Celebrating The Accordion: Do You Know Which Bollywood Song First Used The European Instrument?

Celebrating The Accordion: The reed-based instrument first originated in Germany and came to India in the 19th century through missionaries.

The accordion is a free-reed instrument, notable for its treble casing equipped with piano-style keys or buttons, and a bass casing. ( Image Source :Google )

Celebrating The Accordion: In today's Google Doodle, the spotlight is on the accordion, celebrating the anniversary of its patent, which dates back to this day in 1829. This portable musical instrument, originating from Germany in the 19th century, has made a significant mark on various music genres. 

What Is An Accordion?

The accordion is a free-reed instrument, notable for its treble casing equipped with piano-style keys or buttons, and a bass casing. The early versions had buttons on one side, each capable of producing a full chord. Referred to by Google as a folk musician’s “main squeeze,” the accordion has found its place in genres ranging from folk to classical and jazz.

During the late 19th century, Germany saw a rise in accordion production as manufacturers worked to meet the growing demand from folk musicians. This surge in production facilitated the instrument’s spread globally as European musicians introduced it to new audiences around the world.

"Today’s Doodle celebrates the accordion, a box-shaped musical instrument that was invented in Germany in the 1800s and is now played around the world," stated Google in its description of the Doodle theme.

The Doodle, which features a musical theme, incorporates Google’s logo with accordion bellows, showing the instrument being played while dancers in traditional German attire perform. The name "accordion" derives from the German word "akkord," meaning "chord."

When Did The Accordion Come To India?

In the mid-19th century, the accordion is believed to have made its debut in India, primarily brought by travelling missionaries. This new instrument quickly captured the interest of Indian musicians, becoming a staple in the country's musical landscape, especially for Western and dancehall performances in some regions.

In Which Bollywood Song Did Accordion Make Its Debut?

The accordion made its Bollywood debut in the 1950-Ashok Kumar drama, "Samadhi". Music director C. Ramchandra made the accordion the hero of the Western-rhythm-heavy Lata Mangeshkar number, "Gore Gore O Banke Chhore, Kabhi Meri Gali Aaya Karo."

It's hard to miss those reeds-led movements lined out throughout the song.

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