Building the instrument is hard enough. Turning a profit is a killer. But Jim Phelan is bent on reviving one of the great names in classical music.
Category: Musical Instruments
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In the Path of a Raging Wildfire, a Luthier’s Precious Wood
Mario Miralles spent decades acquiring the spruce and maple for string instruments worthy of Yo-Yo Ma and Gustavo Dudamel. Then he was forced to evacuate.
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Gary Graffman, Piano Virtuoso and Renowned Teacher, Dies at 97
Mr. Graffman was a onetime child prodigy whose career was curtailed by a neurological condition that restricted him to his left hand.
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The Beguiling, Misunderstood Theremin
Invented by accident in the 1920s, the unusual electronic instrument is hard to master but offers an enticing reward: freedom.
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Anthony Jackson, Master of the Electric Bass, Is Dead at 73
Besides his work with pop stars and jazz greats, he is credited with helping to invent the six-string contrabass guitar.
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Trinity Church’s New Organ in Manhattan Is Shaking the Pews
Trinity’s organ was destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks. At last, its replacement has been unveiled. Hear the sound of its 8,041 pipes.
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Hermeto Pascoal, Prolific Brazilian Composer, Dies at 89
A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, he rose from a childhood of rural privation to become a favorite of jazz musicians and audiences around the world.
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Jane Austen Loved Music. What Was on Her Playlist?
The novelist’s sheet music collection reveals new perspectives on her life and work.
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At Tanglewood, Making Classical Music Normal for Children
In recent years, Tanglewood has become visibly more welcoming to its youngest audiences. Just ask this critic’s three kids.
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How ‘Sleng Teng’ Spurred Reggae’s Digital Era
A new reissue marks the 40th anniversary of “Under Me Sleng Teng,” considered one of dancehall’s first digital songs and, with over 500 versions, among the most recycled.
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Gary Karr, Virtuoso Who Elevated the Double-Bass, Dies at 83
He made the cumbersome bass soar, sing and leap, and became one of few bassists in history to successfully pursue a career outside an orchestra.
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Hunter Noack and His Piano Have Reached the Mountaintop
The classical pianist Hunter Noack has embarked on an unusual journey, to take his music to natural landscapes well beyond the concert halls.