"Sonata in Am" (Scarlatti) - landmark recording of accordion legend Mogens Ellegaard

In the western world Mogens Ellegaard has been titled the "father of the classical accordion." As a son of a Danish cabinet maker, he began to study the accordion at the age of eight. Then, as a virtuoso, he competed in the Coupe Mondiale in Amsterdam where he met the free-bass specialists of Eastern Europe. From then on he was determined to acquire one of these instruments & the rest was accordion history. In this recording made in the 1950s he plays on a 9-row bass Hohner Gola displaying the crystal clean sound of its gold plated reeds. I've greatly improved to audio quality of this recording by putting it through compression & a parametric equalizer & have re-posted it here for your enjoyment.

[@RobertKarlBerta]

Thanks for posting this. He was quite the virtuoso for the day. Some performers of the modern era have gone beyond this but he was one of the first to show what could be done with a free bass accordion. The Russians took it to the next level with their Bayans. As a 76 year old accordionist (also free bass but piano treble keyboard), I am impressed how the accordion design and technology moved so quickly considering it is a relatively very young instrument.

[@tonygrieco5918]

He was much more than 'quite a virtuoso for the day'! The fine playing in just this short piece requires a depth of technique, sensitivity to style, and taste, that many accordionists today have not acquired...and I dare say, do not care to acquire.
Ellegaard was a great musician playing the accordion. I would make that claim only about a small group of so-called virtuosos today.
Ellegaard also remained open to accordion development and adopted the Russian Bayan (in a C system configuration built in the Jupiter shop by Sergei Barinov).
Finally, he selflessly pursued and promoted the continued development of original repertory.
It will be a long time before his musicianship and contribution to music and the instrument will be surpassed.

[@accordionland1205]

Thank you for the additional information Tony! He was actually received university honors in the study of literature too. Truly a man of many gifts.

[@tonygrieco5918]

Regarding Accordion Land: I love your website. Thank you for presenting Mogens Ellegaard's recordings, and so many others..
One quibble regarding the reeds in the GOLA...there is no such thing as gold-plated reeds.
Please keep up your good work.
Thanks.

[@accordionland1205]

Thank you for your valuable insight Tony!