By David L. James

Time magazine called him the “high priest” of the harpsichord, Wynton Marsalis said he is the “high priest” of Bach, but choir members and parishioners at St. Matthew’s Church in Bedford, N.Y., just call him Tony.

Anthony Newman has made more than 150 recordings, performed more than 70 times as a soloist at Lincoln Center, and travels the world to perform and record with the greatest orchestras and artists that have included Kathleen Battle, Itzhak Perlman, Jean-Pierre Rampal and Leonard Bernstein.

His growing list of compositions is no less impressive. His Variations and Fugue on Bach was reviewed in Holland by The Hague Times: “As convincing a work on the Bach as is the great work of Liszt.” New York’s classical music radio station, WQXR, wrote in its review of his Oratorio, “I have no doubt that the Oratorio will become part of our timeless musical literature.” His compositions have been heard in world capitals such as Paris, Budapest, Singapore and London, as well as many smaller cities.

This musical giant is a physically small, humble and quiet man who defers without question to the liturgical leadership of his rector. The Rev. Terry Elsberry, rector of St. Matthew’s, where Mr. Newman is the organist and music director, said recently, “that working with Anthony Newman is one of the greatest joys of my 25-year ministry. Not only are the hymns played at the most lively pace I’ve ever known, but his brilliance lifts our worship services above the norm for a church our size.”

Each week his postludes are met by applause from a portion of the congregation who linger to listen to a mini-concert (usually Bach) played on the 20-rank Stephen Russell Organ which fills the old colonial church. As the musical director of the Bedford Chamber Concerts held in the parish house, Mr. Newman’s selection of less frequently performed pieces and unique programs are played to sellout crowds each season. Each standing ovation is met by a kind of “aw shucks” surprise.

Digital Audio & Compact Disc Review said of his J.S. Bach Preludes and Fugues: “…Anthony Newman rolls even Bach’s most difficult works off his fingers and beneath his feet as if he were born to it,” and in a way he was. His mother played the piano at home, and as a child prodigy he learned to read music before he learned to read words.

Born in Los Angeles, Mr. Newman attended Roman Catholic schools and began playing church organs by the age of 10. He went to Paris to attend college and studied with Alfred Cortot and Pierre Cochereau, the organist of Notre Dame Cathedral. Later he received earned degrees from Mannes College of Music in New York, Harvard University and Boston University.

In 1968, the 27-year-old Mr. Newman was the only harpsichordist ever to even win The Young Artist Concert Award and the first musician to make his Carnegie Hall debut on a pedal harpsichord in the same year. In 1969, he became the youngest full-time faculty member at the Juilliard School.

Like many people who have risen to the pinnacle of their professions, Anthony Newman wants to give something back. This passion is illustrated in an article, “On the Healing Power of Music,” from the book Anthony Newman, Music, Energy, Spirit, Healing (Scarecrow Press, 2001):

“The therapeutic benefits of music are well known and extensively documented. For instance, almost all forms of pain are lessened by the patient listening to their favorite music which enhances the production of endorphins, the body’s own pain relievers. Music acts as a re-enforcer for positive emotions and can reduce hypertension, depression and feelings of loneliness. Producing music, however, has even greater benefits.”

Mr. Newman credits music with healing the wounds of his difficult childhood, and believes that early musical training will not only produce more artists but will equip youngsters with valuable tools for coping with life. He points out that in Europe, educators believe that all students are capable of a certain proficiency in the arts. Art and music are core curriculum courses, not electives for a few gifted students. “You don’t have to be a prodigy to benefit from musical training,” he says.

Most music curricula and music schools for children focus almost exclusively on immediate musical achievement. What Mr. Newman would like to do is to create a school that not only trains children for musical accomplishment, but also emphasizes the therapeutic benefits of musical training.

He is a firm believer in the concept of toning, the theory that the physical body is “tuned” to a specific set of vibrations, although each person’s pitch is different. When that tone is sounded, a sense of well being is enhanced and the healing benefits of music are optimized. He envisions helping children learn early in life what their own note is and to teach students how to breathe, clear the mind, and focus for their physical and emotional health.

Planning for such a school is in the early stages, and Mr. Newman is aware of what a formidable task it is. “It’s an enormous undertaking,” he says, “but to be able to produce music oneself is to be able to contribute significantly to one’s healing and well being throughout life. What could be more important than that? o

David L. James is a resident of Mt. Kisco, N.Y.

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