National Army Museum in Waiouru, New Zealand
Popular accordionist/vocalist Lionel Reekie made this discovery during a recent visit to the National Army Museum in Waiouru, New Zealand.
The Pope’s Piano Accordion is part of the National Army Museum because Pope Pius XII gave two piano accordions to each Prisoner of War (POW) Camp in Italy in 1942. The two accordions were used to accompany sing-songs which were held to break the monotony of camp life. This accordion is 1 of the 2 piano accordions gifted by the late Pope Pius XII to POW Camp 107 near Udine in Italy.
Accordions during WWII were very popular with the New Zealand troops in Italy and a number of accordions were bought back to NZ after the war ended. One trooper musician, George Hyde, purchased an accordion while in Italy and after the war when he returned to NZ he became an accordion teacher until near the time of his passing in 1990. The editor of our Weekly News Christine Johnstone began lessons with George Hyde when she was 7 years of age.
Below is the picture of George Hyde in Italy, circa 24 Apr 1944
Segment about George Hyde in the book, The History of the Accordion in New Zealand by Wallace Liggett sponsored by the New Zealand Accordion Association Inc. (NZAA).
GEORGE HYDE NZAATC
George Hyde comes from English stock on his father’s side and from an Irish mother. His father was a concertina player of repute in England, and so it is not surprising that George, after learning several instruments including the tenor horn and violin, eventually took up the accordion. In his younger years George moved about, living in Dunedin and Balclutha where he was a member of local brass bands. It was while at Balclutha that he learned the violin. After the death of his mother he decided to return to Canterbury to be with his family. During the short time he spent there before getting the wanderlust again, he joined the Ashburton Orphians Orchestra. George then moved to Matamata in the North Island, by which time he had purchased an Alvari accordion.
One evening, after he had played for a dance, George was on his way home to the farm where he worked when a large white shape confronted him. George threw down his violin and fled. On returning the following morning to retrieve the violin, which he readily located, he noted a large white bullock quietly chewing its cud as it rested near the place he had met the white “apparition”.
Ossie Cheesman was a frequent visitor to Matamata at that time and he often borrowed George’s accordion. A number of well known identities of the music world often accompanied Ossie and George enjoyed their company.
Then came the war, George enlisted and was promptly posted to the brass band. He was soon sent overseas where he eventually ended up in the NZ Brass Band. While in Italy, he met a number of accordion personalities including one of the top concert players of the time, Angelo Vhargi. He met a number of accordion manufacturers and repairers including Paolini Soprani the son of the accordion manufacturer of that name. While in Italy he purchased an accordion which he used to bring back a German hand gun he had risked his life to acquire.
After a great welcome home, George moved north where for some time he worked at fishing and bus driving. He learned to play a chromatic accordion which he used at dances, the practice nearly driving his wife “mad”. After some time George moved to Auckland where he worked for Sydney Eady (music shop), engaged in the repairing of musical instruments.
One of his strongest memories is of the visit of the Hohner Accordion Symphony which came to NZ in 1957 and was a source of inspiration to many NZ accordionists. George became a teacher of the instrument and also specialised in playing jigs and reels for dances.
When he moved to Henderson, where he taught accordion, he also participated with a Yugoslav instrumental group. At this time his students achieved a number of successes at the NZFOA competitions held in Wellington. George also formed and directed the Southern Cross Accordion Orchestra which achieved a number of successes at these competitions. Several members of this orchestra, notably Wayne Lance and Judith Lincoln have achieved considerable prominence on the accordion.
After fourteen years at Henderson, George’s wife, Mary, wished to return home to the far north as she feared her life was fast running out. They moved north staying there for several years until she passed away. George then moved back to Auckland and finally to Hamilton to be near his sons. There he resided, retaining what interest his health allowed in accordion activities until he passed away in 1990 shortly after this was written.
