The Boston School of Harpsichord Building was more than just a craft or business; it was truly an art and philosophy. Founded in the late 1940s by William Dowd and Frank Hubbard, and joined by Eric Herz several years later, thesethree pioneers set out to build harpsichords in the styles of the great makers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They succeeded, perhaps beyond their wildest dream, and over a period of fifty years produced more than 1,000 instruments, effectively transforming the harpsichord landscape in America and throughout much of the world.

This book tells the story of these pioneers in the words of the people who lived it: their apprentices. These men and women worked in the Dowd, Herz and Hubbard shops, learned how to build a harpsichord from them, and shared their philosophy and passion for the instrument. Many would go on to become distinguished builders in their ownright, continuing in the tradition of their masters. Each has a unique and personal perspective on one of the most dynamic periods in the history of harpsichord making.

MARK KROLL's distinguished career as a performer,scholar and educator spans a period of more than fifty years. He has published six books and numerous chapters, articles, and scholarly editions, and performed worldwide as a harpsichordist and fortepianist. Kroll's recordings include repertoire from the seventeenth to twenty-first centuries, including the complete pieces de clavecin of Francois Couperin for Centaur Records. As an educator, Kroll has taught and lectured on four continents, and is Professor emeritus at Boston University, where he served for twenty-five years as Professor and Chair of the Department of Historical Performance.