CONCERTINA, a wind instrument of the seraphine family with free reeds, forming a link in the evolution of the harmonium from the mouth organ, interme diate links being the chengand the accordion. The concertina con sists of two hexagonal or rectangu lar keyboards connected by a long expansible bellows of many folds similar to that of the ac cordion. The keyboards are fur nished with rows of knobs, which, on being pressed down by the fin gers, open valves admitting the air compressed by the bellows to the free reeds, which are thus set in vibration. The English con certina, or melodion, invented by Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1829, the year of the reputed invention of the accordion (q.v.), is con structed with a double action, the same note being produced on compressing and expanding the bellows, whereas in the German concertina or accordion two dif ferent notes are given out. Concertinas are made in complete families—treble, tenor, bass, and double bass, having a combined total range of nearly seven octaves.
The timbre of the concertina is penetrating but soft, and the instrument is capable of the most delicate gradations of tone. It is possible to play on it diatonic and chromatic passages, or arpeggios in legato or staccato style, with rapidity, shakes single and double in thirds, and also to play in parts as on the pianoforte or organ, and to produce very rich chords. Concertos were written for concertina with orchestra by Molique and Regondi, a sonata with piano by Molique, while Chaikovski scored in his second orchestral suite for four accordions.
The aeola, constructed by the representatives of the original firm of Wheatstone, is a still more artistically developed concer tina.
See also ACCORDION ; CHENG; HARMONIUM ; FREE-REED VIBRATOR.