In Reply to: Musical Emotion posted by Tony Lauck on February 29, 2012 at 11:12:04:
I can be extremely moved by a symphony on a car radio, and my favorite recordings of all time are the Schnabel 32, which are 78's. Of course, I'd rather listen on a good system, and in my experience, doing so can magnify the experience in many ways -- more beautiful, more exciting, more emotional. But it really depends. I could listen to a superb recording of a work I didn't much care for on a superb system and not be moved. Or a bad recording of a powerful work on a bad system, and be moved powerfully. Or a good recording of a not as great work on a good system and also be moved -- the Telarc recording of the Organ Symphony that I used to blast on my 1-D's, say. All of which makes the term problematic for me, because emotionality isn't an intrinsic quality of the speaker. Accuracy, sure. But emotionality seems too subjective, particularly since I'm not sure that emotionality and fidelity are inevitably linked. On some pop recordings, for example, exaggerated bass, or boomy midbass, might prove emotionally engaging.
What I do understand is J. Gordon Holt's "goosebump test."
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Follow Ups
- RE: Musical Emotion - josh358 15:09:15 02/29/12 (3)
- RE: Musical Emotion - Tony Lauck 15:33:40 02/29/12 (2)
- RE: Musical Emotion - josh358 15:55:36 02/29/12 (1)
- RE: Musical Emotion - Jive Turkey 10:26:45 03/01/12 (0)