It was a packed house for the Stanley Area Historical Society sponsored Concertina event in the basement of the Full Gospel Mission Church Sunday July 9.

Put together by Walter Wartolec and featuring area concertina players, the event opened on a somber note with an introduction by David Jankoski, who noted the dwindling number of those who could play the complicated instrument as well as those who had passed on, including in the latter Mike Gwiazda, Theresa Slipek, Bob Filipiak, Robert and Geraldine Cynor, and Larry and Bob Olejniczak.

Also among players of the concertina named were John and Frank Markowski.

Following introduction by Jankoski, event organizer Walter Wartolec opened with a short explanation of what the Concertina was and where it came from, (the area in an about Chemnitz, Germany) along with the different styles of music (Chicago, East Coast, and Detroit, among others). The Concertina had come over with immigrants prior to the end of World War II, which ended up a good thing as when the Soviets took over East Germany they had only encouraged the accordion. Following history and backgrounds, it was into performances.

Among the accomplished musicians on the handmade device which could cost $300 in the 1940s were George Dums of Rib Lake, Tena Williams, Duane Dotter, Ray Konkol, Bob Cynor, Walter Wartolec, and Alex Kulesa of Thorp. Dums and Wartolec explained some of the mechanics.

A diatonic device with keys marked by symbols on both sides and an internal air mechanism, the Concertina was/is distinct from an accordion in that different sounds are produced based on how its played. They come in A flat, b flat, C, and E, among different keys. With no direct pattern and what was termed “some of the most complicated music ever written,” players learned by practice and pointers from those who knew how, being originally made for people who working class people who couldn’t necessarily read music. Instead, each note had a mark for the key to press. Polkas, Waltzes, and jazz were among the types of music played.

With the numbers able to play diminishing but youth at Sunday’s event showing interest, the Concertina’s days might not be over—yet.