PERFORMANCE FAKERY

posted by James Reel

Here's a fun little list from WQXR: The Top Five Faked Classical Performances. I wouldn't get too upset about anything that takes place outdoors, which is a horrible sonic environment for acoustic music (including big orchestras); the sound comes out of the mouths and instruments and instantly evaporates, except sometimes in the case of brass instruments, which project better. Music performed outdoors, whether it's at a soccer stadium or at the Reid Park bandshell, has to be amplified if it's going to come across, and the on-the-spot amplification usually isn't all that good. So if performers are going to mime to a recording, it's all right with me; no outdoor performance is going to provide any kind of authentic musical experience anyway. The faked recordings are another matter entirely ...