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Lame God
Lame God (1991)
Q – What is the difference between an accordeon and a trampoline?
A – You don’t have to take your shoes off to jump on an accordeon.
Such is the general response to the accordeon; the spelling denotes the free-bass system that frees the left hand from harmonic restriction. Whereas other instruments (perhaps one string instrument in particular) can easily withstand such jocular attacks, the accordeon seems at times predestined to be constantly active in a struggle against the misinformed “anti-squeeze -box” mentality.
Shame, really.
The concert hall situation concerning the accordeon led me to mythological analogies. Vulcan could have been a very powerful god but because of his limp he was deemed unsuitable for a true position of power and was relegated to the bellows and flames, forging the weapons which made the other gods all the more powerful. In Lame God, whilst slowly and painfully forging the weapons, he dreams of dancing and eventually tries, not very successfully. The effort is tiring and as sleep ensues the real dream-dance begins as he transforms through flight and fantasy. He does, however, eventually wake up.
More power to accordeonists in the pursuit of even more repertoire.
Lame God was commissioned by the Park Lane Group with funding from the London Arts Board and was premiered at the Purcell Room by James Crabbe.
Instrumentation
solo accordeon
First performance
James Crabbe Purcell Room January 1991