"You can't make a better instrument than you can play"
This quote, attributed to Franz List, refers to the opinion that the quality and refinement of of a musical instrument is directly related to the musical skills and knowledge of the maker. In other words, making a concert grade instrument requires concert level musical skills.
During the 11 years I studied music in college, I accumilated 5 advanced degrees in Music Education and Performance, including the first one ever awarded for classical Concertina (1997).
For the first 20 years of my career I taught at several institutes, performed, and published extensively.
The limitations of the vintage concertinas I played, forced me to 'rebuilt' them, making them suitable for concert use. changing airflow values, reshaping reeds, improving harmonic unity, dynamics, actions, etc . These 10+ years of rebuilding vintage concertinas formed the foundation of Wakker Concertinas.
The following recordings were made during this period. The instruments featured, were either built or restored by me.
Sonata for Concertina and Piano-Forte
(1857)
Composer: Bernhard Molique
1st movement: Allegro, played on period instruments.
Live concert recording at Kloster Michaelstein, Germany.
Concertina: William Wakker
Piano-Forte: Paul van der Reijden
Concertina: Wheatstone concertina, built 1877. Amboyna 56 key extended treble, riveted reeds. Restored by the Concertina Connection Inc.
Piano-Forte: Graff, built 1839.
Song of the Sea, for Concertina and Piano
(1985)
Live TV recording in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1999.
Composer: Oliver Hunt
Concertina: William Wakker
Piano: Paul van der Reijden
Venue: Life Television Concert
The instrument:
Wheatstone (English) concertina, 48 key treble, Modified/rebuilt by the Concertina Connection Inc.