La Concertina (Suite Umoresca)

Today is the 136 anniversary of Pietro Yon's birth! I didn't realize, but, I guess it's a good day to have uploaded this. :-)

Pietro Alessandro Yon (August 8, 1886 – November 22, 1943) was an Italian-born organist and composer who made his career in the United States. He was born in Settimo Vittone, and studied at the conservatories of both Milan and Turin, also attending the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. He served for a time as an organist at the Vatican and at the Royal Church in Rome.

In the spring of 1907, he succeeded Gaston Dethier at the Church of St. Francis Xavier in NYC, where he remained until 1926.

He became an American citizen in 1921.

On January 1, 1922 Yon was appointed 'Titular Organist' of the Vatican, a singular and unprecedented honor. The appointment put pressure on New York church authorities to promote Yon to a more-prestigious position.

In 1926, he became the assistant organist of St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, and on May 1, 1928, Yon was promoted to music director.

On April 9, 1943, Yon suffered a massive stroke that paralyzed his entire right side and died in November.

"La Concertina" was published in 1921 by J. Fischer & Bro. It is dedicated to Yon's son: "To my dear Mario on his first birthday."

It is a wonderful novelty piece, which really does a great job of "replicating the sounds" of a concertina. It is not without technical difficulties, and I found that some of the "legato stretches" made my hand sore for several days. The last movement really "cranks up," and I got it going as fast as I could move and still play the notes.

The piece, particularly in the second movement, requires an imaginative use of the Swell box. In this movement, the swell must be opened and closed rapidly in order to create the desired "concertina effect".

The movements are:

Lento/Allegretto
Tempo di Valzer lento
Allegro vivace

The score is attached below, along with photos of Pietro Yon. Individual timings are in the First Comment.