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Acoustic music is the most difficult music. Building musical
instruments from the ground up is an expression of freedom and,
therefore, an expression of imagination. Nothing about this art
is hewn in stone. The creative builder examines all aspects of
musical instrument construction, and on a case-by-case basis
decides which traditions to keep, and which to throw out.
I build because the tunings and timbres I want to hear
do not exist on store shelves. Robinson Crusoe built because he
had no choice. And yet, his creations also had no critics, and
so his imagination became his life. Often when I hike through
forests or climb mountains, I am reminded that only man knows
what time it is. When I enter Crusoe’s world, or when in
building an instrument time ceases to exist, I live with the
knowledge that success is only a function of thought, work, and
patience.
The desire for perfection is the juggernaut of
creativity. All my instruments are flawed. A bar
may not ring as long as another bar; a canon bridge may be too
high or too low; or a tone hole may be too wide or too narrow.
I know where all the flaws are, and could find many more.
But what is the point? The only thing that matters is to build
and to make a music that is sustainable in time. I was
born a musician, and have built musical instruments since 1975.
In the words of Walt Whitman (1819–1892), “I . . . begin,
hoping to cease not till death.”
I also hope that these instruments will inspire others to think
critically about acoustic music, and perhaps to build an
original instrument or two. One of the happiest moments of my
life is to finish a project, step back, and declare in a state
of complete surprise, “I’d like to meet the person who built
this instrument.”
We
are pleased to announce the release of our A VOYAGE IN MUSIC. A film by Eli Noyes and Heidi Forster.
This film is a retrospective of Cris
Forster’s work over the past thirty years. It presents an
overview of the creative life of this prolific musical
instrument builder, writer, composer, and performer, and
features insightful interviews with Mr. Forster and Chrysalis
Ensemble musicians. The documentary also includes detailed
chapters on all seven unique instruments with performance
excerpts, descriptions of all the music he has composed to
date, and a discussion of his book, Musical Mathematics. The film is a lively mix of history, theory,
philosophy, and thoughtful commentary on the field of acoustic
music.
A Voyage in Music, a film by Eli Noyes and Heidi Forster.
DVD: $10.00.
Shipping and handling (in the U.S.): $5.00.
The
Chrysalis Foundation
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