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Emma MacLennan had her late son Alex’s treasured Cretan lyra restored in the latest episode of The Repair Shop.
Alex, whose grandmother was from Crete, immersed himself in the island’s culture from childhood and taught himself how to play the lyra, treasuring the instrument up until motor neurone disease ended his ability to perform.
Tragically, Alex passed away at the age of just 31, and the lyra holds huge emotional significance for the family.
Speaking to instrument repairer Luthier Becky Houghton during the episode, MacLennan said of the instrument: “It was my son Alex’s, and it was something that Alex loved.”
She continued: “My mother was from Crete and Alex had been going since he was a small child. Alex spoke the Cretan dialect, and he just loved the music. So, he was keen to learn to play and that’s why in 2013 he ordered this and taught himself.”
“I’m hugely proud of him, he was a real people person anyway. He got to know people in every walk of life including some shepherds from the mountains going up to the sheep shearing, there’s music and there’s food and drink and it’s really quite an experience.”
She added: “He played it until 2019, when he could no longer play it because he developed Motor Neurone disease. He lost the ability to use his hands; he couldn’t walk so he had to stop playing. It’s inevitably fatal but Alex was 31 when we lost him. We lost him in 2020. He played it as long as he had the ability to play. Which is why it’s quite an important item for our family.”
Now, the lyra is in MacLennan’s home and “waiting because our grandson, who we hope will play it one day, is just too little”.
“But in the meantime, my daughter-in-law, Alex’s widow, and I have been talking about learning online,” she added to the BBC.
The Repair Shop continues on Wednesday 22 April at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
