The Changing Sound of Music: Approaches to Studying Recorded Musical Performances

by Daniel Leech-Wilkinson

Document Contents

 

List of sound files

  • Sound File 1: Ignacy Paderewski: Chopin, Mazurka Op. 59 no. 2, bb.101-11. Matrix A64336 (rec. 23 December 1930), issued on HMV DA 1245, 2’22”-2’41”. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 2: Harry Plunkett-Green: Schubert, ‘The Hurdy-Gurdy Man’ (‘Der Leiermann’). Matrix CA 14259-1 (rec. 10 January 1934), issued on Columbia DB 1377. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 3: A plain MIDI encoding of Chopin’s Prelude Op. 28 no. 15
  • Sound File 4: Frieda Hempel, accompanied by an unidentified ensemble: Schubert, ‘Ave Maria’ (Ellens Gesang III). Matrix 341 av (rec. 1921), issued on Deutsche Grammophon 043370. Transfer © Karsten Lehl and King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 5: Albert Piccaluga, acc. Mr. Pickaert (Mustel harmonium): Schubert ‘Ave Maria’ (Ellens Gesang III). Matrix xP 1317 (rec. April 1905), issued on Odeon 36034. Transfer © Karsten Lehl 2007.
  • Sound File 5a: As Sound File 5, but with digital noise reduction by Andrew Hallifax. Transfer © Karsten Lehl and King’s College London 2008.
  • Sound File 6: Germaine Martinelli, acc. orchestra, conducted by Eugène Bigot: Schubert, ‘La jeune religieuse’ (‘Die junge Nonne’). Columbia matrix CLX 1872-1 (rec. 21 June 1935), issued on LFX 250. Transfer © Karsten Lehl and King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 6a: As Sound File 6, but with digital noise reduction by Andrew Hallifax. Transfer © Karsten Lehl and King’s College London 2008.
  • Sound File 7: Alfred Cortot, London Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Landon Ronald: Schumann, Piano Concerto, 1st movement, side breaks. HMV DB 7648, matrix 2B6821-2 (end); DB 7649, mat. 2B6822-1A (start & end); DB 7650, mat. 2B6823-1 (start & end); DB 7651, mat. 2B6824-2 (start). Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 8: Edvard Grieg playing his own ‘Norwegian Bridal Procession’, Op. 19 no. 2, 0’0”-1’38”. Transferred by Denis Hall (November 2007) from Welte roll 1276 (1906). Transfer © Denis Hall 2007.
  • Sound File 9: Edvard Grieg playing his own ‘Norwegian Bridal Procession’, (extract). Transferred from G&T 35517 (1903). Transfer © currently unknown.
  • Sound File 10: Raoul Pugno: Liszt, ‘Hungarian Rhapsody’ no. 11. Transferred by Denis Hall (November 2007) from Welte 543 (1905). Transfer © Denis Hall 2007.
  • Sound File 11: Raoul Pugno: Liszt, ‘Hungarian Rhapsody’ no. 11. Transferred by G&T 35504/5 (1903). Transfer © currently unknown
  • Sound File 12: Carl Reinecke: Mozart Piano Concerto K. 537, 2nd movement (extract). Transferred by Denis Hall (November 2007) from Welte 237 (1905). Transfer © Denis Hall 2007.
  • Sound File 13: Elena Gerhardt, acc. Arthur Nikisch: Schubert, ‘An die Musik’ (D 547). Matrix ac5112f (rec. 30 June 1911), issued on HMV 043202. Transferred at 78.2rpm from a vinyl pressing of the HMV metal stamper. Transfer © Roger Beardsley 2007.
  • Sound File 14: Sir George Henschel, self-accompanied: Schubert, ‘Das Wandern’ (Die schöne Müllerin). Matrix (W)A6893-1 (rec. 2 March 1928), issued on Columbia D 1657. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 15: Sir George Henschel, self-accompanied: Schubert, ‘Der Leiermann’ (Winterreise). Matrix (W)A6892-3 (rec. 2 March 1928), issued on Columbia D 1657. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 16: Lotte Lehmann (speaker) Heinrich Heine, ‘Ich grolle nicht’. ‘Lotte Lehmann reading German lyric poetry’, Caedmon TC 1072, side 1, band 3, 3’17”-4’11” (issued 1957), © Caedmon Publishers 1957.
