Having not heard the tapes...Music should evoke some emotion,it is a human creation after all and if Ed's tapes convey and stir that emotion in the listener....I say Bravo!
Another Huge Shout Out To Edward Pong and Ultra Analogue Recordings
- Thread starter Steve Williams
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Alexz, I think there is a big difference between recordings with little musical content and recordings by performers whom you have never heard of, particularly young performers who are near the beginning of their careers. As a person who has both heard many of the "greats" live (Rubinstein, Rudolf Serkin, Budapest String Quartet, Reiner and the CSO, Pavarotti in his official American debut in 1967, etc.) and on recordings (I have 15,000 classical records - including essentially all the stereo Decca, EMI, Mercury, RCA), I also attend 60 or more live classical concerts a year - mostly in London and the SF Bay area - with many young artists who are of the quality that Ed Pong has discovered and recorded (I also have just about all of Ed's tapes). Ed not only has a great ear for sound and a great home studio and concert venue, he also is a fine judge and supporter of young talent - albeit unknown to most all of us. As a resident of the Toronto area, you may have heard some of Ed's artists who are principals of the Toronto Symphony.
Larry
Larry
First of all "Wow!!!"
Second, I never doubt Ed's recordings, just an assessment of the performance entirely by it sound quality.
Speaking of Toronto symphony, what could be better sounding then the live performance of the Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto from the middle of the 15th row ? Well.. if pianist plays Rachmaninoff with emotional scale of "Should I order diet Coke or regular?" and Peter Oudjiun constantly muting orchestra to let piano get through… should we enjoy perfect sound of live performance ?
Thankfully there are a lot of good people coming to Toronto and I often attend Cleveland orchestra with their Welser-Must or visitors like Blomstedt.
I apologize if i misspell any names.
When I listen to the just recorded master tape after the live concert from the monitor system, I found more detail of Xiang Yu's violin's sound and also feel how his bow's movement than in the live concert , maybe reason of I sit too far than the mics and also pay attention on view too, this is my experience of the different between live concert and a R2R master tape repro by a all tubes SE gear
tony ma
tony ma
I can tell you for certain that the tape Ed played me while at his home several months ago invoked considerable emotion. So much so that I was bound and determined to make it to one of his "Pool Series" live concerts, and even posted about it. His selection of artists, albeit unknown to most, are outstanding young talents that should be heard, and ED is doing just that.
So yeah.......BRAVO!
This is just my opinion and we all know what opinions are worth...but I think everyone can agree that the less generations removed from the recording the better the listener's enjoyment. So what does a really well executed recording provide? Besides the emotional response,the illusion is greater,that's what draws you into the performance. Space and time is more evident.spatial cues,the natural reverberation,the sound of the hall or setting. Some call it "audio nirvana",it is the degree of the illusion.the virtual reality or multi dimensional quality of the recording that is so special. Classical recordings are best at allowing space and time to be captured,there are no performers in mic closets,every space or the whole space is available for the recording engineer to work his craft. Now space and time is captured in every recording and even redbook CD or 4 track tape can provide a very good illusion. Of course the degree of reproduction can be dependent on the playback system. There is no doubt though that a master dub can produce a fantastic degree of the "illusion". JMHO
I think most of us have been to a movie when we were younger and the movie soundtrack was on the 35mm film.All in all a great audio medium. It was dark and the great soundtracks fit the film and were very emotinal and created a very good illusion. You don't need 5.1,stereo is very capable of delivering a believable illusion.
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You have very astute ears when you say "I love the sound of the instruments" In the Rossini Duo you're hearing Jeff play a 1690 Rogeri bass, this is one of the 1st basses from Cremona Italy. And Rachel is playing the Bonjour Stradivari cello of 1692. This cello is on loan from the Canada Council Instrument Bank & is currently insured for 11M $US...
The sound of these Cremonese instruments have a dark, mysterious, extremely focused sound character which projects even in very large concert halls. I call them "ultimate audio"
There have been a few recent studies to compare the sound of modern instruments to these Cremonese masterpieces. A violinist is asked to play 8 different violins while blindfolded, listeners are asked which fiddles they prefer.... Obviously these "studies" are setup to promote the modern makers... firstly, it takes months for a violinist to "learn" how to play a particular violin to it's best potential... I think the obvious "test" is what are the best violin soloists of today using for their concerts....Greater than 95% are using the old Cremonese violins from the 1690 - 1760.
