Re: JS Bach / Brandenburg concertos / Die Freitagsakademie

On Sun, 3 Nov 2024 23:37:09 +0000, Raymond Hall wrote:

On 3/11/2024 9:44 pm, Roland van Gaalen wrote:

On 03/11/2024 11:12, Raymond Hall wrote:

On 8/09/2024 6:33 am, Roland van Gaalen wrote:

On 07/09/2024 22:13, Pluted Pup wrote:

Is this a live or studio recording? In either case,
the mixing engineer has great power to emphasize or
de-emphasize tracks in a multi-track recording, so
it can be a reasonable demand that the effect tracks
be turned off, or reduced in volume, that can only
come about from a rerelease with "re"mixing, provided
that the per-track recording haven't been deleted.
>
I have the same view when applause tracks are
*emphasized* by the engineers, or even "flown-in"
from a different recording.
>
I like to say that the best engineering is the
least, and what you describe is *intrusive*
engineering that screams "wow, you can really hear
the engineering!"
>
I've got a recording of a La Folia, where
table saws are mixed into the sound, if I recall
correctly. I can't be objective and say
exactly that the recording would be better
without it because as a listener/consumer only the
released recording can be judged, not the
hypothetical.
>
But bad engineering is always a justified complaint.

>
>
If I didn't like it, I would call the sound effects an annoying
gimmick getting in the way of the music.
>
But I do like it, so I call it art.
--
Roland van Gaalen
The Netherlands

>
On a different tack, but staying with Espanol and musical art, the
album, Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis conjures up Spain more to me
than ever Albeniz does, good a composer as Albeniz is.
>
Sketches with Miles Davis is simply terrific music, full stop.
>
Ray Hall, Taree

>
I'll give it a try!
>
'Simply terrific music', I like that.
>
In this newsgroup, we tend to implicitly or explicitly rank recordings.
>
Ranking is not unreasonable, for example when people want
recommendations and budgets are limited.
>
Or when their house is on fire or when they are banished to a desert
island, and they can take only a few CDs with them.
>
But at this point I prefer to judge any particular recording on its own
individual merits.
>
For one thing, the small number of recordings of the Brandenburgs that I
have is already difficult to sort in order of preference (whatever that
would mean):
>
Klemperer, Busch, Cortot, Britten, Leonhardt, Il Gusto Barocco,
Freitagsakademie — the ones I listened to recently I like, and saying I
prefer A to B makes little sense.
>
And yes, the Freitagsakademie Brandenburgs are simply terrific!
--
Roland van Gaalen
The Netherlands
>

>
I should add a qualification. Nowhere have I indicated that Albeniz is
inferior to Miles Davis, or vice versa, or even that ranking
modal/fusion type jazz against classical music is even useful.
>
I happen to like instruments that can sustain notes, and this is where
Davis scores for me. All piano music is a compromise for me, but jazz,
Stravinsky and others like Prokofiev, use the instrument more
purposefully for my ears.
>
Miles Davis, like John Coltrane, who is predominantly a modal type jazz
artist, can weave emotion and atmosphere more successfully than any
classical pianist can - to my ears. Sketches of Spain is flawed but
magnificent at the same time.
>
The above does not indicate that Davis is superior to Albeniz, who does
his best for the piano. But a Spanish guitar - now we are talking.
>
Ray Hall, Taree

Making a percussion instrument sing is
far greater art than strumming a guitar.
Cheers!