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Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie
In the 1960s, a strange contraption helped shape the music of the Beatles and the Beach Boys. In the ‘70s, it defined progressive rock. Today: the story of the Mellotron. And: what the Live Nation-Tickemaster merger means for music fans. Later: conductor Leon Botstein sheds light on the work of composer Henry Cowell.
Fifty Years of Mellodrama
The world's first sampler might be the Mellotron, a keyboard that plays recordings of real instruments like violins and pianos. Born in the 1960s as a parlor instrument, it can be heard on recordings ranging from The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” to Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.” We hear the story ...
Meet the New Boss...
A Justice Department ruling has cleared the way for concert-industry giants Ticketmaster and Live Nation to merge. The new company, Live Nation Entertainment, stands to reshape the entertainment business. New York Times music reporter Ben Sisario joins us to explain what the deal means for music fans.
Another Look at Henry Cowell
Conductor and musicologist Leon Botstein has made a specialty of tracking down forgotten gems in music. His latest venture focuses on the music of Henry Cowell, a revolutionary composer who helped create a modernist American music. Botstein talks about the neglect of Cowell’s work, his life as president of Bard ...
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