April 19, 2010 by Bruce Hembd
Archived under: Accuracy, Humor, Pet Peeves | Clams, Recordings
Op Ed: A License to Clam
Some critics like to tease that horn players “flub.”
The Vienna Phil.’s sound was extraordinary, of course: These guys never let you down there. And their execution was generally at a high level. How odd, I often think, not to hear horns flubbing. How odd to hear them play their notes sure-footedly. Don’t they know that horns have a divine right to flub?
If you as a listener are looking for perfection there are plenty of recordings digitally mastered to appear flawless. The concert experience is a different animal – many times for myself it boils down to simply getting what I listen for.
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