (By Diva Molinari and Tony Rozance) 236
Arthur Metzler – His Life and Love for the Accordion (By Edwin Davison) 239
My Concert Tours to Russia and Saskatchewan (By Leo Aquino) 246
My Career and University Program of Accordion and Music Instruction (By Joan Cochran Sommers) 255
Personal Reflections About My Career with the Accordion (By Robert Davine) 263
Early Twentieth Century Accordion Notes (By Sylvia Prior) 269
The Accordion (By Toni Charuhas) 277
PART V: ACCORDION MANUFACTURERS AND ACCORDION REPAIR
IN THE UNITED STATES
Joe Petosa – The Man and Legacy Behind Petosa Accordions (By Edwin Davison) 286
Giulietti Accordion Corporation: Yesterday and Today (By Jack Kenley) 292
Colombo & Sons – San Francisco’s Premier Accordion Company (By Edwin Davison) 298
The Iorio Family – Early Organ and Accordion Manufacturer (By Edwin Davison) 304
Deffner Legacy – Ernest Deffner, Inc., Pancordion, Inc., and Titano Accordion
Company (By Dr. Salvatore Febbraio) 308
The Gabbanelli Story: The History of Gabbanelli Accordions (By Julius V. Tupa) 315
Joe Spano – In Search of Perfection: Teacher, Musician, and Accordion Designer
(By Ellen and Cassie Conolly and Diane Schmidt) 321
John Buday – Cleveland’s Accordionist “Extraordinaire” (By Edwin Davison) 324
Accordion-O-Rama – A Shopper’s Accordion World (By Edwin Davison) 330
My Life and Thoughts About the World of Accordion Repair (By Emil Baldoni) 335
End Notes 340
Index 343-361