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WATCH: French accordion is Magali’s joie de vivre
Her love affair with what is commonly known as a ‘squeezebox’ started when she was just 14
THE lilting melody which is a hallmark of French music is largely due to the pleasing tunes that waft from the bellows of the famous French button or piano accordion.
But the sensuous sounds of the instrument are not unique to France, as they are created masterfully locally by none other than French-born Magali Crosthwaite, who lives in Athlone Park.
Magali’s (51) love affair with what is commonly known as a ‘squeezebox’ started when she was just 14 in her home town of Vannes, in north-western France. Her musical ear was first tuned on the flute, before her mother sent her for keyboard lessons. When her tutor decided to branch off into the French button accordion, Magali followed suit and has been hooked ever since.
The quintessentially French instrument dates back to 1850, but more than 160 years later, it is still a mainstay feature of the central square in French towns where musicians bring the instrument to life for hours while patrons eat and socialise. Similarly, Magali captivates her audience when she plays at various French-themed corporate functions, parties, chef evenings, weddings and even coffee shops across KZN, where the instrument’s tell-tale lyrical tunes are unmistakable.
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She eagerly imparts her knowledge, teaching French button accordion, as well as piano/keyboard lessons. Purchasing the instrument is made simple in SA, as a Cape Town-based importer brings them in from Europe.
Visually it is a beautiful instrument which reminds one of the South African ‘boereorkes’. Strapped over the shoulders, it sits snugly on the chest so that both hands are free to extract the music. “The left hand handles the bass and chords, while the right is the melody,” says Magali, her thick French accent adding to the mystique of the music she plays. “And of course, the left hand also works the bellows, which powers the sound!” she exclaims with a smile.
One doesn’t have to be musically inclined or be able to read music to master the French button accordion and Magali says that surprisingly, it is easier to learn the accordion than the piano. “If you think about it, the piano keyboard is a long instrument of over a metre, as opposed to the French button accordion which is snug and compact.”
Witnessing the spectacle while listening to the unmistakably French notes that claim the air is entrancing – the fingers of Magali’s right hand deftly work the buttons in mesmerising fashion, while the left fills and expunges air from the bellows. A visual and audio treat indeed. It’s clear to see that this French accordionist was born to play this instrument – her face literally lights up from the moment she strikes the first chord.
Call Magali on 073-446-2140.
READ MORE ABOUT WHY MAGALI TREASURES HER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT IN TOMORROW’S SUN
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