INTERNATIONAL CONCERTINA ASSOCIATION Membership Secretary Events Secretary Martin Williams Marian Janes 3 Frinton House 15 Crescent Road Rushcroft Road London N8 8AL London SW2 01 348 5563 01 737 7987 President Rev Kenneth Loveless VRD FSA FSA Scot Hon RNR Treasurer Editor John Entract Colin Turner 16 Mandeville Rd 309 Uggmere Court Rd Saffron Walden Ramsey Heights Essex Huntingdon Cambs PE17 1RJ ***************************************************************************************** No 332 November/December 1985 NEWSLETTER A CHRISTMASS MESSAGE FROM THS PRESIDENT Christmass once again - it all began almost 2000 years ago - at the hour appointed by the laws of the human nature he had assumed, the Word of God, now made man, issues from the holy shrine, the immaculate womb of Mary. He makes his first appearance in this world in a manger: the cattle are there, chewing their hay, and all around are silence, poverty, simplicity, and innocence. Angels' voices are heard in the sky, announcing peace, that peace which the new baby has brought to us. His first worshippers are Mary, his Mother, and Joseph, thought to be his father, and, after these, some humble shepherds, who have come down from the hills, led by angels' voices. Later on comes a caravan of distinguished persons, guided from far, far, away, by a star. They offer precious gifts, full of a mysterious meaning. Everything that night, at Bethlehem, spoke a language that the whole world. could understand. Thinking about this mystery, every knee will bow in adoration before the crib. Everyone will look into the eyes of the divine Infant, which gaze far away, almost as if he were reviewing then all as they pass before him, recognizing and identifying them all, and greeting then with a smile: Jews, Romans, Greeks, Chinese, Japanese, Indians, the peoples of Africa, and of every region of the world, of every age of history, the most desolate, deserted lands, and the most remote, secret, and unexplored; past, present, and future ages. And we, of the International Concertina Association, may rightly number ourselves among them. We consist of many diverse elements, from all walks of life, united ±n a common bond: a love of music, of all sorts and conditions, and, particularly, of the concertina. This is a unifying influence - or should be - for peace and happiness in the world - small as it may seem. All of us in the Association, are called, especially at Christmass-time, to spread the happiness and comradeship we find when we are together, throughout all our friends in an unhappy, arid frustrated world. Shakespeare wrote: "If music be the food of love, play on"! Well may we take this request as the keynote for the coming year, and all the years! May our lives, our music, and our love, especially for the underprivileged and. deprived, rooted in. Him, be our care and concern at Christmasstide, and throughout the coming year. I send to you all my love and blessing for this holy season - for we all, whether baptised or not, belong, by right, to Jesus, to this Child who is born in Bethlehem; we are his brothers, called to establish this rule of his, which is the most sublime, and the most gentle that can be found in man's heart, or in the history of the world, the only rule worthy of God and man: a rule of peace, the Kingdom' for which we pray when we say the 'Our Father' Father Kenneth Loveless Editorial With this issue we revert to the established practice of having only one Newsletter for the months of November and December. About this time last year I sent out what was intended to be the first installment of a complete members' address list. Practical difficulties prevented the list from being completed promptly and by the time I was ready to produce the remainder of the list the first part was already out of date. Prom this month, however, you can obtain an up-to-the-minute ICA mailing list by sending a large stamped addressed envelope (or International Reply Coupon if you live outside the British Isles) to PETER TRIMMING, whose full address appears on this month's record page. What Peter will send you is not, strictly speaking, a membership list as it is based on the ICA mailing list and therefore contains the names of a number of non-members, and organisations, who receive complimentary copies of the newsletter. The Way Ahead During 1985 I have net - or been button-holed by - members who have very definite views about what the ICA isn't doing at present and what it should be doing in the future. If you were one of them I ought to remind you that pouring your ideas into my ear is not a very effective way of influencing ICA policy. For a start, I'm only the guy who types the newsletter and - an efficient barrier to communication - my memory is as retentive as a set of cracked bellows. cont.... The proper place to influence the future of the ICA is, of course, at the next AGM, which will be held at Bloomsbury on 24th February, 1986. Many members will think this a pointless piece of information as the majority of you will be unable to attend. Fortunately, the existence of a monthly newsletter means that you do have the opportunity to make you views known to the rest of us before the AGM but only if you act now. If you care to set out your ideas about the ICA and what it should be doing, the January newsletter will be at your disposal but, remembering the guy who does the typing, please keep your letters brief and to the point. As members, you all have the right to propose motions to be discussed and decided on at the AGM. If you can attend and make your proposals in person, please do so. For those of you who can©t be there, the meeting will accept written proposals from absent members but your proposal must be seconded, either by a member who is present at the meeting, or by any absent member who is prepared to add his or her signature to it. So, your letters please to me, the newsletter editor, and your AGM proposals to the membership secretary, Martin Williams. * * * * * * * * * YOUR LETTERS.... Sticking to what you©ve got... May I answer Mr Phil Edwards© letter headed ©A ©beginner©s alternative?© First let me say that I have never seen or heard a new Hayden Duet and have no pecuniary interest in it either. But this is the second letter I have read in the Newsletter in the same vein. Mr Edwards agrees that the new model is a great improvement on Duet systems so far produced, but advises us all to stick to what we©ve got! In other words, don©t buy anything designed and made in England, after much thought and financial outlay, because there are some Gallottas made in East Germany with ©fantastic decor© and Hobgoblins are importing ©a nice range of Bastari instruments from Italy© and ©Hohner©s Anglos are best©, but his plastic model beats them all! And after all that it transpires that Mr Edwards is not a beginner at all but a professional ©working© with thirty singers and Morris dancers! No doubt when the English producers are thoroughly disheartened, as so many before have been in other trades, they will either pack up and join the unemployed or emigrate to the places mentioned. Mrs Thatcher has a broad back and no doubt can take the abuse on unemployment in England! Vic Davies Spartado 68, Alfaz del Pi, Alicante, Spain ...I©ve printed your letter with some reluctance, Vic, as it seems to me that your comments are the result of a complete misreading of Phil Edward©s letter. As you know, the ICA exists to encourage the playing of all types of concertina; likewise this letters page is intended to reflect all points of view and I can assure you that no one is forcing you to accept either the instruments they play or the opinions they hold. Redundant concertina makers? I©m sure Britain©s three ©quality© manufacturers will correct me if I©m wrong but I understand that anyone ordering a new concertina will have to join the end of a fairly lengthy queue. As for the merits of the Hayden concertina, all correspondence on the matter is closed until I have received a report from an experienced player who has had the opportunity to give the new system a fair trial. I didn©t know that being a Morris musician was a profession! Now that I©m aware of my new status, I can©t wait to be measured for a pin-stripe baldric..... Ed. THE OBSTINATE MUSIC-STAKD by Frank Butler There is one type of music stand which seems to have been designed to infuriate and defeat the user. It is rarely the extending pillar and legs that are the trouble, but that neatly folded desk. The secret is simple. When you unfold the struts from behind, keep the short ones downward in their original position, and the long ones straight up, and it will open correctly every time. If you want the performance in detail, here goes. Behind the folded desk will be found four groups of struts; two for the left side and two for the right. Almost inevitably, they will all open up together as a long and a short unit each side. The short units must be returned behind the desk. Continue moving the long struts outwards until they touch in a straight line upwards.