Delicious Early Stereo Session Story

[boojum]

Great story. Carousel Conducting? Merry-go-round music?

[Phil Cibley]

Maybe he should have recorded the Ring Cycle using this technique.

[3rd&4thT]

Other conductors managed.

Mercury's 3-mic operas (1957-1963?) were recorded with the soloists and orchestra in front of Tullio ******* (I can't believe his last name is blocked!) or Gianandrea Gavazzeni, and the chorus arrayed behind, as you will find out if you play the CD's in surround with ambiance extraction.

And CBS/Sony did a number of sessions with a central podium when quadrophonic was new - the artwork on the Bartok "Concerto for Orchestra" reflects the NY Phil's circular seating around Maestro Pierre Boulez. But that was recorded with more than one stereo mic. Oh, yeah.

Cheers,
3rd&4thT

[boojum]

Originally Posted by Phil Cibley

Maybe he should have recorded the Ring Cycle using this technique.

Winner, winner!!

[boojum]

Recording, like many other fields which mix art and science, has seen many things tried, some of them now seeming ridiculous. When they work we consider them genius however. I am constantly amazed at some of the things which have been attempted by really serious folks who were on the bleeding edge of technology and innovation. And very grateful that some, even it is a tiny few, have worked.

I am old enough to remember when stereo came in. What a huge change that was. Now we have N.1 soundfields, Soundfield, Schoeps DMS, Grado is working on something in a ball which has promise. Tinkerers, engineers, dreamers and crackpots abound. And the artform progresses.