Ed, thanks for the details on the instruments. I notice that one benefit of long time instrument collectors or very wealthy individuals is that many very talented young musicians are loaned great instruments on a long term basis. They get to play instruments almost as their own that they otherwise would never be able to afford. On the other hand, the great wealth which chases after these rare and absolutely limited in supply instruments has meant that in the past couple of decades, young musicians cannot afford to ever buy such an instrument.
Larry
Larry
Ed
I never knew that either. For my ears and having virtually no knowledge of classical music, the one thing that stood out for me in Ed's tapes was the 'timbre' of the violin and cello .I have just never heard it that magnificent.
I promised Ed that I would. I missed the last one which was taking place at the time of my Meds School reunion. Unfortunately I couldn't make it back to Toronto and missed the concert.
I have to say though that listening to those tapes I felt that I was all of 12 feet from those performers. The breath around the strings and the resonance of the string instruments lit up my ears
I'm hoping to get to the next one (hint Ed
)
I have to say though that listening to those tapes I felt that I was all of 12 feet from those performers. The breath around the strings and the resonance of the string instruments lit up my ears
I'm hoping to get to the next one (hint Ed
)Larry, you're absolutely right, these instruments have skyrocketed in price in the last decade. Canada Council for the Arts has an interesting arm called the Instrument Bank that loans out these special instruments to the most talented Canadians on a 3 year basis. Every 3 years, there is a competition in each section....the winner of the violin competition gets to play all the violins in the Bank & chose his or her instrument for the next 3 years. And so on down the line... They have quite a few Strad violins & maybe 3-4 cellos.
It's an amazing opportunity for a talented artist to help them on their career...
It's an amazing opportunity for a talented artist to help them on their career...
Steve, you have an open invitation to my concerts! & anytime you're in Toronto visiting friends, to stop by for a listen to the mastertapes!I promised Ed that I would. I missed the last one which was taking place at the time of my Meds School reunion. Unfortunately I couldn't make it back to Toronto and missed the concert.
I have to say though that listening to those tapes I felt that I was all of 12 feet from those performers. The breath around the strings and the resonance of the string instruments lit up my ears
I'm hoping to get to the next one (hint Ed
After reading and re-reading this thread I have finally pushed myself to have a small say in this discussion. As a 75 y/o African American who was not supposed to be privy to even knowing that classical music existed, I was blessed to have a music teacher who loved Berlioz, Bach, Byrd, Schubert and other composers. We were barely being taught mathematics and the other core subjects, but here was this fine extinguished gentleman and music teacher willing to bring his 78 records to class and let those few of us interested, and who was willing to give up our lunch hour, hear his beloved records. It was at this time I first heard music composed by Sebastian Bach and Hector Berlioz and fell in love with what I heard. I have nurtured this love of classical music over all these years to include chamber music. What a gift this music is even though I can't read a music score.
I guess the major problem with the initiator of this thread is the thinking that one must be a classical musician, student, composer or conductor. My experience with music is that I have come to enjoy it on an emotional level. Without knowing a note of music early on (eventually I began studying saxophone), I could listen and it would pick me up when I was down or give me great joy when I needed it. Classical and other music could transport me to another place and time. Classical, jazz, folk and other music for me gives great pleasure. I can't say that I completely eliminate my audio system from the equation when I listen, but, in the final analysis, for me, music is all about me listening from an emotional level first. Music is what brings tears of joy, foot tapping or even dancing in my listening room. I really love music my friends. I want to thank Steve for suggesting this thread continue because that gave me an opportunity to comment. Thank you Steve and thank you my dear friends here for letting me rant for a moment.
jazzbo Bob
I guess the major problem with the initiator of this thread is the thinking that one must be a classical musician, student, composer or conductor. My experience with music is that I have come to enjoy it on an emotional level. Without knowing a note of music early on (eventually I began studying saxophone), I could listen and it would pick me up when I was down or give me great joy when I needed it. Classical and other music could transport me to another place and time. Classical, jazz, folk and other music for me gives great pleasure. I can't say that I completely eliminate my audio system from the equation when I listen, but, in the final analysis, for me, music is all about me listening from an emotional level first. Music is what brings tears of joy, foot tapping or even dancing in my listening room. I really love music my friends. I want to thank Steve for suggesting this thread continue because that gave me an opportunity to comment. Thank you Steve and thank you my dear friends here for letting me rant for a moment.
jazzbo Bob
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