Sally Thomas
Sally grew up in a family surrounded by music. She learned to play the flute while at school and was immersed in the world of classical music for many years, playing in a number of orchestras and ensembles. Moving to Scotland in her late teens she discovered Scottish and Irish traditional music. While continuing to play as a classical flautist, she was also part of a number of folk bands and ensembles in and around Edinburgh, including the Nine Tailors Ceilidh Band and the folk band Welcome the Stranger.
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Seeking new and different musical adventures Sally explored song writing and the English concertina – although not at the same time! The song writing was fun and she was one of the winners of the inaugural Burnsong contemporary songwriting competition. But it was the English concertina which stole her heart and led to a fascination with the joy and delight of English folk music.
As well as her musical partnership with Judy, Sally still plays classical and folk music on the flute, leads the Haddington Fiddles, plays with the folk band Soutra, and is one of the regular musicians for Rag Bag Morris in Northumberland.
English Concertina (made by Charles Wheatstone)
The English concertina is a member of the concertina ‘family’ of instruments, all of which have free-reeds and are bellows blown. It was invented by Charles Wheatstone who took out his first patent for the instrument in 1829.
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Charles Wheatstone is better known as an eminent physicist and member of the Royal Society. However, he also had a lifelong interest in music, and in musical instruments. The inclusion of ‘English’ in the name of the instrument signifies the type of fingering system used. In the 1820’s and 30’s similar free-reed instruments were being developed in Germany. These German instruments had a different fingering system and were known as ‘Anglo-German’ concertinas (now called Anglo concertinas).
The English concertina is fully chromatic and has the same has the same range as a violin. The buttons are arranged in four rows on each side of the instrument. Each button produces a single note which is same on both the push and pull of the bellows.
The English concertina was originally developed as a classical instrument, although the classical repertoire is seldom played these days. By the 1860’s and 70’s the instrument was used extensively by music hall performers, and by the Salvation Army. The English concertina’s popularity continued into the early 20th Century. But by the 1940’s and 50’s it was beginning to slip into obscurity. Its renaissance came in the 1960’s as part of the English folk revival. It continues to be a popular instrument for folk musicians who value its versatility either as a solo instrument or to accompany song.
There are a small number of English concertina makers today, all of whom make high quality instruments. Many players favour a restored instrument, made either by Wheatstone, or one of the other manufacturers of the 19th and early 20th century. Find out more at the International Concertina Association.
Sally plays a 48-key English treble concertina made by Charles Wheatstone and Company in 1925.
Judy Barker & Sally Thomas 