  • Sound File 17: Lotte Lehmann, with anonymous instrumental accompaniment: Schumann ‘Ich grolle nicht’. Matrix (W) (£) Be 9044 (rec. 19 June 1930), issued on Parlophone RO 20185. Transferred at 80rpm. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 18: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, acc. Gerald Moore: Schubert, ‘Am Feierabend’. Matrix 2EA15959-1C (rec. 3 October 1951), issued on HMV DB 21389. Transfer © King’s College London.
  • Sound File 19: Fritz Kreisler, acc. George Falkenstein (1912) and Carl Lamson (1926): Kreisler, ‘Liebeslied’ (extract). ‘Fritz Kreisler - The complete RCA recordings’, RCA 09026 61649 2, disc 2, tr 2, 0’44”-0’47”; disc 7, tr 19, 0’45”-0’48”. © RCA 1995.
  • Sound File 20: Fanny Davies: Schumann, Davidsbundlertänze, Op. 6, book 2 no. 5. Matrix (W)AX 5364 (rec. 10 December 1930), issued on US Columbia 67799-D. Transfer © Roger Beardsley 2007.
  • Sound File 21: Fanny Davies: Schumann, Davidsbundlertänze, Op. 6, book 2 no. 9. Matrix (W)AX 5363 (rec. 10 December 1930), issued on US Columbia 67799-D. Transfer © Roger Beardsley 2007.
  • Sound File 22: Benno Moiseiwitsch: Chopin, Nocturne, Op. 9 no. 2. Matrix 2EA 8892-1 9 (rec. 31 October 1940), issued on HMV C 3197. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 23: Alfred Cortot: Chopin, Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28 no. 15, bb. 70-6. Matrix Cc8169-2 (rec. 23 March 1926), issued on HMV DB 959, 3’20”-3’44”. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 24: Alfred Cortot: Chopin, Prelude in G minor, Op. 28 no. 22. Matrix Cc8161-3 (rec. 23 March 1926), issued on HMV DB 960, 0’00”-0’42”. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 25: Alfred Cortot: Chopin, Prelude in E minor, Op. 28 no. 4. Matrix CR2046-2 (rec. 4 June 1928), issued on at least one copy of HMV DB 957 in place of the 1926 matrix Cc8157-3, 0’1.5”-1’50”. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 26: Essie Ackland, acc. unidentified ensemble: Schubert, ‘Great is Jehovah’ (‘Die Allmacht’). Matrix 2B3427-2 (rec. 20 June 1932), HMV C 2535. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 27: Sound File 26, 1’30”-1’37”, slowed down 400% in Sonic Visualiser 1.0.
  • Sound File 28: Marcella Sembrich, acc. Frank La Forge: Schubert, ‘Wohin?’ (Die schöne Müllerin), bb. 35-45. EMI RLS 724 (issued 1977), side 1, band 8 (from unpublished matrix C 5046, rec. Camden, USA, 30 September 1908), 0’48”-1’0.9”. © EMI Records Limited 1977.
  • Sound File 29: Nigel Rogers, acc. Richard Burnett: Schubert, ‘Wohin?’ (Die schöne Müllerin), bb. 35-45. Telefunken 6.35 266-1 (issued 1975), side 1, band 2, 0’51”-1’2.75”. © Teldec “Telefunken-Decca” Schallplatten GmbH 1975.
  • Sound File 30: Peter Schreier, acc. András Schiff: Schubert, ‘Wohin?’ (Die schöne Müllerin), bb. 35-45. Decca 430 414-2 (rec. 1989, issued 1991), track 2, 0’59”-1’13”. © The Decca Record Company Limited, London 1991.
  • Sound File 31: Elena Gerhardt, acc. Harold Craxton: Schubert, ‘An die Musik’. Matrix 03545X (rec. 29 May 1924), issued on Vocalion C 0220, pitch/speed reduced from 78rpm by 74 cents. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 32: Benno Moiseiwitsch: Chopin, Prelude in C minor, Op. 28 no. 20. Matrix 2EA13523-1 (rec. 30 December 1948), issued on HMV C 3908, 1’15”-2’38”. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 33: Extract from Sound File 13 with more noise reduction.
  • Sound File 34: MIDI encoding of Chopin, Mazurka in A minor, Op. 17 no. 4, with timings extracted by Craig Sapp from a 1994 performance by Murray Perahia on Sony SK 45931. See http:www.mazurka.org.uk/info/revcond/#17-4. © Royal Holloway, University of London 2007.
