Article: Introducing New CA Contributor Kathy Geisler

[Kathy Geisler]

Thank you. I only know about bats from Eastern Europe that were imported to the US by early 20th century founders of the Chautauqua Institute in upstate NY. They were seen as the solution to controlling the mosquito population. They continue to do a remarkable job over one hundred years later. Yay for bats!<br />

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kathy

[Kathy Geisler]

Dear Sanjay,<br />

<br />

Thank you for the kind note. <br />

<br />

I appreciate that there are so many here who are devoted to the idea of quality of sound. I am trained as an oboist and was very involved for many years in the development of sound by making my own reeds. Nature meets art with a whole lot of science thrown in. That is sound, any way you slice it. <br />

<br />

Thank you again,<br />

<br />

Kathy<br />

<br />

[Kathy Geisler]

Dear Coot,<br />

<br />

Thank you for your note. I'm wondering if someone who considers themselves to be so very classically oriented becomes an acoustic purist, and then has to live with that fact while listening through electronic devices. <br />

<br />

The fact is that it is an extremely rare phenomenon to be able to hear acoustic music in a perfect acoustic, and then to have that experience without a lot of extraneous sound. It is rare unless you are an audience of one, but then you don't get to enjoy the energy shared by the many. <br />

<br />

And just to turn it around a little, when I have worked with many artists in the studio recording environment, it can be unnerving for them to work in the stark quiet of that, without the presence of an audience. It was not unusual that we would invite a small group in to fill some of that void and warm things up.<br />

<br />

More on this later.<br />

<br />

Thank you again,<br />

<br />

Kathy

[Kathy Geisler]

Hi Ted,<br />

<br />

You are very fortunate to have the Cleveland Orchestra at your doorstep.<br />

<br />

This is one of the few orchestras that has transcended the ensemble issues that plague most large groups. Szell made them want to play together and the winds started a trend, rather a tradition that gets passed to each new player entering this group, of blending their sound. It is remarkable to hear on those old Szell recordings. Oboe, flute, clarinet, bassoon, all able to get completely inside of each others sound. The strings are outstanding, almost to the point of some of the better European orchestras. Lucky you. <br />

<br />

Kathy<br />

<br />

[Kathy Geisler]

Hi Francis,<br />

<br />

I'm not an historical player. This said, there is an excellent book called 'Temperament' by Stuart Isacoff that deals very nicely with the history of tuning and how scientists such as Galileo, da Vinci and others have had a hand in what has become the current system.<br />

<br />

I produced an album once of Georgian vocal music. When they first submitted a tape to me I thought it was the worst sounding thing I had ever received. But I went back to it for some reason and realized that I wasn't hearing that they were using these odd (to me) relationships of tuning. It is one thing to do this on an instrument, but to train yourself to hear it during singing is even more of a challenge. The stretched intervals are not pretty at first and then you begin to 'crave' them because the ear wants some stimulation, some diversion. But just a little.<br />

<br />

I'm pretty modern in my tastes. I love listening to Konstantin Lifschitz play Bach on the piano, and I like the modern instruments of the orchestra. <br />

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I'm not sure what the current view is at Juilliard. I think that in general when you are studying a work, you want to be aware of what some of the challenges were at the time that the work was composed, but then you have to integrate that knowledge into your own artistic voice. Otherwise there is no life for that music if it stays in the past. <br />

<br />

I know there are many people who enjoy hearing in the various temperaments. I'm not one of them. I'm very sensitive to intonation and I really like hearing pitch that is alive and in motion, that has direction. Pitch as a concept is thought to be a uni-dimensional idea, as if you could take a snap shot of sound, but it is not that at all. It has to move, breath, have direction, life. Then it is music. Even a great pianist forms line that gives intention to pitch on an instrument where you have no control of it.<br />

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Listen to a great orchestra, like the Russian National Orchestra and hear the way they play a long note with various instruments going in and out of the line. This is how I understand pitch, as a moving element within the music.<br />

<br />

As Casals said: 'Intonation is a matter of conscience.'<br />

<br />

I'm sorry if I was not able to comment directly to your good questions.<br />

<br />

Kathy

[Kathy Geisler]

Hi Peter,<br />

<br />

I think there are some 'non-guys' who are interested in different aspects of good sound. There are several women who went to CCRMA at Stanford and are themselves leaders in the research field of sound. But that is another subject.<br />

<br />

Personally, I'm interested in the content, how you make the good sounds that go into the good equipment, and some of that is about the recording gear, some about the instruments, some about the musicians themselves, and then you have to have great material to work with (composers). I'm less an end user in that respect. <br />

<br />

Right now I'm sitting listening to Konstantin prepare for a five concert Bach festival here in Kansas City. If you are interested, just google Konstantin Lifschitz Kansas City.<br />

<br />

Today we visited two of the three instruments he will be performing on, of the three halls that are presenting the festival.<br />

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One was at this brand new Kauffman Center which just opened in September. I'm looking forward to hearing the hall. He will play two concertos there next week and then another recital of the Goldberg Variations.<br />

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I spent some years going for making recordings sound as if you are there in the room. Now I've switched gears a bit and am working in the live music arena. But I'm working on launching a festival where we will record and video everything. I'm just glad to be working on productions that are live-based. This is much cooler than 85 takes that you have to pick which one is the best. Trust me on that.<br />

<br />

Thank you again for writing.<br />

<br />

Kathy

[Kathy Geisler]

Dear Bill,<br />

<br />

Hi to New Zealand.<br />

<br />

I wonder if you ears a little less cluttered being over that way. <br />

<br />

kathy

[Kathy Geisler]

Hi Awayalways,<br />

<br />

I've played in that hall, the old one. I have very subjective feelings about it that maybe have nothing to do with the acoustics, more of a personality thing. It is one of the more intimate halls, and then the image of Alice sitting there in the audience. But you are right. I should go and hear the new hall. Now I would just need a reason to go. That could be more difficult since I very rarely attend events that I am not somehow involved with. <br />

<br />

Thanks for writing,<br />

<br />

kathy

[Kathy Geisler]

Dear Mercman,<br />

<br />

I grew up in NY, and I know what gutter speak is. It is not going to offend me. <br />

<br />

It isn't as if this is a (men's) locker room, or have I missed something? <br />

<br />

Chris, what have you gotten me into?<br />

<br />

kathy

[Kathy Geisler]

Thank you for the great story. This is perfect. Yes, when it sounds muddy like that it means they are not playing the same pitches together. This is more common than finding groups that can play in tune together. It is great that you hear this. So now when you have a chance to hear one of the best orchestras play Tchaikovsky or Brahms or Beethoven, you can enjoy the first violins really playing together. The Russian National Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, Cleveland, maybe a few others. <br />

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Many recordings are very edited unless you are listening to live concert recordings, although they often will do patching sessions to correct glaring issues. But not always. Not everyone hears the differences, if they did than there would be fewer of these instances. I had dinner with a famous piano technician tonight and he works on pianos for some of the most prominent artists in the world. There are so many peculiarities to how various people like their instruments tuned. It was interesting hearing about this after having had your previous question. So thank you again for asking.<br />

<br />

kathy