Posted 01 January 2005

The Lachenal Sisters Visit Edinburgh, 1865–1866

Robert Gaskins

Introduction

Clippings from the archives of The Scotsman newspaper, Edinburgh, tell the story of the visit to Edinburgh of three teenaged daughters of Louis Lachenal for three months over the Christmas season of 1865–1866. They apparently introduced to Edinburgh the playing of "concerted music" on multiple English concertinas. When playing as a trio, the three ladies are recorded as playing “treble, tenor, and bass concertinas”. They extended their trio to a quartette by the addition of a popular local Edinburgh concertinist, with a second treble.

They appeared in at least four “Saturday Evening Concerts” held about once a month at the Music Hall behind the Assembly Rooms in George Street, Edinburgh. This is a very large domed hall (added in 1843), capable of holding several hundred people and still in use; Regondi had performed here earlier, Dickens gave readings in this hall at the same period (between 1858 and 1867), and more recently so did J. K. Rowling. They also appeared at some very large concerts organized as charitable benefits.

It appears from the reviews of their performances that the star soloist was the first-born Lachenal child, Marie Lachenal. Marie was born 13 August 1848, and so she was just 17 years old when she appeared in Edinburgh in October 1865. Marie received top billing, above her younger sisters Eugenie (or “Janie”, aged 16) and Josephine (aged 14). Their father, Louis Lachenal, had died in 1861 at age 40 but the Lachenal concertina manufacturing business continued under the management of their mother, Elizabeth Lachenal, during this period. 1

Stephen Chambers has begun to reconstruct the manufacturing career of Louis Lachenal. According to Chambers, Lachenal had done the production engineering for Wheatstone and had manufactured the great bulk of the concertinas sold by C. Wheatstone & Co. since 1848. But about 1858 Lachenal had begun to make and sell concertinas under the brand “Louis Lachenal” as well. This dual production continued after Lachenal’s own death, until a date that Chambers identifies as “late 1865/early 1866”, when Wheatstone & Co. arranged for its own independent manufacturing and no longer relied on Lachenal & Co. to supply its instruments. 2

Thus, at exactly the same time as the daughters’ visit to Edinburgh, it was becoming very important for the Lachenal company to raise the visibility of Lachenal-branded concertinas as alternatives to the better-known Wheatstone-branded concertinas: they would in the future receive revenue only from sales of their own Lachenal brand. The three young Lachenal sisters with their elegant French names would have been the perfect celebrity endorsers, whose mere appearance on a programme could put the Lachenal company name into the newspapers.

We have the testimony of an eyewitness to one of these concerts. Randall C. Merris has pointed out to me that W. Cawdell, in his booklet A Short Account of the English Concertina, published at London and itself dated 1865, quotes at length from the review published in The Scotsman on 23 October 1865 (reproduced below). Elsewhere in his booklet, Cawdell also says that he attended a concert given by the Mlles Lachenal in Islington in June of 1865, and in yet a third place he writes:

“I must not omit to speak of lady concertinists; I have heard of the dangers of Croquet to young men of a susceptible turn of mind, but I think that those perils cannot be compared to the fascination of a group of young ladies in a magic semicircle practising selections on several concertinas. I remember once being present at such a scene, and I went home suffering from heart affection and Concertina on the brain combined. I recovered entirely from the first, but the effects of the latter have not quite disappeared.” [page 17] 3

Taken with Cawdell’s quotation from the review of the Lachenal sisters, it is very likely that he was describing Marie, Eugenie, and Josephine, whether he had seen them in Edinburgh or (more probably) in London a few months earlier. 4

18 October 1865

In mid-October of 1865, the first notice that the Lachenal sisters have been “brought from London especially for this concert” in order that Edinburgh audiences might have an opportunity to hear "this fashionable instrument" (the concertina) played in "concerted music".


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
18 October 1865, page 1.
(Click to enlarge.)

