Accordion

The accordion was only invented in the 19th century and as such is the newest of the ‘traditional’ Scottish instruments. It was taken up enthusiastically by many European musical communities and entrenched itself firmly in the Scottish musical tradition by way of the ‘bothy band’ – a group of musicians comprised of agricultural workers all living in accommodation provided by their employer, who would entertain themselves and other residents of the neighbourhood by playing music at evening gatherings, or ‘bothy nichts’. It has been suggested that the accordion’s popularity was derived from the fact that it was loud enough to make itself heard in crowded rooms full of rowdy dancers, and also that playing it did not inhibit the musician from singing and beating out a rhythm with their feet simultaneously. Nowadays accordions form part of many ceilidh bands and other traditional music groups.