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Recommended Listening
Regular readers of my columns know that I'm an advocate of minimalist
recording and processing. It’s not right for everything, but when done
right, there’s no substitute. To put my money where my mouth is, following
are a few CDs done with a stereo setup and little, or no, signal processing.
The Philadelphia Orchestra - Nature's Realm (WLA-WS-66-CD)
Audiophile recording guru Kavichandran Alexander's Water Lily Acoustics
record label has been churning out amazing stereo recordings for years. The
twist is that Kavi is old school, using only analog recorders and all-tube
signal path. (Editor’s note: Kavi has recently switched to solid-state mics
and pres being captured on DSD, but the majority of WLA’s catalog is tube
mics and preamps to 1” analog tape.) The results are second-to-none. His
1999 recording of the Philadelphia Orchestra is purported to be the first
analog all-tube orchestral recording in 20 years!
This is definitely one of the best full orchestra recordings I've ever
heard. If you're a fan of the traditional classical music, and have a system
that can handle serious dynamic range, it will quickly become one of your
Desert Island Discs. The recording features the music of Liszt and Dvorák
and really captures the depth, dimension and power of a full orchestra in a
great-sounding hall.
Don Ross - Passion Sessions (Narada 72438-47218-2-4)
Acoustic guitar wizard Don Ross headed to a church in Berlin called
Passionskirche for this disc, armed only with a few acoustic guitars, a
stereo mic and a high-resolution digital two-track recorder. The results are
fantastic. His superb acoustic guitar playing shines, and the acoustics of a
great performance space are evident. This is a perfect example a modern,
high-resolution digital recording done right.
David Chesky – Area 31 (Chesky SACD288)
This is one of the absolute greatest small-ensemble modern “classical” CDs
you’ll ever hear. Not because it’s amazingly recorded – which it is – but
because it is that elusive combination of sonic clarity, fantastic acoustic
space, great composition and spot-on performance that rarely comes together
all at once. This disc – even in stereo – makes one marvel at the sonic
clarity that can be achieved with a single stereo microphone.
Area 31 features original compositions by David Chesky and amazing
performances by the Area 31 Ensemble. After getting this disc, I was so
blown away that I e-mailed David Chesky and asked him what mics and mic
array he used. His reply was that the recording was simply made with a
Soundfield multi-channel microphone, “about ten feet away from the ensemble
and ten feet up.” Pure simplicity. Pure genius.
So there you have it: three CDs to sink your teeth into that may just change
your mind about how great recordings can be made with just the basics. If
you’re among the many people who think that Norah Jones represents
high-fidelity, these discs will be an ear-opener. Sadly, much of today’s
recording technology has overshadowed and overpowered the basic elements of
acoustic space and mic placement. These discs will clearly illuminate how
far we’ve strayed from those principles in the name of technology and
convenience. Go out and pick one up, and judge the results for yourself.
© 2007
Paul Abbott. |
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