Re: [ARSCLIST] How not to mike an orchestra/the death of high fidelity

[Mike Richter <mrichter@xxxxxxx>]

spcv1@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>   In recent years, I have been working with several small CD labels, which specialize in resurrecting long-out-of-print recordings from the dawn of the LP era. I have also been in broadcasting since 1966, and have noticed that, as fine as many new CD's are, they seem to lack the "personality" of many of the old analog recordings, many-of-which were one-take, incredible performances, issued without credits, or hokey names, on numerous budget labels. The new recordings may have more polish and "gloss", but these old discs have a face...an energy you can sort of feel...which newer recordings usually lack.  Steve Slezak
You may be looking in the wrong place for recordings with personality. 
Try broadcasts of performances - unimproved and imperfect, but real. 
Before telecasts were common, simple microphone setups and basic 
engineering sufficed.

Though one is likely limited to FM audio, European sources were usually 
lightly compressed if compressed at all. There are some stunning 
performances to be found if one hunts for them - or knows from what 
Internet source to download them.

Of course, legal issues again come to the fore.

Let me cite one instance from a bit later. In consecutive weeks, Leonard 
Bernstein led semi-staged performances of the three acts of Tristan und 
Isolde with a fine cast. Those are available on DVD from sources not 
unduly concerned with copyright. The same forces collected shortly 
thereafter for a studio audio recording which proved studious, flawless 
and uninteresting, but it is commercially available. The live 
performances sizzle.

Mike
--
mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/