The Saturday Evening Concerts
Conducted by Mr. Duncan McLaren
Under the patronage of
The Right Hon. The Lord Provost
...
In Addition to the above Talented Artistes, an Engagement
has been effected with
MDLLE. MARIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. EUGENIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. JOSEPHINE LACHENAL,
The Celebrated Performers on the ENGLISH CONCERTINA
who will in conjunction with
MR. F. W. BRIDGMAN
Perform a Variety of Quartetts, Trios, Duets, and Solos.
These Talented Ladies have been brought from London
specially for this occasion, to afford the Patrons of
these Concerts an opportunity of hearing this fashionable
Instrument in Concerted Music.

Admission, 1s. and 6d; Reserved Seats (numbered), 2s.
...
Doors open at 7; Organ Performance at 7.30, Concert at 8.
Carriages may be ordered at 10.15.

19 October 1865

The notice was repeated the following day, again introducing the "Talented Ladies".


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
19 October 1865, page 1.
(Click to enlarge.)

The Saturday Evening Concerts
Conducted by Mr. Duncan McLaren
Under the patronage of
The Right Hon. The Lord Provost
...
In Addition to the above Talented Artistes, an Engagement
has been effected with
MDLLE. MARIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. EUGENIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. JOSEPHINE LACHENAL,
The Celebrated Performers on the ENGLISH CONCERTINA
who will in conjunction with
MR. F. W. BRIDGMAN
Perform a Variety of Quartetts, Trios, Duets, and Solos.
These Talented Ladies have been brought from London
specially for this occasion, to afford the Patrons of
these Concerts an opportunity of hearing this fashionable
Instrument in Concerted Music.

Admission, 1s. and 6d; Reserved Seats (numbered), 2s.
...
Doors open at 7; Organ Performance at 7.30, Concert at 8.
Carriages may be ordered at 10.15.

21 October 1865

On Saturday 21 October 1865, the day of the concert, the notice is repeated once more, along with an editorial mention.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
21 October 1865, page 1.
(Click to enlarge.)


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
21 October 1865, page 2.
(Click to enlarge.)

Saturday Evening Concert.--The programme for to-night 
contains a novelty--viz., the performance of a movement from 
Mozart's Quartett in F major, played on four concertinas. 
The artistes are the Mdlles. Lachenal, of London celebrity, 
and Mr. Bridgman.

23 October 1865

The initial appearance of the Lachenal sisters was reviewed on the following Monday, noting that it was “the first occasion, we believe” on which music arranged for three and four concertinas had been heard in Edinburgh. “The effect was exceedingly good … .” Other artistes on the same programme are styled as “Miss”, but the Lachenal sisters are invariably referred to as “Mademoiselle”: “Mdlles. Lachenal are unquestionably proficients on their respective instruments, and the music public of Edinburgh are indebted to Mr. M'Laren for his enterprise in affording them an opportunity of hearing a performance both novel and interesting.”


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
23 October 1865, page 2.
(Click to enlarge.)

Saturday Evening Concerts.--The second of the series of 
these concerts took place on Saturday evening, in presence 
of an audience not quite so numerous as that of the previous 
week, yet sufficiently large to fill the Music Hall without 
overcrowding.  The artists engaged were Miss Grace Armytage, 
Master Sanders, Mr H. C. Sanders, and Mr Cooper, vocalists; 
and Mdlles. Lachenal, and Mr F. W. Bridgman, 
instrumentalists.  The great novelty in the programme was 
the concerted pieces, arranged for three and four 
concertinas--the first occasion, we believe, in which such a 
combination has been heard in Edinburgh.  The effect was 
exceedingly good, more especially in the operatic selections 
and the national airs.  The movements from Mozart's Symphony 
were scarcely so satisfactory; not because they were less 
charmingly played, but because the structure of the music is 
not so well adapted for the instrument.  The first quartett, 
on themes from "Semiramide," "Sonnambula," and "Lucrezia 
Borgia," played by the sisters Lachenal and Mr Bridgman, was 
the most satisfactory both as to its arrangement and 
performance.  Mdlle. Marie Lachenal's solo on airs from 
"Faust" was also worthy of all praise for the tasteful and 
artistic manner in which it was rendered.  Not less 
effective was the duet on subjects taken from "Les 
Huguenots," played by Mdlles. Marie and Eugenie on treble 
and tenor concertinas.  The trio on national melodies, as 
might have been expected, met with an enthusiastic reception 
and was re-demanded.  The last quartett, on English airs, 
which had unfortunately been placed at the end of the 
programme, was marred by the noise occasioned by a large 
portion of the audience rising to depart.  Mdlles. Lachenal 
are unquestionably proficients on their respective 
instruments, and the music public of Edinburgh are indebted 
to Mr M'Laren for his enterprise in affording them an 
opportunity of hearing a performance both novel and 
interesting. ...

