--- David Tayler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Just as a point of reference, the average number of
> edits on a 60
> minute classical CD is about 800.
> The maximum I have seen on a lute CD (lute CDs run
> higher than
> average) is 1800.
I've heard similar numbers before. My jaw dropped the
first time I heard them. I was naive and thought that
performers sat in front of a mic, did a few takes and
selected the best ones. I marvelled at these people's
super-human command and composure while wondering what
was wrong with me. Although I was still a student,
I'd never once played a piece through perfectly, damn
it! Finding out just how much editing goes on made me
feel a bit better about myself and it made me look at
my "heros" in a whole new light.
No more gods for me now, they're just people how are
really good at what they do.
> The CD reveals little about the players
> ability, but
> represents an impression.
Impression of what? The music or the performer? Not
everything's perfect on a Beatles or Bob Dylan album,
but their recordings succeed in presenting both their
music and their personalities.
> and it is not that difficult to play an hour mistake
> free, given several tries.
> Classical musicians on piano, violin, organ, etc.
> routinely turn in
> such performances in concert,
Ouch! I've never once played for two minutes without
something happening that I would classify as a mistake
- much less an hour! As for the other instruments -
this is going to sound like a cop-out - they are
easier to play without mistakes. I speak with a
modicum of experience outside of lute playing.
Take the violin: there are whole classes of noises
that could be called "mistakes:" intonation must be
spot-on, (although... careful listening to multiple
recordings reveals just how wide a variable this is,
and how large the range of what we perceive as beng
"in tune.") and wrong notes are just wrong notes.
However, minute errors in left hand finger placement
can be corrected so quickly that they are almost
instananeous. For many players, over the years,
personal idiosyncrasies in this regard become a part
of his or her "style." There are only four strings so
the competent player doesn't have to worry about
hitting the wrong one or barely grazing another string
with either left or right hand.
For the lute or guitar, on the other hand,
(pun?)the slightest miscalculation in finger placement
results in either an unacceptable buzz, a percussive
click, an unintended string set in motion, or no note
altogether - all of these impossible to salvage after
they have sounded. Every piece represents thousands
of pitfalls and opportunities for error.
Don't get me wrong: I'm putting down violinists, or
saying that they have an easy task! It takes years of
work to develop the skills needed to even get a nice
sound out of the thing. However, once the performer
has mastered those skills, he or she may concentrate
on a relatively narrow set of requirements, confident
that those things we call mistakes are just momentary
bumps.
Chris
>
>
>
> To get on or off this list see list information at
>
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
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