In a land rich in the tradition of classical music (both, Hindustani and Carnatic) why is it so difficult to find, forget audiophile, some decent quality of either live concert or studio recordings? On an average, an estimated 200-odd concerts conducted and recorded every week throughout the country. And, that figure goes up by leaps and bound during festival seasons held in various cities. Help me out, anyone.
I am aware about a few Foreign-Made-Indian-Music labels like Water Lily Acoustics, ECM, Ryko, who are mostly spot on with imaging, timber and room acoustics. And some like Chanda Dhara, Nimbus, JVC World, Navrang, Oriental Records, Moment Records, etc., that have a varying levels of recording quality and sometimes with errors on the titling of the tracks on the records/CD.
To highlight the point, let me relate a story:
In 1976, recording engineer Gert Palmcrantz set up just three microphones (Neumann U47, KM56, and M49), hooked them to a portable stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder (Nagra IV) via a pair of noise reduction units (Dolby A316) at Stockholm's crowded Stampen Jazz Club (a location that used to be a pawnshop once) and was able to produce a 2-set vinyl record (or 2-CD released in 1977) that is today considered ideal reference quality recordings by most audio and jazz enthusiasts around the globe - a must have for any audio system set up. I am talking about "Jazz at the Pawnshop" Vol.1 & 2 on Proprious Music label (PROP 7778/79 or CDP 7778/79). In his own words, Palmcrantz states that during the two evenings of recording sessions, the place was so crowded and noisy that he had to move into the cramped kitchen with his Nagra recorder on his lap and monitor the recording via headphones. Minimal equipment, maximum effort, and what do we end up with - some music that is used today to evaluate high end audio systems. Then, several years later (2007/8, I think) Winston Ma of First Impression Music acquires the right to remaster the original tapes and produces an even more dynamically stunning set of CDs. I have both Proprius' LPs and FIM CDs and I listen to them quite often.
After that kind of listening experience, if I put on an Indian made/recorded CD (of classical music), I hear the treble of the dayan of a tabla on the right speaker and bass of the b?y? on the left speaker. The same with the Karanai and Thoppi of a mirdangam. And then, right in the middle of a song, the accompanying violin, harmonium, sarangi, whatever, seem to move at will from right to left or vice-versa or an accompanying instrumentalist suddenly becomes louder than the main artist. Really, who are these so called professionals sitting behind mixing and mastering desks? However, I still listen to such ill-engineered recordings simply because the quality of music contents by certain Ustads, Pandits, Vidwans and Maestros (from past and present) is not easy to pass up. However, I move away from my speakers (to another room or area of the house) for some long distance listening..!
Another phenomena I have come across here in India, is even with original recording is of foreign origins, but if the pressings or the CD manufacturing happens to be India, I find the music can sound compressed and thin in comparison to the original. My most recent experience in this matter was with the purchase of Koushiki Chakrabarty's live London concert CD album titled "Pure" from Amazon-India.Their web page for the product displays it as an "Import" from UK label, Sense Music World. But what I received was Times Music edition with a clear "Made in India" stamp - somewhat thin and compressed sounding, but I can't confirm that until I receive the Sense CD to make a direct comparison.
In a digital world of zeros and one, how can such degradation of sound happen, one (like me) may ask. If you refer to a recent topic in these forums about FiiO X3 DAP, you will find that merely upgrading firmware from V 2.4 to V 3.0 actually makes the unit sound better. So, there you have an answer to reversing the end result.
But before I get some suggestions, let me list a few recordings that I think may be worth considering, they may not be audiophile, but will be acceptable to most nevertheless:
1. Pandit Hariprasad Chowrasia & Zakir Hussain - "Possession" Vol. 1, 2 & 3 (Pan Music 1994) Live at Osho, Pune. Flute Hindistani
2. Ramnad Krishnan, Vidwan - "Songs of the Carnatic Tradition" (Electra/Nonesuch 9 72023-2) Vocal Carnatic
3. S.Balachander - "Sangeeta Madras" - Pacific World Records (LP) No known CD versions. Veena Carnatic
- The thani-avardhanam of mirdangam and ghatam on 'B' side by U.Sivaraman and V.Rambadhran is the best I have ever heard.
4. L.Shankar - "Who is to Know" (ECM) Violin Carnatic.
5. Ustad Rashid Khan - "Ragas Kedar, Shahana & Abogi" - (Navras Records UK - NR00712) Live Hindustani vocal concert London.
6. Master Shashank - "Endless Beauties from the Bamboo Flute - (Distrconics/Shruti Records 2CD) Flute Carnatic.
7. Rajeswari Padmanaban - "Music of the Veena II" - (JVC World Sounds VICG-5038) Veena Carnatic.
(You could also refer to my "Desert Island Top Ten" elsewhere on this site).
Last words: India is simply not able to document its musical heritage properly (I am not talking about 'audiophile' grade), and the urgent need here is for more of Alexander Kavivardhan (Water Lily Acoustics), Manfred Echier (ECM), Rudy Van Gelder (Blue Note), Joe Harley (AudioQuest Music) and their variety in India. Otherwise, we may just have to drop the holy grail of audio gear (and nirvana) and resign ourselves to cheap boom-boxes.