25 October 1865

After the successful concert on Saturday and the good review on Monday, the impressario Duncan M'Laren inserted an advertistement two days later addressed to “managers of concerts, soirees, &c.” with the news that the Lachenal sisters were available for further engagements, and with their local concertinist they were the “Concertina Quartette”.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
25 October 1865, page 1.
(Click to enlarge.)

Mr Duncan M'Laren, St Andrew Hotel, Edinburgh, can negotiate 
Engagements for the "CONCERTINA QUARTETTE"--MDLLES. MARIE, 
EUGENIE, and JOSEPHINE LACHENAL, and Mr F. W. BRIDGMAN, 
whose success at the Saturday Evening Concerts has been so 
decided.  First-Class Artistes in all Branches of the 
Profession are also open to Engagements.

28 October 1865

Mr. M'Laren repeated his offer the following Saturday, a week after the first concert.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
28 October 1865, page 1.
(Click to enlarge.)

Mr Duncan M'Laren, St Andrew Hotel, Edinburgh, can negotiate 
Engagements for the "CONCERTINA QUARTETTE"--MDLLES. MARIE, 
EUGENIE, and JOSEPHINE LACHENAL, and Mr F. W. BRIDGMAN, 
whose success at the Saturday Evening Concerts has been so 
decided.  First-Class Artistes in all Branches of the 
Profession are also open to Engagements.

07 November 1865

The next Saturday Evening Concert by the Lachenal sisters was three weeks after the first. In the first brief advertisement he sisters are listed as “the Misses” Lachenal.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
07 November 1865, page 1.
(Click to enlarge.)

Saturday Evening Concerts
Under the patronage of
The Right Hon. The Lord Provost

Saturday, 11th November.
...
The Misses MARIE, EUGENIE and JOSEPHINE LACHENAL,
The Celebrated Performers on the ENGLISH CONCERTINA
MR. F. W. BRIDGMAN
the Eminent Accompanist.

11 November 1865

By the time of the full announcement on the day of the second concert, the sisters have once again regained their usual French titles. This announcement includes the highlights of the material they will play, mostly in trios and quartettes. The bulk of the music has been arranged by George Case.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
11 November 1865, page 4.
(Click to enlarge.)

...
In addition to the above Talented Artistes, Mr McLaren has 
much pleasure in announcing the Re-Engagement of
MDLLE. MARIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. EUGENIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. JOSEPHINE LACHENAL,
The Celebrated Performers on the ENGLISH CONCERTINA
who, in conjunction with
MR. F. W. BRIDGMAN
will Perform the following:--

   Quartett on Airs from "Elisire d'Amore" (Two Trebles, 
Tenor, and Bass Concertinas), G. Case.
   Concertante Duet on Airs from "Le Domino Noir," "Fra 
Diavolo," and "Masaniello" (Treble Concertina and 
Pianoforte), Sydney Smith and R. Blagrove.
   Trio on Scotch Airs, Introducing "Logie o'Buchan," 
"Comin' thro' the Rye," "Within a mile o' Edinburgh toon," 
"The Birks o' Aberfeldy," and "Whistle and I'll come tae ye, 
my lad" (Two Trebles and Bass Concertinas), G. Case.
    Quartett on English Airs, introducing "Rule Britannia," 
"Home, Sweet Home," and "God save the Queen" (Two Trebles, 
Tenor, and Bass Concertinas), G. Case.

