
Why you've never really heard the "Moonlight" Sonata - pchristensen
http://www.slate.com/id/2245891/pagenum/all/
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chipsy
The "authenticity" problem has haunted music since the era of recorded music
began. The public asks for a "real" sound, and yet simultaneously, our
recording practices indicate that we don't actually want "real" recordings -
we want larger than life recordings with "punchy" sound, with all the flaws
processed and spliced out, and mixed in a way so that it translates down to
the humblest radios and up to the most extravagant audiophile system, and can
be played in both noisy crowds and quiet living rooms.

This tends to affect musicians as well - the idea that only a brand name piece
of gear can give you the authentic sound you're looking for and perhaps heard
on some recording from the 60s or 70s, which itself was treated with the
specific recording processes of that era.

But the truth of it is found right in the article - even the famous composers
were simply trying to use the particular pianos they had at the time as
effectively as possible. When they changed equipment, their sound changed as
well.

~~~
enf
David Byrne had a recent piece about writing music to be heard in particular
environments, which seems related:
[http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2010/02/021410-valentines-
day....](http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2010/02/021410-valentines-day.html)

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teeja
Wow. The sound of the Katholnig really adds another dimension.

I don't usually bother about 'original instruments' much, but here's an
undeniable example of how much 'modern' can mask intent.

