Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 Apollo 1/28/85; site apollo.uucp
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!decvax!wanginst!apollo!tbg
From: tbg@apollo.uucp (Tom Gross)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: cd vs. bso
Message-ID: <24bc5f1f.2a75@apollo.uucp>
Date: Tue, 12-Feb-85 18:25:51 EST
Article-I.D.: apollo.24bc5f1f.2a75
Posted: Tue Feb 12 18:25:51 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 16-Feb-85 05:52:14 EST
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, Mass.
Lines: 48

> Amidst all this talk of new releases and "why my CD doesn't reproduce a
> 44kHz square wave" and "who cares if your CD doesn't ...", everybody seems
> to have forgotten the incomparably greater thrill of being where the
> music is made. Or maybe those who do are too busy going to concerts to
> post news...

Boston has a good symphony orchestra.  Front row seats at symphony hall 
can usually be bought on the day of the concert for less than the cost
of a CD.  Overall tonal balance under these conditions is less than
ideal; however there may be a choice of which section of the orchestra to sit
in FRONT of.  Violins seem to always be to the left of the podium: I don't 
know what's in the right half of an orchestra; I've never seen or heard one.

Generally I only go to the symphony when I am entertaining friends from out-of-town.
It's part of the grand tour.  On the whole I do prefer CD to BSO reproduction
techniques.  There are advantages to both of course, but in the CD's favor 
I note the following:

        1.) My CD player is programmable and has remote control.
            The BSO's schedule is planned months in advice and there is no
            remote control option that I am aware of.

        2.) I can move around while listening to a CD performance.         
            During a BSO performance it is generally considered rude to
            leave one's seat except during the intermissions, when thousands
            of other people are doing it.

        3.) Seiji Ozawa does not currently conduct on any CDs I own.
            He frequently conducts the BSO.

        4.) Two people can enjoy their choice of a "Stouffer's Lean Cuisine"
            and purchase about four CDs (at $12 each) for about the cost of 
            dinner for two with parking near symphony hall and tickets to
            the BSO, and the four CDs will last a lifetime.  And you don't 
            have to go when it's snowing.

    On the other hand, the BSO does have the advantage of being disposable:
you don't have to pack up an evening at the BSO everytime you move or straighten 
it out when you're having friends over.  

I would be interested to hear other's feelings about CDs 
vs. human sound reproduction techniques.  I have some thoughts on 
Opera productions which I generally enjoy in concert form
better than on CDs.

                Tom Gross
                Apollo Computer, Inc.