Thanks for your input, Pia. It's so interesting to read your thoughts. This question of how to capture (for whatever purposes) music-theatre (music with some sort of scenic or spatial element?) is so important. And I love your attitude of curiosity towards how best to record your bass recorder — we could probably all do with a bit more of that openness!
Many of my pieces have not been recorded because it is simply not possible to catch their scenic and spatial qualities without a huge amount of skill, technology - that is, money. The Austrian radio, for example, sometimes offered to record and then quit because of these obstacles. It would be possible to make recordings of non-scenic studio settings of some works. But I consider space and movement as such an intrinsic part of what I do in my work, I don't even want that. Video might be okay, but the sound of that video still is a challenge.
I perform with an uncommon instrument myself, the bass recorders by Kueng. When recording pieces with that, I am always asked: "What should the instrument sound like? Where to put microphones?" Because most of the sound professionals have no aural image of the instrument and no history of recording it. I find that interesting, it gives freedom, because habitual aural images always inform the way recordings are being made. So, new territory opens up every time when recording my pieces. I prefer experimental positions of microphones and welcome unusual sonic qualities.
A microphone is an instrument. I have experimented a lot with mics on my recorders, and came to appreciate them in this way.
Yep, the zero dollars thing is an issue... I guess I feel that even a token fee should be factored into the costs, rather than just trimming the artists' fees from the start! Thanks for reading, Jon, and for engaging with the conversation! It's great to hear your thoughts.
This was a win! I always got paid as an oboist for doing anything - even though often the pay was somewhat trivial. It mattered. I "get" that many of these recordings are going to make zero dollars or lose money overall, I don't know what to say about that. Whatever funding is making the recording happen, should include the musicians. Gee whiz world, teamwork and team reward. I not even one time thought about the extra pressure of 'world premiere' being recorded. In my music world - "first" has a whole cache to itself. The flaws are overwhelmingly forgiven because of the vicarious self-congratulations of being 'there' for the 'first', like witnessing creation itself. Bless your writing. You have an impressive skill in this, especially considering all the other skills you have demonstrated over the years.
Thanks for your input, Pia. It's so interesting to read your thoughts. This question of how to capture (for whatever purposes) music-theatre (music with some sort of scenic or spatial element?) is so important. And I love your attitude of curiosity towards how best to record your bass recorder — we could probably all do with a bit more of that openness!
I love the article and discussion.
Many of my pieces have not been recorded because it is simply not possible to catch their scenic and spatial qualities without a huge amount of skill, technology - that is, money. The Austrian radio, for example, sometimes offered to record and then quit because of these obstacles. It would be possible to make recordings of non-scenic studio settings of some works. But I consider space and movement as such an intrinsic part of what I do in my work, I don't even want that. Video might be okay, but the sound of that video still is a challenge.
I perform with an uncommon instrument myself, the bass recorders by Kueng. When recording pieces with that, I am always asked: "What should the instrument sound like? Where to put microphones?" Because most of the sound professionals have no aural image of the instrument and no history of recording it. I find that interesting, it gives freedom, because habitual aural images always inform the way recordings are being made. So, new territory opens up every time when recording my pieces. I prefer experimental positions of microphones and welcome unusual sonic qualities.
A microphone is an instrument. I have experimented a lot with mics on my recorders, and came to appreciate them in this way.
Yep, the zero dollars thing is an issue... I guess I feel that even a token fee should be factored into the costs, rather than just trimming the artists' fees from the start! Thanks for reading, Jon, and for engaging with the conversation! It's great to hear your thoughts.
This was a win! I always got paid as an oboist for doing anything - even though often the pay was somewhat trivial. It mattered. I "get" that many of these recordings are going to make zero dollars or lose money overall, I don't know what to say about that. Whatever funding is making the recording happen, should include the musicians. Gee whiz world, teamwork and team reward. I not even one time thought about the extra pressure of 'world premiere' being recorded. In my music world - "first" has a whole cache to itself. The flaws are overwhelmingly forgiven because of the vicarious self-congratulations of being 'there' for the 'first', like witnessing creation itself. Bless your writing. You have an impressive skill in this, especially considering all the other skills you have demonstrated over the years.