  • Sound File 35: Jascha Heifetz, acc. Isidor Achron: Schubert, ‘Ave Maria’ (Ellens Gesang III) (arr. violin and piano). Matrix A21072 (rec. 1927), issued on HMV DB 1047, 1’04”-1’24”. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 36: John McCormack, acc. The Victor Salon Group, cond. Nathaniel Shilkret: Schubert, ‘Ave Maria’ (Ellens Gesang III) (sung in English). Matrix A4909-1A (rec. 27 November 1928), issued on HMV DB 1297, 1’07”-1’28”. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 37: Albert Sandler, acc. Sydney Ffolkes: Schubert, ‘Ständchen’ (arr. violin and piano). Matrix WA10984-2 (rec. 16 December 1930), issued on Columbia DB 563. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 38: Max Meili: ‘Gloria in cielo’. Matrix AS 2 (rec. 1935), L’Oiseau Lyre ‘L'Anthologie Sonore’, this transfer from the US issue catalogue number AS 8 (also issued in Europe as AS 2), side b. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 39: Lotte Lehmann, cc. Paul Ulanowsky: Schubert, ‘Die junge Nonne’. Matrix SCO 30013-1 (rec. 4 March 1941), issued on Columbia 71509-D and LOX 654, 0’49”-1’10”. Transfer © Karsten Lehl and King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 40: Kathleen Battle, acc. James Levine: Schubert, ‘Die Männer sind méchant’ (extract). DG 419 237-2 (rec. 1985 & 87), track 13, 0’09”-0’17”. © Polydor International GmbH, Hamburg 1988.
  • Sound File 41: Kathleen Battle, acc. James Levine: Schubert, ‘Rastlöse Liebe’ (extract). DG 419 237-2 (rec. 1985 & 87), track 14, 0’13”-0’19”. © Polydor International GmbH, Hamburg 1988.
  • Sound File 42: Kathleen Battle, acc. James Levine: Schubert, ‘Lachen und weinen’ (extract). DG 419 237-2 (rec. 1985 & 87), track 11, 0’28”-0’38”. © Polydor International GmbH, Hamburg 1988.
  • Sound File 43: Meta Seinemeyer, acc. unidentified ensemble, cond. Frieder Weißmann. Matrix 2-20717-2 (rec. 24 April 1928), issued as Decca 52832, Odeon O 7652, Parlophon P 9662, and Parlophon P 9871. Transfer © Roger Beardsley 2007.
  • Sound File 44: Kathleen Battle, acc. James Levine: Schubert, ‘Die junge Nonne’ (extract). DG 419 237-2 (rec. 1985 & 87), track 15, 0’35”-0’38”. © Polydor International GmbH, Hamburg 1988.
  • Sound File 45: Kathleen Battle, acc. James Levine: Schubert, ‘Die junge Nonne’ (extract). DG 419 237-2 (rec. 1985 & 87), track 15, 0’52”-1’10”. © Polydor International GmbH, Hamburg 1988.
  • Sound File 46: Susan Metcalfe-Casals, acc. Gerald Moore: Schubert, ‘Die junge Nonne’. Matrix CTPX 3884-1 (rec. 7 July 1937), issued on HMV JG 20. Transfer © Karsten Lehl and King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 47: Lula Mysz-Gmeiner, acc. Julius Dahlke: Schubert, ‘Die junge Nonne’. Matrices 289 br and 290 br (rec. June 1928), issued on B 44148/9, Polydor 21455 (sides joined). Transfer © Karsten Lehl and King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 48: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, acc. Gerald Moore: Schubert, ‘Das Fischermädchen’ (Schwanengesang). Matrix OEA 15947-2 (rec. 6 October 1951), issued on HMV DA 2045. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 49: Jascha Heifetz, acc. Isidor Achron: Schubert, ‘Ave Maria’ (Ellens Gesang III) (arr. violin and piano). Matrix A21072 (rec. 1927), issued on HMV DB 1047. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 50: Artur Schnabel: Schumann, ‘Träumerei’ (Kinderscenen). Matrix 2EA12085-2 (rec. June 1947), 0’55”-3’40”, issued on HMV DB 5602. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 51: Alfred Cortot: Schumann, ‘Träumerei’ (Kinderscenen). Matrix 2EA 2140-1 (rec. 4 July 1935), 0’48”-3’23”, issued on HMV DB 2581. Transfer © King’s College London 2007.
  • Sound File 52: Heinrich Schlusnus, acc. Franz Rupp: Schubert, ‘An die Musik’. Matrix 1604½ book 1 (rec. c. June 1928), issued on Brunswick 85004, DGG 62848, & Polydor 62644. Transfer © Karsten Lehl and King’s College London 2008.
 

