I am saying good bye to the term Anglo from our Irish Made Concertinas
| Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to the Angles, England, the English people, or the English language, such as in the term Anglo-Saxon language. |
The Anglo originated as a hybrid between the English and German concertinas. The button layouts are generally the same as the original 20-button German concertinas designed by Carl Friedrich Uhlig in 1834. Within a few years of that date, the German concertina became quite popular and it’s price remained relatively low. English manufacturers responded to this popularity by offering their own versions. They did this using traditional English methods: concertina reeds instead of long-plate reeds, independent pivots for each button, and hexagon-shaped ends.
Initially the term Anglo-German only applied to concertinas of this type built in England. As German manufacturers adopted some of these techniques, the term came to apply to all concertinas that used Uhlig’s 20-button system. Use of the “German” part of the title Anglo-German ceased in the UK during World War I.
World War I (1914–1918), Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Since 1918 the title for the Irish Style of tuning has remained and today there are 2 types of Concertina’s.
The Anglo system and the English System, but do both of these terms not refer to English?
Worldwide in Concertina circles the Players describe the Irish system as the Anglo. Why has this not changed? Why have the players of the instrument over the last 100 years accepted the term Anglo used to describe the Irish system that they play?
Musicians playing the traditional music of our forefathers, The music written through the centuries of rebellions. The Laments, The Airs.
In 1914/18 the English dropped the German from the Anglo/German Description.
Today in 2018, 100 years on, I suggest we drop the Anglo and from this year forward call the Anglo/Irish System “The Irish System”.
Why buy an Irish Concertina? Click Here
Read about the history of the Concertina in Ireland.