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Date sent: Tue, 1 Feb 2000 13:42:27 EST
Subject: Re: Interesting Renee Fleming quote from Opera News...
To: vocalist
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In a message dated 02/01/2000 10:46:16 AM Eastern Standard Time,
Sopran-at-aol.com writes:

<< << If one listens to the old recordings, you also hear bright tinney
quality coming from the instruments. What does that tell you? >>

Thank you for making that point! The primitive recording apparatus was
downright scary for many singers, and it did not capture many at their best
>>

There was a really interesting article fairly recently in Opera News
(sometime last fall, maybe?) about the history of recording and when key
developments were made that improved the quality of the recorded sound. I
wish I could remember more of it, but it had to do with the range of
frequencies that could be captured by early recording equipment. The very
early equipment could only capture a narrow range of frequencies, which is
why recordings from the 10's and 20's sound so tinny. Then as the technology
advanced, wider ranges could be captured and the quality of the sound
improved. Interesting article.

Lee Morgan
Mezzo-soprano