Johnny Connolly... WOW

Squeezebox & Harmonica
1

I just discovered Johnny Connolly listening to RTE’s The Late Session and I’m just blown away by his playing. Its just incredible.

On the 47th minute
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/thelatesession/rams/2007/4march.smil

More clips from his CD:
http://www.copperplatedistribution.com/cicd157.html

I read everywhere that melodeons are basically the one rowed version of the button accordion, but the melodeon Connolly is playing sounds obviously different from 99% of the button accordion clips I’ve heard. It sounds less treble and thin and has a thicker tone. What is different about his set-up, compared to most button boxes?

2

Four voices - LMMH - one low (“bassoon”), two medium (“clarinet”, “flute” or “violin”) and one high (“piccolo”). Actually it’s a very common set-up for one-row boxes - standard in Québec and I think in Cajun country too.

Two-row boxes with this arrangement of voices are much rarer. Almost all four-voice 2-rows will be tuned LMMM, with 3-voice systems being divided between LMM and MMM - the former probably more common but the latter becoming increasingly popular among Irish players.

Have made some comments about Johnny Connolly in the other thread about melodeons.