The Master Player – Alf Radunz

Alf Radunz (1910-1996) was arguably the greatest button accordian player in Queensland. Fifteen out of his sixteen brothers and sisters could play an instrument- the other could only play the gramophone! Alf grew up in the Coolabunia district, just outside Kingaroy, in southeast Queensland. This area was settled by both German and Scandinavian farming immigrants in the early years of this Century. Both migrant groups were very musical peoples and it is little wonder then that this area saw the rise of many of the most accomplished button accordian musicians Queensland has known.

Even today, people talk of Carl Piglich and the Radunz, Dahms, Pokarier, Fleischfresser, Fechner musical dynasties with great respect and all the old folk used to tell me ‘if only you could have heard them!’. Alf learnt many of his wonderful tunes from his older brothers (and sisters) – who had their own family brass band! As a young man Alf with his twin brother Otto entered in the Kingaroy Eisteddfodd in which Alf took the Gold Medal with his remarkable button accordian playing.

Until the few months before he passed away, Alf was still was the master of double-row, cross-rowing playing – the technique adopted and developed by the German-Queensland accordion players, which was very similar to central and northern European accordion instrumental style and technique.

Over a period of ten years numerous recordings were made of Alf’s large and unique repertoire, videos were made of his wonderful playing style and he became a close family friend. Any holiday trip to nearby Hervey Bay was not complete without a number of visits to Alf in his lovely old Queenslander in Sussex Street, Maryborough. We never went home without a bottle of his delicious mulberry jam. When he passed away in 1996 I realised that an amazing era had suddenly come to an abrupt halt. Alf had composed many of his own tunes – with names such as the ‘Guy Fawkes Polka’, a waltz with the title, ‘Moonlight on the Water’ and many un-named waltzes, set tunes, barn dances and other dance tunes.

Some of his most beautiful tunes were learnt from the playing of the local immigrant accordion player Carl Piglich, who lived in the Burnett district for many years when Alf was growing up. His immense repertoire was a mix of popular, German-derived dance tunes from the Burnett district and his own compositions – perhaps over 200 tunes in all! Many of his wonderful tunes and his masterful playing technique will never be lost – as the many hours of recordings have been lodged with the National Library of Australia (NLA) in Canberra. Some of the recordings are featured on this website, but many more can be listened to via the resources of the NLA.

Alf’s style and that of his brothers was heavily influenced by the playing of Carl Piglich. An immigrant from Slovenia who arrived in the Kingaroy area before the First World War, Piglich brought many lovely tunes from his homeland which the local musicians added to their extensive repertoires. It is said that Carl arrived with only an accordian in a hessian sack. Alf played us a haunting waltz which he referred to as Piglich’s.

Much later on, I was fortunate enough to obtain tapes made by Bobby Dahms of the best players of the day, including Carl Piglich and Billy Fechner. Piglich’s style was reminiscent of older Slovene steirische accordian players Mark has heard. He lived until the ripe old age of 103 but was no longer playing.

‘Masters at Work’ – Alf on the left, with twin brother Otto on the right. Photograph taken during the Booie Hall reunion in the late 1960s.

Otto Radunz, Alf’s twin brother, was a remarkable accordian player as well. Those who knew him could not decide whether he or Alf was the better player. Tapes we have heard of Otto’s playing show that he was a fluid dance player with a quick bass rhythm. Like Alf he composed his own tunes including beautiful waltzes. Otto and Alf played together for many events, including dances, Radunz family reunions and the Booie hall jubilee in the late 60’s when they featured in the Sunday Mail Magazine.