rowuk

As many of my posts indicate, I have been following this exact phenomenon for at least 30 years, and even more so in the last 3 as my second son has been studying recording engineering (graduated best of class last year!).

My 15 cents are:
The advent of digital recording has brought many more channels and recording effects to the engineer, drastically increasing his influence on the sonics. Microphones close up give the engineer a sound not present in a concert environment. The exaggerated overtones give them a lot of signal to play with that has NOTHING to do with the creative manipulation of sound exercized by a professional musician.

The bottom line is that the listener is only given stylistic clues about the the player, no tonal possibilities any more.

The second part of the problem is the "universal" player that can get a job anywhere. Standard instrumentation further bulldozes differences down.
What is amazing to me, the record companies are complaining about decreasing sales, but offering ever more "standardized" sonics (and to a certain extent standardized style - the asthmatic hysterical performance practices currently VERY saleable come to mind...........).

It is worth buying the el cheap-o labels like Naxos. They don't have the budget for the trash compacter approach of recording and the artist has more to say about the end product. The recording quality and readings are still decent!

I think I'll quit before this becomes too much of a rant...............

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