grunting with Toscanini

["Glenn Amer" <maestro@dbworld.net.au>]

Sorry, but I think Toscanini grunts rather than hums!

That particular recording of La Boheme (made fifty years after Toscanini
conducted the world premiere) ranks as one of my favourite recordings of all
time, and the Maestro sings in more places than just Musetta's waltz. Listen
to Peerce (surely one of the most intelligent and musical tenors) sing the
top C in "Che gelida manina" accompanied by Arturo's own very flat top C! It
certainly didn't help that the recording engineers suspended the single
microphone right above Toscanini's head - to capture the sound that he
heard. I love the sound of those NBC Symphony orchestra recordings.
Unmistakable.

I noticed whilst watching some films of Glenn Gould, that the microphone for
the piano is generally on a stand on the floor - facing directly up at the
soundboard. I asked my recording engineers a couple of years ago to humour
me and record the piano in this fashion, and even though they argued with
me, and reminded me that I was not the recording engineer, we were
overwhelmed with the results. We recorded a wonderful singing tone [no
reference to humming intended...], and got rid of all the noises of the
actual mechanics of the piano (I hate the sound of the hammer thumping the
string, I just like the resultant musical tone). I try to do this now as
often as possible.

One request, would it be possible to drop the aggressive tone of some of the
more recent correspondence? I don't think this is a forum for slinging
matches.

I also noticed that for one of the record companies listed in Sydney, the
information given on the site was for a telephone number beginning with (02)
2.... ...  If calling from outside Australia, please note that you have to
dial 61 for Australia , then 2 (not 02 - as this is only for calls made
within Australia), and now you have to add a 9 before the number. We were
running out of phone numbers, so the powers that be added a 9 to every
existing number about 2 years ago. I hope this information helps anyone
considering calling that number. I am in no way connected with that company,
I just know how frustrated some of my American friends get when they are
trying to call Australia, especially after all the recent number and area
code changes!

Best wishes,

Glenn Amer.