History of the Bandoneon | Milonga Julié

Milonga Julié presents a one-of-a-kind exhibition: the historic collection of bandoneons and concertinas belonging to "La Casa del Bandoneón". The exhibition offers a journey through time across the different models, materials, origins and manufacturing eras of this emblematic instrument, tracing its technical and aesthetic evolution from 1880 to the present day.

Origins and Technical Features

The exhibition focuses mainly on German production between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries, highlighting:

Provenance: Historic instruments manufactured in Chemnitz (Saxony) and other prominent German regions.

Variety: Models ranging from 40 to 156 tones.

Materials: Pieces built from fine woods such as walnut, pine and rosewood.

Authenticity: Several pieces still preserve their original free-reed systems intact.

Legendary Brands and Makers

The collection brings together the most important and respected names in historic instrument craftsmanship:

Alfred Arnold (AA) and Ernest Louis Arnold (ELA)
Uhlig & Lange
Josef Rauscher and Stark

Gems and Rarities of the Collection

Among the most exotic and rarely seen pieces in the world, three examples stand out:

01
Automatic "Tanzbar" concertina (c. 1900): A mechanical system that works with music rolls.
02
The "Sheng": An ancient Chinese wind instrument, regarded by history as the direct precursor of the bandoneon.
03
"Rhine System" models: Fundamental variants representing the earliest design developments of the instrument.

Oscar Ficher, luthier born in Buenos Aires in 1966.

Founder of La Casa del Bandoneón and of the world's first school specialized in bandoneon lutherie.
Restorer since 1995 and leading advocate of the Bandoneon Cultural Heritage Law (Law 26,531).
Co-creator of more than 300 bandoneons since 2013 together with Nahuel Aguirre.
Author of the book Construction and Deconstruction of the Bandoneon.
Creator of the Museum of the Bandoneon and the Free-Reed Instrument.

Timeline of the Bandoneon and Concertina Exhibition

The starting point of this story is in Asia. The Chinese sheng is considered one of the great ancestors of this entire family of instruments.

1840
Sheng – China
1850
Rhine System Bandoneon – 76 tones – Germany
1890
Rhine System Bandoneon – 106 tones – Germany
1890
C.F. Uhlig & E. Lange Concertina – 76 tones – Germany
1900
Automatic concertina with music rolls – Germany
1902
Rhine System Bandoneon – 102 tones – Germany
1910
Uhlig Concertina – 76 tones – Germany
1910
DRCM Concertina – 94 tones – Germany
1920
DRCM Concertina – 88 tones – Germany
1920
English concertina – 40 tones – Germany
1922
GFC Bandonica – 20 tones – Germany
1925
Concertina – 94 tones – Germany
1926
Bandonica – Germany
1927
Ernest Louis Arnold Concertina – 102 tones – Germany
1930
Josef Rauscher Bandoneon – 156 tones – Germany
1930
Stark Concertina – 104 tones – Germany
1948
Einheit Bandoneon – 144 tones – Germany
1959
Fisarmonica / Table accordion with electric fan

This exhibition spans more than a century of musical evolution: from the Chinese Sheng to the bandoneons that gave rise to the soul of tango in Buenos Aires.

It is not just a collection of instruments: it is the journey that transformed a European invention into the voice of Argentine tango.

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