| Welcome to my life. Where the room is as much of a part of the performance as the musicians, where reverb makes a space, isn't just an effect, where performances are recorded, not manufactured...
The first post is exactly why I choose to work with acoustic music. Sure, I go see bands play and I even will record them on occasion. The real joy, however, with my work is with the great classical gigs.
Did the OP hear a baroque orchestra or a modern one? If it was an original instrument one, the string instruments very likely have gut strings which give a much more mellow sound. Also, the bows and playing technique are different that help with this distinctive sound.
As for amplification- it isn't always a bad thing. Kronos was brought up as an example. Be aware that many of their pieces are written to be amplified, some with playback and others with effects processing. They take full advantage of the digital technologies available to them. They wouldn't play a Beethoven quartet amplified, but then again, they don't play Beethoven. Leave that to Tokyo, Tackas, Emmerson, and the other great quartets. (probably butchered the spellings- sorry!)
Oh, and if you ever get the chance to be in the middle of a big orchestra.... It is a heck of a sound. 20+ years of orchestral playing here and it is a heck of a thrill every time. Hearing 80 musicians playing as one is a feeling that you'll never get elsewhere. Hearing 500 play as one brings it to another level (did that once- words don't even begin to describe it).
Lastly- (as I climb on my soapbox- sorry) Go out and hear these groups play. With the economy in the dump, many of them are having major financial troubles. If you don't take advantage of it now, there will likely be less to hear.
--Ben |