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

[Don Cox <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Mike

On 02/01/08, Mike Richter wrote:
> 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.
> 
There are more and more releases made legally in conjunction with
European broadcasting organisations.

For instance, Orfeo have a long series of broadcasts from Salzburg.

> 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.
> 
Regards
-- 
Don Cox
doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx