John Coltrane, one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, used Selmer saxophones in his performances. He recorded his magnum opus, “A Love Supreme,” on a Mark VI. One of his Mark VI tenor saxophones is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Musicians are willing to pay for a Selmer for a variety of reasons: the familiar sound, the history behind the brand, the craftsmanship and attention to detail, and the playability.
Nazih Ghadban is one of the few remaining makers of the oud instrument. He’s handcrafted them at his small Lebanese village since 1976.
The oud is a short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped stringed instrument, usually with 11 strings grouped in 6 courses, but some models have 5 or 7 courses, with 10 or 13 strings respectively. The oud is very similar to modern lutes, and also to Western lutes.
When you visit a stately home like Holdenby, you expect the pomp, the glamor, the sense of history. Less expected, perhaps, is a museum for some of the rarest musical instruments around.
Holdenby House is a historic country house in Northamptonshire, traditionally pronounced, and sometimes spelt, Holmby. The house is situated in the parish of Holdenby, six miles northwest of Northampton and close to Althorp. It is a Grade II* listed building.
From An American Aristocrat’s Guide to Great Estates: https://bit.ly/2YK7Yn4
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