The
concertina is a small, hexagonal instrument that looks like a small
accordion.
Unlike the accordian, the concertina's bellows are attached to hexagonal
blocks
having handles and buttons (finger pistons), and it is smaller. It is
a chromatic
instrument; its tone is produced by free reeds. It is made in single-action
and double-action versions.
Sir Charles Wheatstone invented the concertina in 1829. He was reportedly
inspired by the action of the sheng, an ancient Chinese mouth
organ.
In South Africa, accordian instruments, including
the concertina, are called "squashboxes".
