The concertina is a true original from Chemnitz – invented in 1834 by Carl Friedrich Uhlig and, to this day, a prime example of Saxon ingenuity. At the time, Uhlig presented his “accordion of a new kind” rather modestly in an advertisement for his instrument business. From his workshop, which was located near what is now the Karl Marx Monument, the instrument quickly began its journey around the world. Via the Ore Mountains and the Vogtland musical region, it soon spread far beyond – reaching as far as South Africa and Argentina. Sounds surprising, doesn’t it?
The concertina works in a similar way to an accordion: a bellows produces sound when it is pulled apart and pushed together. Unlike the accordion, however, it produces single notes rather than chords. Over time, its range expanded from an initial 10 to as many as 144 buttons. This eventually led to the development of the bandoneon – the very instrument that became the heart of tango in Buenos Aires around 1900. The fact that an invention from Chemnitz became a “favorite instrument in South America” is a remarkable success story.
The concertina also had many fans in Germany, especially among industrial workers in Saxony and the Ruhr region. The instrument was affordable, easy to learn, and versatile – ideal conditions for the development of its own musical culture. In the 1920s and 1930s, numerous concertina clubs experienced their heyday.
After the Second World War, the concertina gradually fell into obscurity in Germany, but its community of enthusiasts still exists today. The largest concertina club with roots in Chemnitz is now based in Prague, with more than 140 active members.
During the European Capital of Culture year 2025, the bandoneon and tango once again took center stage. Milongas invited people to dance, concerts were enriched by the sound of the bandoneon, and workshops allowed both young and old to learn the “piano of the common people.” At the European Summer Philharmonic, more than 200 musicians performed tango music, celebrating a piece of Chemnitz’s musical heritage that has long since made its mark on the world stage.
You can listen to a sample of these distinctive sounds here: