Melodeon History: Echoes from 1868 and the “Lost” Manual for Victorian Squeezebox Players

 

At Squeezebox Marketplace, we spend a lot of time looking toward the future of reed instruments—modern accordions, evolving craftsmanship, and the musicians who continue to push the instrument forward.

But every now and then we stumble across something from the past that stops us in our tracks.

Recently we came across a fascinating digitised book from 1868 called The Complete Melodeon Instructor by John Zundel. Long before the accordion family reached the form we recognise today, this book served as a practical guide for Victorian musicians learning to play the melodeon.

For anyone interested in melodeon history or the early development of the accordion, it offers a remarkable glimpse into how these instruments first entered everyday musical life.

You can view the original book here: The Complete Melodeon Instructor on Archive.org

The 19th-Century Reed Instrument Revolution

By the mid-1800s, free-reed instruments were spreading rapidly across Europe and North America.

In the preface to his book, Zundel notes that instruments such as the melodeon, seraphine, and eolican had become affordable enough to be owned by “almost every family.”

That simple statement tells us something important. These were the people’s instruments.

Portable, expressive, and relatively accessible to learn, the melodeon allowed music to move out of concert halls and into homes. Families could gather in the evening and play hymns, folk songs, and popular melodies together.

In many ways, the melodeon of the 19th century played a role similar to the guitar in the 20th century: a musical companion in everyday life.

The Bellows: What Made the Melodeon Special

Even in the 1860s, the melodeon had its critics. Some people dismissed it as little more than a cheap substitute for the piano. John Zundel strongly disagreed.

In fact, he argued that the melodeon had expressive possibilities that the piano simply could not match:

“It is capable of many effects which cannot be produced on the piano… the tones of the Melodeon may be indefinitely prolonged.”

Any accordion or melodeon player today will recognise exactly what he meant. The secret lies in the bellows.

Unlike the piano, where a note fades naturally after it is struck, the bellows allow a player to shape tone, sustain notes, and control phrasing in real time. Even in 1868 musicians understood that the bellows were not simply moving air—they were the breathing lungs of the instrument.

A Victorian Melodeon Playlist

Looking at the contents of The Complete Melodeon Instructor is a little like opening a Victorian Spotify playlist. Some tunes are still widely known today, while others reflect the musical tastes of the time.

Popular Songs of the Day

• Auld Lang Syne
• Home, Sweet Home
• The Last Rose of Summer

Opera in the Parlour

The book also includes melodies from major operas such as:

• Lucia di Lammermoor
• Norma
• William Tell

Remember, this was long before recordings, radio, or streaming services. If you wanted to hear these melodies at home, the only way was to play them yourself. The melodeon made that possible.

Advice From 1868 That Still Applies Today

One of the most fascinating sections of the book contains advice for anyone choosing an instrument. Remarkably, Zundel’s guidance could easily appear in a modern accordion buying guide. He highlights three key principles:

Quality of Tone

“Smooth and pure, free from harshness.”

Promptness of Action

“Each tone should be heard the instant the key is touched.”

Simplicity of Construction

“Instruments most simple in construction are certainly to be preferred.”

More than 150 years later, these are still the qualities musicians look for when choosing a well-built melodeon or accordion.

Victorian Technique (And One Strict Rule)

Zundel was also quite particular about playing technique. One instruction he emphasised strongly was that players should never strike the keys with their fingernails:

“The rattling noise produced by the nails is an undesirable addition to the performance.”

He also discouraged performers from:

• nodding the head while playing
• stamping time with the feet

Both behaviours were described as “objectionable.” Modern folk musicians might have something to say about that—especially in a lively session!

How Old Is the Melodeon?

The melodeon belongs to the wider accordion family of free-reed instruments, which began appearing in Europe during the early 19th century.

The first patented accordion was created in 1829 by Cyrill Demian in Vienna. Within a few decades, related instruments such as the melodeon, concertina, and harmonium had spread rapidly across Europe and North America.

By the 1860s, when John Zundel published The Complete Melodeon Instructor, the melodeon had already become popular enough to be found in homes, churches, and schools.

That means the melodeon tradition stretches back nearly 200 years.

From Victorian Parlours to Modern Folk Sessions

What makes books like this so fascinating is that they reveal the deep roots of today’s accordion and melodeon culture.

In the 19th century the melodeon brought music into Victorian homes. Families played hymns, parlour songs, and dance tunes together.

Today that same musical spirit continues in many forms:

• traditional folk sessions
• ceilidhs and dances
• festivals and competitions
• home music-making among friends

The instruments have evolved, craftsmanship has advanced, and musical styles have expanded—but the essential magic remains unchanged:

bellows breathing, reeds sounding, and music filling the room.

A Tradition Still Alive Today

When we pick up a melodeon or accordion today, we are continuing a musical story that began nearly two centuries ago.

Players in 1868 learned their tunes from books like Zundel’s. Today we learn from recordings, festivals, teachers, and online communities. But the fundamental act remains the same: hands on buttons, bellows moving, and music shared with others.

If you’d like to explore the modern descendants of these remarkable instruments, you can see our current range of melodeons and accordions here:

Squeezebox Marketplace – Accordions & Melodeons

A Question for Today’s Players

We’re curious. Would you have survived a lesson with Mr Zundel in 1868… or would your “objectionable foot-tapping” have got you into trouble?