Bayan (accordion)

Lore & Background

The bayan was developed in the Russian Empire in the early 20th century and named after the 11th-century bard Boyan. Its construction differs from Western chromatic button accordions in several ways: reeds are broader and rectangular rather than trapezoidal, often attached in large groups to a common plate screwed to the reed block rather than attached with wax. The melody-side keyboard is attached near the middle of the body rather than at the rear, and reeds are generally not tuned with tremolo. Register switches may be operated with the chin on some larger models. The diminished chord row is shifted so that the diminished G chord is where one would expect the diminished C chord in the Stradella bass system. Converter switches from standard preset chords to free bass are common on larger instruments, and in free bass mode the low notes usually are at the bottom and high notes at the top. Newer instruments may feature a register where every tone played produces a perfect fifth.

Reader's Guide

The bayan's differences in internal construction give it a different tone color from Western instruments, with a much fuller bass sound. Because of their range and purity of tone, bayans are often the instrument of choice for accordion virtuosi who perform classical and contemporary classical music. Two Soviet composers of note who wrote compositions for bayan are Vladislav Zolotaryov and Sofia Gubaidulina. Slovak composer Peter Machajdík composed Concerto for Two Bayans and Orchestra, premiered on 4 June 2009 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Russian Bayan virtuoso Stas Venglevski has premiered contemporary works by Yehuda Yannay, Anthony Galla-Rini, Airat Ichmouratov and William Susman. The bayan remains a significant instrument in classical and contemporary music, particularly in Eastern Europe and Russia.

Did You Know?

• The bayan is named after the 11th-century bard Boyan.
• Bayan reeds are broader and rectangular, not trapezoidal like Western accordions.
• The diminished chord row is shifted so that the diminished G chord is where one would expect the diminished C chord in the Stradella bass system.
• Newer bayans may feature a register where every tone played produces a perfect fifth.