THE SOUND OF MUSIC

RICHARD FIDLER discusses seeing and hearing at concerts

 << Continued from Monday 

After all my listening and reading, I’ve drawn a couple of conclusions about the sound of recorded music.

Firstly, the sound of a live concert cannot be replicated on a recording. There is just too much sound to be captured. There is always the question:

'Where am I supposed to be sitting while listening to this performance?'

Statements about microphone placement for many recordings suggest a 'seat' in the house which does not exist. For example, 20 feet above the floor and 30 feet back from the edge of the stage.

Secondly, that the sound of music for a recording should perhaps not be that which is heard by the audience in any performing space. For example, I have a recording of the Saint-Saens organ symphony (Biggs and Ormandy), made in the Academy (ms6469) which very much suggests this hall, but is more vivid than heard live from almost anywhere in the house.

In the same way, the sound I hear on my recording of the Prokofiev Piano Concerto 2 is not a sound I think I could ever hear in a hall. For example, every note is clear and audible, as is the sound of the orchestra. To hear the piano clearly I'd have to be sitting in the orchestra pit, and to hear the orchestra as I do I would need to be sitting first row centre balcony. Thus, a recording can, and often does, give the best 'seats' in the house. I think recordings should aim at a sound of their own, combining the best seats in the house with the ambience peculiar to that space.

In conclusion, I'd like to make a suggestion that may just change the sound of music for you when attending a live concert. Disregard visual clues and close your eyes and listen. Contrary to what you have read, I am convinced that with a little practice you’ll hear much more. Again, contrary to what I have read, by listening without visual clues you’ll locate sounds more precisely.

For me, the sound of music is that which I hear both physically and mentally, and is not adversely affected or effected by what I see. For me, the sound of music as recorded sound is that which I hear physically and mentally, plus the augmentation of hearing simultaneously from several locations in the performance space.

Happy listening!