I am aware about a few Foreign-Made-Indian-Music labels like Water Lily Acoustics, ECM, Ryko, who are mostly spot on with imaging, timber and room acoustics. And some like Chanda Dhara, Nimbus, JVC World, Navrang, Oriental Records, Moment Records, etc., that have a varying levels of recording quality and sometimes with errors on the titling of the tracks on the records/CD.
To highlight the point, let me relate a story:
In 1976, recording engineer Gert Palmcrantz set up just three microphones (Neumann U47, KM56, and M49), hooked them to a portable stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder (Nagra IV) via a pair of noise reduction units (Dolby A316) at Stockholm's crowded Stampen Jazz Club (a location that used to be a pawnshop once) and was able to produce a 2-set vinyl record (or 2-CD released in 1977) that is today considered ideal reference quality recordings by most audio and jazz enthusiasts around the globe - a must have for any audio system set up. I am talking about "Jazz at the Pawnshop" Vol.1 & 2 on Proprious Music label (PROP 7778/79 or CDP 7778/79). In his own words, Palmcrantz states that during the two evenings of recording sessions, the place was so crowded and noisy that he had to move into the cramped kitchen with his Nagra recorder on his lap and monitor the recording via headphones. Minimal equipment, maximum effort, and what do we end up with - some music that is used today to evaluate high end audio systems. Then, several years later (2007/8, I think) Winston Ma of First Impression Music acquires the right to remaster the original tapes and produces an even more dynamically stunning set of CDs. I have both Proprius' LPs and FIM CDs and I listen to them quite often.
After that kind of listening experience, if I put on an Indian made/recorded CD (of classical music), I hear the treble of the dayan of a tabla on the right speaker and bass of the b?y? on the left speaker. The same with the Karanai and Thoppi of a mirdangam. And then, right in the middle of a song, the accompanying violin, harmonium, sarangi, whatever, seem to move at will from right to left or vice-versa or an accompanying instrumentalist suddenly becomes louder than the main artist. Really, who are these so called professionals sitting behind mixing and mastering desks? However, I still listen to such ill-engineered recordings simply because the quality of music contents by certain Ustads, Pandits, Vidwans and Maestros (from past and present) is not easy to pass up. However, I move away from my speakers (to another room or area of the house) for some long distance listening..!
Another phenomena I have come across here in India, is even with original recording is of foreign origins, but if the pressings or the CD manufacturing happens to be India, I find the music can sound compressed and thin in comparison to the original. My most recent experience in this matter was with the purchase of Koushiki Chakrabarty's live London concert CD album titled "Pure" from Amazon-India.Their web page for the product displays it as an "Import" from UK label, Sense Music World. But what I received was Times Music edition with a clear "Made in India" stamp - somewhat thin and compressed sounding, but I can't confirm that until I receive the Sense CD to make a direct comparison.
In a digital world of zeros and one, how can such degradation of sound happen, one (like me) may ask. If you refer to a recent topic in these forums about FiiO X3 DAP, you will find that merely upgrading firmware from V 2.4 to V 3.0 actually makes the unit sound better. So, there you have an answer to reversing the end result.
But before I get some suggestions, let me list a few recordings that I think may be worth considering, they may not be audiophile, but will be acceptable to most nevertheless:
1. Pandit Hariprasad Chowrasia & Zakir Hussain - "Possession" Vol. 1, 2 & 3 (Pan Music 1994) Live at Osho, Pune. Flute Hindistani
2. Ramnad Krishnan, Vidwan - "Songs of the Carnatic Tradition" (Electra/Nonesuch 9 72023-2) Vocal Carnatic
3. S.Balachander - "Sangeeta Madras" - Pacific World Records (LP) No known CD versions. Veena Carnatic
- The thani-avardhanam of mirdangam and ghatam on 'B' side by U.Sivaraman and V.Rambadhran is the best I have ever heard.
4. L.Shankar - "Who is to Know" (ECM) Violin Carnatic.
5. Ustad Rashid Khan - "Ragas Kedar, Shahana & Abogi" - (Navras Records UK - NR00712) Live Hindustani vocal concert London.
6. Master Shashank - "Endless Beauties from the Bamboo Flute - (Distrconics/Shruti Records 2CD) Flute Carnatic.
7. Rajeswari Padmanaban - "Music of the Veena II" - (JVC World Sounds VICG-5038) Veena Carnatic.
(You could also refer to my "Desert Island Top Ten" elsewhere on this site).
Last words: India is simply not able to document its musical heritage properly (I am not talking about 'audiophile' grade), and the urgent need here is for more of Alexander Kavivardhan (Water Lily Acoustics), Manfred Echier (ECM), Rudy Van Gelder (Blue Note), Joe Harley (AudioQuest Music) and their variety in India. Otherwise, we may just have to drop the holy grail of audio gear (and nirvana) and resign ourselves to cheap boom-boxes.
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