CSO's broadcasts

[klaukholm]

I was just listening to some performances by the CSO.
Does anyone know who does the recording for those?

Particularly interested in what happened to the right channel in Beethoven 7 last year with haitink.

[hughesmr]

Originally Posted by klaukholm

I was just listening to some performances by the CSO.
Does anyone know who does the recording for those?

Particularly interested in what happened to the right channel in Beethoven 7 last year with haitink.

Would that be Chicago? Cincinnati? ....

[ShawnF]

I'm holding out for Cleveland . . .

[Plush]

If you are talking about the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (you said, "Haitink,") then that is Chris Willis who records our orchestra here. He does a great job and you have to hear the Mahler disc the CSO put out this past spring. Major sound!

Across the front are: Schoeps 2S Senn MKH20 Senn MKH 20 Schoeps 2S

Between 10 and 20 mics are used normally. Of course, most of the sound is from the front mics.

[hughesmr]

Originally Posted by ShawnF

I'm holding out for Cleveland . . .

That would be "CO", not "CSO"!

I know Cincinnati records for broadcast with 3 DPA wide cards in a small Decca tree, flanked by Schoeps MK2H. Two 4006 are way out in the hall for ambient. Sometimes they use a Neumann card pr for WW spot.

[ShawnF]

Sorry, trying to be funny. I thought Chicago was obvious since he's, what is it now--Principal Conductor?

Let's see--I bet this is the recording in question, though I haven't listened to it yet:

Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Program 17

[boojum]

Back to the original question: what is happening with the right channel? Now I am curious.

[klaukholm]

Shawn, that is the performance in question.

Orchestral acronyms,
By the CSO I mean Chicago.

The orchestra sounds absolutely fantastic. The new solo flute is absolutely fantastic.

[klaukholm]

I listened again today and the problem has disappeared i believe.
There was a slight hiss in the right channel during the alegretto. These web broadcasts are not rock solid delivery formats it would seem.

[klaukholm]

Hudson, what does the live recording setup look like?

[klaukholm]

I have only seen one concert there after the remodeling. it is not the best hall from an audience perspective. I would say it is not the best from a players perspective either. I can see how it could be a very good scoring stage though.

Next time I am in town, maybe a tour for me and my Elk Grovian spouse?

[Plush]

I think it's a pretty good hall but not one with an enveloping ambience like a good Euro hall.

One distinction that is unique to Orchestra Hall is that it is the one hall where the audience is closest to the stage.

While not ideal, the musicians can hear each other better than before.

For me, the hall "experience" in the 1970's and 1980's with Solti was fantastic.
The stage was less deep and there was a robust plaster wall right behind the trombones and the tuba. The Solti brass sound partly depended on the instrumental sound bombing off of that plaster wall and being projected out to the audience.

Physical and acoustical structure may have had their biggest influence on playing style and sound during that era.

[klaukholm]

I think to a large extent the orchestra is making the hall work for them.
They have developed a very sustained style of playing that up close starkly contrasts that of for instance Boston. A lesser orchestra would in my opinion suffer greatly in orchestra hall.

[Darth Preamp]

Hi,
Does anyone remember which specific Ramsa board they were using in Chicago?

[sonare]

Originally Posted by klaukholm

They have developed a very sustained style of playing that up close starkly contrasts that of for instance Boston.

That sustained style has been the hallmark brass style since Bud Herseth joined the orchestra way back when. The rather tenuto and aggressive brass playing (and that's putting it politely) took hold under Reiner (listen to any of his discs) and the winds and strings simply follow suit out of musical discipline.

I got to play some with them in the late 70s/early 80s and recall asking my teacher about the difference in how the BSO low brass played a passage in the 4th movt of the Saint-Saens SYm 3 vs the CSO, and he replied rather tersely, "well, that's the way we do it here!"

The brass also developed a trademark crescendo on the last note to the cutoff. As Kleinhammer said, "that's the way they do it there!"

Rich

[Remoteness]

Is the set-up at Orchestra Hall easier said than done or pretty straight ahead?

Is it about the ‘ear’ or the gear when it comes to the sound of the room and recordings?

And, what about the equipment?

Which mics, pres, converters, recorders, mixer, et cetera, etc. are used?

[tenor39]

I sang with the CSO Chorus for a few years and Orchestra Hall is not one of the better acoustics, IMHO. It's a clam shell shaped space with a very high ceiling and a short throw. Sitting in the upper balcony is truely a nose bleed experience. When I was there they were using mostly Schoeps, with no more than 6-8 mic's in the hall, but that was the middle to late '80's.