Mr. F. W. Bridgman, Accompanist.

13 November 1865

The review of the second concert again appeared on the following Monday, and was again very favorable. A quartette was praised as “cleverly arranged, and … most tastefully interpreted by Mr Bridgman and his fair co-executants”. “The duet on airs from Le Domino Noir, &c., was also most charmingly given by Mdlle Marie Lachenal and Mr Bridgman. The trio on Scottish airs by the three sisters was equally satisfactory, and received an encore, which, however, was gracefully declined.”

“Their concluding number was the quartette introducing ‘Rule Brittania,’ ‘Home, sweet home,’ and ‘God save the Queen.’ During the performance of the National Anthem the audience remain seated—a phenomenon we never saw exhibited in any concert-room.”

Mr. M'Laren's attempts to arrange more concerts had apparently been successful, because the Scotsman was able to add that “We are glad to learn that these accomplished artistes intend to remain some time in Edinburgh, so that we may hope to have frequent opportunities of hearing them.” A policy of appearing at charity concerts has begun, with the note that the performers have entertained at the Royal Asylum at Morningside and that “the inmates appreciated the provision so considerately made for their entertainment.”


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
13 November 1865, page 2.
(Click to enlarge.)

   ... The concertina playing of the Mdlles Lachenal and Mr 
Bridgman formed a most important feature in the concert. 
The quartette on airs from L'Elisir d'Amore was exceedingly 
effective.  It is cleverly arranged, and was most tastefully 
interpreted by Mr Bridgman and his fair co-executants.  The 
duet on airs from Le Domino Noir, &c., for treble concertina 
and pianoforte, was also most charmingly given by Mdlle 
Marie Lachenal and Mr Bridgman.  The trio on Scottish airs 
by the three sisters was equally satisfactory, and received 
an encore, which, however, was gracefully declined.  Their 
concluding number was the quartette introducing "Rule 
Britannia," "Home, sweet home," and "God save the Queen." 
During performance of the National Anthem the audience 
remained seated--a phenomenon we never saw exhibited in any 
conference room.  We are glad to learn that these 
accomplished artistes intend to remain some time in 
Edinburgh, so that we may hope to have frequent 
opportunities of hearing them.

...

By the kindness of Mr M'Laren, the artists who were engaged 
for Saturday evening gave a concert at the Royal Asylum at 
Morningside in the afternoon.  The performance, which lasted 
fully two hours, was listened to with marked attention, the 
hearty applause which was liberally bestowed on every artist 
alike showing how deeply the inmates appreciated the 
provision so considerately made for their entertainment.

18 November 1865

Following the successful second concert, Mr. M'Laren inserted another advertisement again offering the availability of the Lachenal sisters.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
18 November 1865, page 6.
(Click to enlarge.)

"The Concertina Quartett," consisting
of the MDLLES. MARIE, EUGENIE, and JOSEPHINE
LACHENAL, and Mr F. W. BRIDGMAN, the celebrated
Performers on the English Concertina are OPEN to accept
ENGAGEMENTS for Concerts, Soirees, and Private 
Entertainments.  For terms, &c., apply to 
Mr Duncan M'Laren, St Andrew Hotel.

09 December 1865

A third major concert was announced for Wednesday the 13th of December, not in the same Saturday series as the two preceding ones. This concert was for the benefit of the Edinburgh Lifeboat Fund charity.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
09 December 1865, page 4.
(Click to enlarge.)

GRAND CONCERT
Under the Patronage of
Right Hon. The LORD PROVOST.

EDINBURGH LIFEBOAT FUND.

The COMMITTEE beg to announce that a CONCERT of
Characteristic Music (in Behalf of the above Fund)
will be given on
Wednesday Evening, the 13th Instant,
In the Music Hall.

