The Birth of a Russian HandPan

Over the last month or so (at time of writing) we’ve seen uploaded, and shared some truly amazing HandPan videos. From beautiful demonstrations of newer pans such as the Innersound / Blue Point Steel Harp, through to the truly epic Hang and HandPan comparison video
However, few, if any, are as mind-blowingly awesome, as the video uploaded by YouTube user ‘Yolemafreux’ the 25 minute plus video entitled ‘Birth of a Russian HandPan’.

Birth of a Russian HandPan, was recorded during Yolemafreux’s visit to Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he went to collect his Victor Levinson made HandPan, commonly known as the ‘SPB’ (though Victor himself neither uses this name, nor the generic name of HandPan to describe his ‘instruments’). And the video is, essentially, an approximately complete, start-to-finish documentary recording, of the building of one of Victor's pans.

From entering the workshop doors
, and the forming of the shell, through the various stages of tuning, until finally we see Victor giving the final once over to what is either a completed, or all but, ‘Victor Levinson special’. A steel shell imbued with a choir of Angels. Ready for some Russia-bound HandPan fanatic to come and collect.

You can watch the video either embedded above, or you can click HERE to watch it in all of its full-screen glory over at YouTube.

So big thanks to Yolemafreux for sharing this amazing video, and big thanks to Victor, for allowing a camera into his workshop, to record for the benefit, and interest of others, the sort of video, that some other makers would vigorously guard against.  We salute you! :)
© HandPans Magazine