Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site
In the Forum: Horn-Loaded Speakers
In the Thread: Macondo's Axioms: Horn-loaded acoustic systems
Post Subject: Moving from conductor to audiencePosted by rowuk on: 10/7/2021
What Romy has done up until now is very similar to what a conductor of an orchestra does:
Search for music to perform
Build the ensemble to play it
Decide on the venue to perform in
Train all of the forces involved to play in accord
In real time, guide the performance - sometimes with clues ahead of the beat, sometimes in synchronous
How often do top conductors attend performances of colleagues? Almost never! Why? Because as a member of the audience, they still have the same things going on in their heads - but none of the control - the performance is no longer in sync with their "biorhythm". There is no freedom for exploration with the ensemble. I believe that what is "pleasure" for others becomes "work" for them and that in many cases, they prefer to read a score rather than listen to someone elses interpretation. Another issue is that the instruments sound different from a distance, this makes for a lot of perceptual work in the brain.
Melquiades/Macondo definitely fits into the description of "an ensemble that must be conducted". Perhaps Romy assumed a role of conductor (without necessarily wanting to be one) many years ago, but has now discovered that he would prefer to be in the audience. That is a much different experience than from stage center. Could Macondo/Melquiades be "tuned" to perform at this different level? I do not know.
If I had to describe what my gut level feeling is about Melquiades/Macondo (having never heard them), I would say "perspective from the front row" or perhaps with specific recordings, "on the conductor stand". This is the vantage point of the microphones during the recording. The big Dunlavys (having heard them) I would more describe as "row 15". Far enough away from the ensemble, but a huge change of perspective. Softer, but not necessarily less detailed.
I have often thought about recordings with control over the seating position. In certain halls, I prefer to be closer to the stage, in other venues, further away, in others, it does not matter. I am not aware of any attempt to make this possible.Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site