How was the unprecedented success story of the accordion in art music in Finland developed? In this book, the author professor Matti Rantanen describes its baackground, development and present status in musical life.

What happened before the accordion was accepted into the Sibelius Academy? What are the roots of Finnish classical accordion music and which factors have influenced from the 1920's until the 2000's. What has been the general attitude towards the accordion and how is its musical value appreciated? How did the accordion find its way to becoming one of the central points of contemporary music in Finland?

The new original music compposed for the accordion has been a focal point of the development. Composers like Magnus Lindberg, Jukka Tiensuu, Jouni Kaipainen, Aulis Sallinen, Einojuhani Rautavaara and many others have created new literature, which has been essential in this evolution.

The author of this book, professor Matti Rantanen, has been a central person of this unique cultural period of the accordion for 50 years - as a musician, pedagogua and general advocate of his instrument.