sfmans,
A linguistic conflict to a part maybe? With "fundamentally" I meant that it IS so constructed that - despite its polyphonic technical, organologic, status - "it is *suited* for melody playing and NOT..."

(Being strict in your own objection do you not contradict yourself when counting uilleann pipes to the "polyphonic" category??)

"Yes the EC is suited to melody-playing - well spotted. It is also well suited to 'independent' accompaniment, within the limitations.."

RE: Hmm..I can not agree.It can not be ideal ( = "well") for both and its limitations for independent accompaniment are so overwhelming that it becomes a cripple in that respect as I see it. As I said - by smart picking of tunes and clever arrangement it is by exception possible to do good music that yet might be a lot better performed on an Anglo or a Duet.

"Another minor point is that if you think the violin is monophonic you needs to get to hear a few more violinists, from Seth Lakeman to Itzhak Perlman".

RE:You are right of course, strictly speaking, but have you heard them play a march, waltz or a foxtrot with *independent* accompaniment?

"I still don't see the problem, by which I mean that I still remain utterly unconvinced that there is a problem to be 'solved' here..."

RE: OK, let me try to explain - if we just stick to the a)"fingering" issue now and leave b)"bellowsing" and c)"holding" aside for the moment we got this problem ( there are a few more !) :

Ideally for working on a keyboard the hand has to be entirely free, as with the typewriter/computer, piano, calculator, telephone etc
Only the 1st finger can (by anatomical causes) work independently of the other fingers.2nd finger is fairly independent too.The 4th nearly as capable as the 1st disregarding its handicap from shortness.The 3rd finger is the least independent of them all.

This has some consequences:
- 1st and 2nd can do a pretty good job together (just as C Wheatstone seemingly intended)on 1st and 2nd row only
- If 4th is tied up at the finger rest or touching the end plate all action by the 3rd is obstructed
- If the 4th is occupied holding the instrument some way the crampful effort will obstruct the action of all fingers
- Even if the 4th is not active hitting buttons it better be "in the air" , following the other fingers passively
- If all fingers are in the air we better decide whether the 1st is working firstly on 1st row or on 2nd row ( this is depending a lot on the key, number of sharps and flats)

Summing up so far: Using the finger rest or not IS a major problem to tackle with the English concertina and I would say NOT - Get rid of it !