Artistes--
Mdlles. MARIE, EUGENE, and JOSEPHINE LACHENAL;
Miss C. H. LINDLEY; Miss E. SEAGER; Mr W. KERR;
The EDINBURGH GLEE UNION; a SELECT and
EFFICIENT CHORUS; The BAND of the EDINBURGH
RIFLE VOLUNEERS; Grand Organ, Pianoforte, and
English Concertina--Mr F. BRIDGMAN.

...

PROGRAMME

Quartett on Airs from "Elisire d'Amore", G. Case
(Two Trebles, Tenor, and Bass Concertinas)   Mdlles. Lachenal
and Mr Bridgman

...

Trio on Scotch and Irish Airs, introducing -- "We'll gang nae
mair to yon Toun," "Oft in the Stilly Night," "My Boy
Tammy," and "The Campbells are Comin'"
(Treble, Tenor, and Bass Concertinas)   Mdlles. Lachenal

...

Solo--On Airs from Gounod's "Faust" -- R. Blagrove
(Treble Concertina)   Mdlle. Marie Lachenal.

...

Quartett on English Airs (G. Case), introducing "Rule Britannia,"
"Home, Sweet Home," and "God Save the Queen"
(Two Trebles, Tenor, and Bass Concertinas)   Mdlle Marie Lachenal,
Mr Bridgman, Mdlles. Eugenie and Josephine Lachenal.

...

Tickets, Reserved Seats (Numbered), 2s. 6d.; Side Seats, 1s. 6d.; 
Under Gallery, 1s.; Galleries and Orchestra, 6d., to be had of
Messrs Wood & Co., George Street; and at the Working Men's
Institute, Writer's Court, High Street.

Doors open at 7.30; Concert to Commence precisely at 8.15.
Carriages may be ordered at 10.15.

14 December 1865

A review of the Lifeboat Fund concert appeared on the following day, again with praise for the Lachenal sisters and their concertinas. “The concertina, played by Mddles. Lachenal and Mr Bridgman, was worthy of all praise, and loudly applauded, the quartette from L’Elisire d’Amore and the trio on Scotch and Irish airs being re-demanded.”


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
14 December 1865, page 2.
(Click to enlarge.)

CONCERT.--Last night, a concert for the benefit of the 
Edinburgh Lifeboat Fund took place in the Music Hall.  For 
the sake of the benevolent object to which the profits of 
the concert are to be devoted, we were sorry to see the room 
so poorly attnded, many of the centre seats being wholly 
unoccupied.  The artists engaged for the occasion were--
Miss Lindley, Miss Seager, Mr Kerr, the Edinburgh
Glee Union, and a select chorus, for the vocal department;
and for the instrumental--Mdlles. Lachenal, Mr Bridgman, and 
the Band of the Edinburgh Rifle Volunteers.  The song
selected my Miss Lindley, "The Sailor Boy's Mother,"
though feelingly rendered, is not well adapted for her
voice, consequently she did not appear to such advantage as
we have been accustomed to hear her.  In the concerted
music, however, she sung with her usual ability.  Miss
Seager achieved an unmistakable success in "The Three
Fishers," which, notwithstanding the request that no
encores should be insisted on, she had to repeat.
The other songs were "The Bay of Biscay," which Mr. Geoghegan
gave without the traditional shouts of "A sail, a sail," &c.,
or the vocal cheers at the last verse.  Neukomm's "The Sea,"
by Mr Rutherford, and "The White Squall," by Mr Kerr.
Bishop's fine glee, "Blow, Gentle Gales," was satisfactorily
rendered by Misses Lindley, Seager, and the Glee Union; so
also was "When Winds Breathe Soft" and the "Venetian 
Boat Song."  The part songs went very steadily, but the
voices were not well balanced, the sopranos being too weak,
except in the concluding chorus of the first part, and the
tenors too loud throughout.  The most effective was a
setting of Campbell's noble song, "Ye Mariners of England,"
by Henry Leslie, which was excellently sung.  The others
were "See our oars" (encored), "The Hardy Norseman," "The
Boatie Rows," and "Rule Britannia."  The concertina,
played by Mdlles. Lachenal and Mr Bridgman, was worthy of
all praise, and loudly applauded, the quartette from
L'Elisire d'Amore and the trio on Scotch and Irish airs
being re-demanded.  Mr John Bishop officiated as conductor,
and Mr Bridgman as accompanist.  The Lord Provost, who
was on the platform, referred briefly to the object for
which the concert was got up, stating that the working
classes of Edinburgh had already raised £300 in
shillings and sixpences.  He paid a well-merited 
compliment to Mr Ballantine, who had laboured so zealously
in the cause.  It would appear that about a hundred pounds
are still wanting to complete the boat to be presented
to the Institution, and other two hundred pounds for
carriage and boathouse. ...