List of figures

  • Figure 1: Pitch with turntable speed
  • Figure 2: Timings in Battle/Levine, Nähe des Geliebte, bb.4-6
  • Figure 3: Portamento slide lengths in Beethoven, Violin Concerto, 3rd movement, bb. 126-34
  • Figure 4: Portamento slide lengths in Brahms, Violin Concerto, 2nd movement, bb. 90-103
  • Figure 5: Vibrato speed in Beethoven and Brahms violin concerto recordings
  • Figure 6: Vibrato depth in Beethoven and Brahms violin concerto recordings
  • Figure 7: Number of portamenti in Beethoven and Brahms extracts, by birth date of player
  • Figure 8: Length of portamenti (in milliseconds) in Beethoven and Brahms extracts, by birth date of player
  • Figure 9: Loudness of portamento slides (dB) in Brahms, Violin Concerto, 2nd movement, bb. 99-100
  • Figure 10: Teacher/Pupil descent from Beethoven to Curzon and Rosen
  • Figure 11: Fanny Davies, Schumann: Davidsbundlertänze, book II, no. 9
  • Figure 12: Rubato in Brahms’s Intermezzo in E minor, Op. 119 no. 2: Eibenschütz (1952) and W. Kempff (c. 1964)
  • Figure 13: Alfred Cortot, Chopin, Prelude in E minor, Op. 28 no. 4, 1928 recording: durations and intensities
  • Figure 14: Artur Rubinstein, Chopin, Mazurka Op. 63 no. 3, in 1938 (dark blue) and 1966 (pink) compared to four younger pianists
  • Figure 15: Rubato in Chopin's Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9 no. 2, bb. 1-16 from Hofmann (1911) to Pires (1996)
  • Figure 16: Some determinants of performance style
  • Figure 17: Marcella Sembrich, Nigel Rogers and Peter Schreier, Schubert, ‘Wohin?’, bb. 35-45
  • Figure 18: Wilhelm Furtwängler and Arturo Toscanini, Beethoven, 3rd Symphony, 1st movement, recapitulation: tempi
  • Figure 19: Benno Moiseiwitsch, Chopin, Prelude in C minor, Op. 28 no. 20, bb. 1-12, beat lengths
  • Figure 20: Alfred Cortot, Schumann, 'Der Dichter spricht' (Kinderscenen), with spoken commentary (1953)
 

List of plates

  • Plate 1: Edward Elgar and musicians posing at a 1914 recording session
  • Plate 2: An acoustic recording session for the Victor label
  • Plate 3: A two-horn acoustic recording layout
  • Plate 4: An acoustic recording session for voice and piano
  • Plate 5: HMV B 2686, matrix Bb12053, label
  • Plate 6: Kreisler’s vibrato, 1912
  • Plate 7: Kreisler’s vibrato, 1926
  • Plate 8: Chopin, Mazurka Op. 68 no. 3, correlation plots (by Craig Sapp). Explanation and further examples are at http://mazurka.org.uk/ana/timescape/
  • Plate 9: Essie Ackland, ‘the wave of the golden corn’, from Schubert’s ‘Die Allmacht’ (1932)
  • Plate 10: Heifetz, Schubert, ‘Ave Maria’ (arr. violin and piano), matrix A21072, issued on HMV DB 1047 (rec. 1926), 1’04”-1’24”
  • Plate 11: McCormack, Schubert, ‘Ave Maria’ (in English), matrix A49209-1A, issued on HMV DB 1297 (rec. 1929), 1’07”-1’28”
 

List of tables

  • Table 1: Violin vibrato from Joachim to Kreisler
  • Table 2: Violin vibrato in concerto playing from Flesch onwards
  • Table 3: Violin portamento lengths from Flesch onwards
  • Table 4: Violin portamento loudnesses from Flesch onwards
  • Table 5: Making notes on performance parameters

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