Over 70 years ago, the first and to date only professional German accordion orchestra was founded in Trossingen, the location of the Hohner company.
The conductor Rudolf Würthner had previously played in the legendary Schittenhelm Orchestra and attempted to found his own ensemble immediately after the end of the war.
This proved to be extremely difficult, as there were already three ensembles in Trossingen – until Hohner decided to establish its own professional orchestra: Hohner Accordion Symphony Orchestre.
The probably oldest surviving photograph, 1948
Its members were employed by Hohner as professional musicians. Their aim was to establish Hohner accordions in the major concert halls at home and abroad and to premiere sophisticated original compositions.
The conductor Rudolf Würthner, who was also a talented soloist and composer, arranged numerous works from the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods for accordion orchestra and caused a sensation with his musicians in concert halls around the world.