Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Janko Keyboard and the Bayan (Chromatic Button Accordion)

I'd like to invite folks to see a new video podcast that i just posted on my site at <a href="http://hughsung.com">www.hughsung.com</a> - it features an interview with Bayanist Lidia Kaminska. The Bayan is also known as a Chromatic Button Accordion, and thanks to its compact keyboard system enables the player to have a full 5-octave range in each hand!
Here's my question: does anyone here have access to a Janko keyboard? This turn-of-the century piano was invented by a clever mathematician who tried to come up with a keyboard system to 'solve' some technical difficulties. It never took off, but upon working with Lidia i find a striking similarity between the Bayan's keyboard system and the old Janko piano, and would love to have an up-close look at the Janko for a more detailed study. Your leads and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Oh, and i hope you enjoy the video too!
All the best,
Hugh Sung

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BTW, PianoWorld here has an excellent article on the Janko Keyboard, which you can read here:
<a href="https://www.pianoworld.com/fun/janko.htm">https://www.pianoworld.com/fun/janko.htm</a>
The article has some great pictures of Janko pianos, like this one here:
<img src="https://www.pianoworld.com/images/Janko_Grand.jpg" hspace="10" vspace="10">

Thanks, PianoWorld!
Best,
Hugh Sung

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After seeing the picture of one, I can see why it "never took off." I suspect it was a nightmare to tune, too.

The Janko keyboard was essentially just a six-six keyboard, alternating tiers of C-D-E-F#-G#-A# and C#-D#-F-G-A-B, as opposed to the standard seven-five keyboard. The weight of the keys made it heavy and sluggish to play, and the uniformity made it difficult to orient oneself on by feel. It requires a different technique, but tuning would be pretty much the same as any other piano.

Here's a picture of the Bayan on its side - the keyboard layout is strikingly similar to the Janko Keyboard's, don't you think?
<img src="http://hughsung.com/images/bayanside.JPG" hspace="10" vspace="10"
While this design didn't work for pianists, it obviously works for classical accordionists...maybe it's just the tech geek in me, but i'd love to play around with one of these keyboards just for fun!
Hugh Sung

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I am not certain what the arrangement of keys is on the accordian, but it could not be the same as the Janko, which has the same black and white keys per octave as the standard keyboard, grouped in the same ways. That cannot be the case on the accordian.

Hm! Thanks for pointing that out! I didn't realize that subtle difference - nevertheless, it's still pretty impressive that one can fit a full 5 octave keyboard into such a compact space for one hand, don't you think?
Hugh Sung

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A six-six keyboard is also narrower than a seven-five.

Perhaps you should discuss the accordian keyboard with someone in the accordian department at Curtis!

If Dr. Kaminska has her way, there may very well be one someday! Thanks so much for your insights into the Janko keyboard - have you ever seen one 'in person' yourself?
Hugh Sung

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I think I may have seen one at the Smithsonian. There was an article in Keyboard Player (?) magazine perhaps 20 years ago about someone who was making a modern one, with only 4 tiers instead of 6. That had a pretty good description of the keyboard and its use.

I first learned of the Janko keyboard from Dolge's "Pianos and their Makers" many years ago.

Aside from the obvious technique changes a pianist would have to make, it seems an improvement. I mean, 3 octave leaps now available without moving!

It seems to me that the technique aspect must be the main problem for pianists, unless there are other performance problems with this action. (I have never seen one live)

Accordianists really didn't have to change technique to play the Bayan. Is that why it is a successful improvement for them?