15 December 1865

The next Saturday Evening Concert with the Lachenal sisters was on 16 December 1865, five weeks after the previous one, with the “re-engagement” of the “Celebrated Performers on the English Concertina” featured in the advertisements.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
15 December 1865, page 1.
(Click to enlarge.)

Saturday Evening Concerts,
Under the patronage of the Right Hon. the
Lord Provost.

Saturday, 16th December.
...

Re-Engagement of
MDLLE. MARIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. EUGENIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. JOSEPHINE LACHENAL,
The Celebrated Performers on the English Concertina.

18 December 1865

A review of the third Saturday Evening Concert with the Lachenal sisters showed that the press was still very happy with the concertina performances.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
18 December 1865, page 2.
(Click to enlarge.)

   Two concertina solos, the one on national airs and the 
other on themes from William Tell, were tastefully played by 
Mdlle Marie Lachenal, and met with immense applause.  Not 
less satisfactory as performances were the trio, by the 
three sisters, and the quartett, "Invitation a la Danse," in 
which they were assisted by Mr Bridgman.

27 December 1865

The sisters Lachenal appeared at a “Musical Soiree” for children, held “under the auspices of the Total Abstinence Society and Band of Hope” just after Christmas. It must have been very different from their Saturday Evening Concert series, with over 400 children attending, and a programme featuring addresses by clergymen. The music by the three sisters was judged to be “the most attractive feature in the evening’s proceedings.”


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
27 December 1865, page 2.
(Click to enlarge.)

DALNEITH. -- Musical Soiree. -- A grand musical soiree took 
place in the Corn Exchange Hall, Dalkeith, on Monday evening,
under the auspices of the Total Abstinence Society and Band
of Hope.  The hall was tastefully decorated for the occasion
with flags, banners, and festoons of evergreens.  At each end
of the well arranged platform was placed a handsome Christmas
tree, loaded with prizes for the juveniles.  The meeting,
which numbered not less than 800 persons, the half of whom
were juveniles, was presided over by Mr George Blair of
Eskbank.  The proceedings commenced with a service of tea,
cake, and fruit, followed by an address from the chairman.
During the evening, the Rev. Joseph Brown, D.D., of Glasgow,
and formerly of the East United Presbyterian Church, Dalkeith,
the Rev. William Arnot, and Mr J. S. Gibb delivered addresses.
The most attractive feature in the evening's proceedings was
the musical portion of the programme, which included a variety
of excellent quartetts, trios, and solos for the concertina,
which were admirably performed by Madlles Marie, Eugenie, and
Josephine Lachenal.  Miss Isa Robertson, of Edinburgh, sang
a number of songs in a pleasing and tasteful manner.  Mr F. W.
Bridgman, of Edinburgh, performed the duties of accompanist 
in his well-known superior style.  The proceedings, which had
been throughout of a highly agreeable character, terminated
at half past eleven.  The drawing for the prizes on the 
Christmas trees took place last night in the Corn Exchange Hall.

20 January 1866

The final Saturday Evening Concert for the Lachenal Sisters was on 20 January 1866, “last appearance this season”. No review of this concert could be found in the Scotsman for the following Monday as usual.


