Klarinet Archive - Posting 000534.txt from 1999/10

From: "Michael Whight" <michael@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Funny Nielsen recording
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 14:47:58 -0400

> I think I have mentioned before, I have a recording of Dances from West
> Side Story (RCA Victrola VICS-1491) with Robert Russell Bennett
conducting.
> There are several glaring errors on it, places where the rhythm falls
> apart, one place where somebody is clearly a whole measure off and doesn't
> notice it for quite a while. I have another recording of the same
numbers,
> yet I prefer the flawed version because of the intense fire and excitement
> of the overall performance. Still, I question why these things were NOT
> fixed. It is in stereo (with ecxellent sound), so I know the technology
> was available. It would have turned a musically exciting performance into
> a definitive recording.
>
> Bill

I am in agreement that performance is what is important and if you can get
technical excellence all the better but the notion of a definative recording
worries me. It suggests that somewhere out there is the perfect performance
that cannot be bettered and that listening to anything else is a waste of
time. Surely there is no one way of interpreting and that all performances
have good things about them?To me the idea of capturing an interpretation
and placing it on a pedestal is all wrong. I'll bet you anything that a lot
of performers find it hard to listen to themselves on recording because they
could always do it better/differently the next day. No wonder so many great
artists want to re-record repertoire. Once a performance is over the artist
has already moved on and has no desire to recreate the "definative" version.

Michael
>
>

>

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