Caractacus R3 23/9/11 7:30pm

[Roslynmuse]

I've just caught the end of it and can't believe that the engineers have done such a poor job too. It sounds like someone has stuck an old Grundig cassette recorder under a coat at the back of the school hall.

Earlier this week I listened to an old cassette (20 years plus) of the BBC WSO and the dynamic range was infinitely better than what I've just heard. Similarly, someone gave me a second-generation cassette recording of a string quartet recital broadcast in 1968 (!!!!!!) and I felt I could reach out and touch the players.

Tonight's broadcast was the work of amateurs.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes, it was appalling sound engineering. I think they have to degrade the FM sound to ensure that it is as bad as DAB.

[Chris Newman]

I was so disappointed by this disgraceful example of bungled broadcasting that I gave up and I went to BBC2 on iPlayer instead to watch Lucy Worsfold tell the history of the bathroom. After that I heard Simon Rattle and the BPO give the Rachmaninov 2 in Madrid.

[salymap]

I am [selfishly] quite pleased that it was the broadcast and not my hearing that was at fault. I gave up after about 20 minutes as I could only hear spasmotic sounds. I suppose Worcester Cathedral will never sound ideal but the acoustics are surely better than last night's broadcast.
Which recording is recommended by those that know the work well?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

One of my favourite works. A huge let-down.

[Ventilhorn]

One of my favourite works. A huge let-down.

I intended to listen but circumstances prevented my doing so. I shall try a taste of it on iPlayer later.

It is a fact that cathedrals, with their very long resonance (Salisbury was once measured at over 8 seconds!) are a nightmare for sound engineers. They have my sympathy. If they close-mic everything, they can get away with it, but you can't close-mic a large choir.

Having played in Worcester Cathedral, I can assure you that even with orchestra alone, the experience is uncomfortable. (and even in summer, it is incredibly cold. I can remember an occasion when the conductor nearly fell off his rostrum when he spotted an elderly double bass player wearing gloves!)

VH

[EdgeleyRob]

I haven't listened yet, maybe not worth bothering ?

[David Underdown]

Worcester's a bit damp, but not particularly cold, at least not compared to Ely and Lincoln!

[BBMmk2]

I think acoustics do play a large part into how a recording/broadcast sounds like. It definetly wasn't an amateur production, imo, just a nightmarish location for engineers to contend with. Even these days with all the uptodate technology, that is available, cathedrals are renowned for the long reverberation. I remember, at King's, was Robin Orr(Sir David's predecesso), who purpoosely conducted music at slower tempi because of the reverberation!

[Ventilhorn]

I think acoustics do play a large part into how a recording/broadcast sounds like. It definetly wasn't an amateur production, imo, just a nightmarish location for engineers to contend with. Even these days with all the uptodate technology, that is available, cathedrals are renowned for the long reverberation. I remember, at King's, was Robin Orr(Sir David's predecesso), who purpoosely conducted music at slower tempi because of the reverberation!

As I posted on another thread, Silvestri did the same with Brahms 1st symphony, played on consecutive nights in City Hall, Hull and Free Trade Hall, Manchester. The Hull performance took 6 minutes longer than in the drier acoustics of the Manchester concert, but both sounded absolutely right in their context.

VH

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It definetly wasn't an amateur production, imo, just a nightmarish location for engineers to contend with.

This may be true but back in the early 70's when I attended the most echoey performance of Elgar's "The Apostles" that could be imagined, in the huge Liverpool Cathedral. It was recorded and broadcast some weeks later. The BBC did a remarkably good job in a near impossible venue. The result was far superior to the Caractacus broadcast. It seem that nowadays, what you have to do is take A-level music technology, or do a Mickey Mouse recording degree, and then be let loose on just about anything, whatever your experience. I hope I'm completely wrong about this.