The Scotsman (Edinburgh),
20 January 1866, page 4.
(Click to enlarge.)

Saturday Evening Concerts,
Under the patronage of the Right Hon. the
Lord Provost.

...

Last appearance this season of--
MDLLE. MARIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. EUGENIE LACHENAL,
MDLLE. JOSEPHINE LACHENAL,
The Celebrated Performers on the English Concertina, who 
will perform the following:--

   Overture--"Il Barbier al Siviglia."  Duet--from 
"Guillaume Tell."  Trio--on Scotch and Irish airs (by 
request)  Solo--"Il Trovatore," and Solo on Scotch airs.

Afterword

Concerts such as these by the three Lachenal sisters lasted only a short time. By 1868, Marie was married and by 1869 she had her first child. We find later notices for the two younger sisters without Marie, as this one from 1871:


The Penny Illustrated Paper (London),
6 May 1871, page 283.

The sweet liquid notes of the concertina are
generally so welcome whenever a performance on
this melodious musical instrument forms an attrac-
tion of a concert that it is strange it is not heard
more frequently.  In our Exhibition report the
concertina is recommended as one of the most
melodious enliveners of the home circle; and
our opinion of its value has been strengthened
by the charming airs lately played in public on
the concertina by the two accomplished young Swiss
artistes, Mdlles. Eúgénie and Josephine Lachenal.
The concertina was the specialty of a con-
cert recently given at the Acton Lecture Hall
by Madame and Mdlle. Piedra; and at another held
by Mr. Mason (an expert young violinist), at Barns-
bury Hall.  Themselves practised musicians, Madame
and Mdlle Piedra performed with no little skill;
and the facile manipulation exhibited by the latter
and by Mdlle. Josephine Lachenal, in a duet from
“Les Huguenots,” deserves recognition as examples
of mastery over a difficult instrument.  Whether
playing solos or duets, Mdlles. Lachenal show a
marked talent for eliciting the sweetest notes of the
concertina, which we yet hope to see more popular as
a musical instrument.

 

Notes

1 Lachenal family information and dates are taken from Stephen Chambers, Louis Lachenal: "Engineer and Concertina Manufacturer" (Part 1), published in The Free-Reed Journal, Vol. 1 (1999), pp. 7-18. [ Back to text ]

2 This view of the manufacturing history was first presented in Stephen Chambers, Some Notes on Lachenal Concertina Production and Serial Numbers, published in PICA [Papers of the International Concertina Association], Vol. 1 (2004), pp. 3-23. [ Back to text ]

3 The Scotsman’s review of 23 October 1865 was quoted in part in W. Cawdell, A Short Account of the English Concertina, London, 1865, p. 23. This quotation was astutely noted by Randall C. Merris, who also provided me with a copy of Cawdell’s booklet. In an Appendix to the booklet, Cawdell reprints a letter to the editor of the South Hackney Correspondent, mentioning “the Mlles Lachenal whose Concert was noticed in your number of the 17th June.” He refers to the concert at Islington on page 15, and describes seeing the "group of young ladies in a magic semicircle practising selections on several Concertinas" on page 17. It is likely that Cawdell saw the sisters play in London, rather than in Edinburgh. [ Back to text ]

4 For additional information about the Lachenal sisters, see Faye Debenham and Randall C. Merris, "Marie Lachenal: Concertinist", PICA [Papers of the International Concertina Association], Vol. 2 (2005), pp. 1–17, which presents new genealogical and photographic information about the later family life of Marie Lachenal, oldest of the Lachenal sisters, as the wife of Edwin Debenham. [ Back to text ]


Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh (1829)
(Drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd,
engraved by A. McClatchie, 1829)

Assembly Rooms (Music Hall),
George Street, Edinburgh,
where the Lachenal sisters
performed 1865-1866.

