Making impossible possible

Lorely Saal, Stadtsaal, Filmcasino, Schutzhaus Zukunft, Porgy & Bess, Ehrbar Saal, Das Werk, Orpheum, Sargfabrik, Dschungel Wien, Österreichisches Volksliedwerk, Die Bühne Purkersdorf und Metropol [ENA] “When we met together to discuss the future accordion festival, I could not believe that this will be possible during the next year”, - words of one of the organizers of the festival. Thanks to the enthusiasm of Friedl Preisl and Franziska Hatz and their team with l several volunteers this became possible and became a highlight and a great joy for many people who visited the festival.

The 23 International Accordion Festival took place in Vienna in the period between the 19th of February and the 20th of March. The festival was dedicated to the 101 anniversary of the famous tango virtuous Astor Piazzola. It took place in various locations in Vienna such as Porgy und Bess, Lorely Saal, Filmcasino, Ehrbar Saal and many others. The influence of Piazzola on the accordion music is immense. He expanded the harmony of the tango with the means of jazz and following the models Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók. Piazzolla expanded the playing technique of the instruments in tango by borrowing from new music.

The accordion festival brought peace of sun and joy to the Viennese publicum in the middle of winter. According to Veronica Kaup-Hasler who represents the City Councilor for Culture and Science in Vienna the accordion festival is an opportunity “to add further facets to this special body of music, to explore all musical genres and different styles, audience with a very open understanding of music inspire and seduce.” This year the organization of the festival was especially demanding considering all challenges which were brought with the Covid 19 pandemic. But despite all difficulties the program of the festival was very diverse and exiting and the mood during the festival was extraordinarily good.

The opening of the festival was marked by two concerts. On the 19th of March at the Stadtsaal at the Mariahilfer Strasse 81 Viviane Chassot and Franziska Fleischanderl represented their vision of This was the evening of innovative music combined with jazz, improvisation, and innovative combination of various instruments such as Salterio which is a a box zither that was widespread in Italy and Spain in the 18th century, the strings of which were either plucked (psaltery) or struck (dulcimer).

The festival included not only concerts but also movies. The cinema afternoon with the movies of Buster Keaton together with music performed by Alexander Shevchenko and Maciej Golebiowski was charming and full of joy. It really created good atmosphere and inspiration during this afternoon. Another cinema afternoon was dedicated to Mabel Normand who was one of the most important comedians of the silent movies of 1920-ies. Franziska Hatz and Tino Klissenbauer were following the movie with the accordion music.

On Tuesday of the 22nd of February the Viennese publicum could enjoy the evening of tango in interpretation of the Trio Infernal and Paula Barembuem. The traditional tango was combined with elements of groove music as well as jazz following the self-understanding of the musicians as someone who is “happy to build bridges between styles that seem to have little in common“.

And on Thursday of the 24th of February the Groovin’ Tango Quintett from Tirol performed really virtuously various tango pieces. The Groovin' Tango Quintet has been delighting audiences for six years now with its unmistakable style, which combines elements of classical music, Latin American music, and jazz in a fascinating way. So, it can happen that listeners suddenly recognize Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" in a tango or even find yourself in themes by Bach or Strauss.

The festival ended with the fulminant concert of the Riccardo Tesi and Banditaliana who were waiting for this opportunity for the last two years and with the sunny and innovative mixture of Jazz, Mediterranean and Toscana traditional music brought spring mood to the Viennese publicum. The famous Agnes Palmisano Trio brought to the Viennese publicum again the touch of Viennese heurigen and Vienna traditional music. This was combined during the second part of the evening with the energetic Balkan music performed with great virtuosity by Nikola Razic Quintet. The publicum is waiting already for the next 24th Accordion Festival, which, as announced by Franziska Hatz, will take place by the end of February next year, in 2023.