Links to related documents

merris-marie-lachenal Marie Lachenal: Concertinist
by Faye Debenham and Randall C. Merris
New photographs, genealogical data, and information about Marie Lachenal, eldest of Louis Lachenal’s daughters, and about her family life as the wife of the photographer Edwin Debenham. First published in PICA [Papers of the International Concertina Association], Vol. 2 (2005), pp. 1–17. The web version adds large colour photographs and additional information which has been discovered since the text went to print.
Posted 15 November 2005
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marie-lachenal-announcement Marie Lachenal Announcement (c. 1900)
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Announcement advertising the availability of Marie Lachenal for performances and lessons, with numerous press clippings listed. Discussed in Faye Debenham and Randall C. Merris, "Marie Lachenal: Concertinist".
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chambers-lachenal-part1 Louis Lachenal: "Engineer and Concertina Manufacturer" (Part 1)
by Stephen Chambers
Discussion of the sources of information available about Louis Lachenal, his early career and immigration to England, and his involvement with the design and manufacturing engineering of Wheatstone & Co. concertinas up to the year 1848. As published in The Free-Reed Journal, Vol. 1 (1999), pp. 7-18. There is also a scanned copy of the original publication in PDF format.
Posted 15 January 2004
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chambers-lachenal-production Some Notes on Lachenal Concertina Production and Serial Numbers
by Stephen Chambers
New evidence for the role played by Louis Lachenal in the early manufacturing history of C. Wheatstone & Co., and some points of reference to use in seeking to date Lachenal concertinas. As published in PICA [Papers of the International Concertina Association], Vol. 1 (2004), pp. 3-23. Better-quality colour photographs from the author's originals have been substituted for those originally published.
Posted 01 January 2005
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cawdell-a-short-account-trans A Short Account of the English Concertina, … by W. Cawdell (1865)
by Robert Gaskins
A full transcription of the booklet published by William Cawdell in 1865 in which he attempts to recommend all the advantages of the new English Concertina providing some history, some opinions about contemporary performers, and some record of press reaction to the instrument. Allan Atlas has provided two contemporary reviews of Cawdell’s efforts. This transcription is based on two copies of the booklet, one in the New York Public Library (“1865”) and the other in the British Library (“1866”). These appear to be two printings of the same type with an altered title page. Links are provided to PDF scanned versions of both original documents.
Posted 15 January 2005; updated 15 September 2005
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» 1865 (N. Y. Public Library), full document in PDF
» 1866: (British Library), full document in PDF
blagrove-homepage Richard Blagrove
Directory
Concertina Library directory of all information on this website about Richard Blagrove.
Posted 15 November 2005
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atlas-ladies Ladies in the Wheatstone Ledgers: the Gendered Concertina in Victorian England, 1835–1870
by Allan W. Atlas
This study looks at the 978 women for whom there are 1,769 transactions—about 12% of the total—recorded in nine extant Wheatstone & Co. sales ledgers that list the firm’s day-to-day sales from April 1835 to May 1870. It is in two parts: (1) an Introduction, which analyses the data presented in the Inventory from a demographic-sociological point of view and places Wheatstone’s commerce with women into the context of its business activity as a whole; and (2) the Inventory (with three appendices), which lists every transaction for each of the 978 women, identifies as many of them as possible, and offers a miscellany of comments about both the women and the transactions. Royal Musical Association Research Chronicle v. 39 (2006). 239 pages. Briefly, the roster of Wheatstone’s female customers reads like a list of Victorian England’s rich-and-famous: the Duchess of Wellington and 146 other members of the titled aristocracy (more than twice as many as their male counterparts), the fabulously wealthy philanthropist Angela Burdett Coutts, members of the landed gentry, and such mainstays of London’s musical life as the guitarist Madame R. Sidney Pratten, the organist Elizabeth Mounsey, and the contralto Helen Charlotte Dolby, as well as a large number of Professors of Concertina.
Posted 21 March 2007
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scotsman-digital-archives The Scotsman Digital Archive
The Scotsman Newspaper, Edinburgh
Complete digitized archives from 25 January 1817 to 1950.
Posted 01 January 2005
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