Re: Old World vs. Sousa

[Tski1128 <Tski1128...>]

    I recently heard a set of recordings of the Sousa Band one made during 
the "mechanical period" the other made after the advent of microphones. The 
arrangement, Hands Across the Sea, was the same arrangement used in both 
recordings. The sounds of these two recordings is so very different, not only 
in the how it sounds, but in what you are capable of hearing. Almost all of 
the middle lines, low clarinets, sax counter lines disappear in the 
"mechanical" recordings. So do the quieter instruments like the Flutes, harp 
and the cellos (Sousa liked the cello in unison with saxophone). It became so 
frustrating to Sousa, trying to get the "real" sound of his band on the early 
recordings, that he started changing his arrangements. 3 flute parts, gone, 
replaced with 2 unison Piccolos, 1st &2nd Bassoon, bass clarinet, tenor sax, 
all different parts, now a unison line. Cornet parts, many of the counter 
lines to the clarinet melodies, now either gone or made the melodies on 
repeated sections. So I believe that the medium did change the message that 
Sousa was trying to deliver. However once the microphones came into play, he 
was back to the original arrangements that were played on tour. 
    So what does this have to do with early klezmer recordings? I believe it 
changed the instrumentation of the "recording" ensemble. Violin, can't hear 
it, gone. Clarinet picks up really well, that's the new lead instrument. 
Cymbolon, sounded nice with violin, can't hear it with the clarinet, lets use 
piano instead. If counter lines were used on gigs, I would bet a lot of them 
were left off recordings. I would love to hear any examples that members of 
the list might have of Tarras, Brandwein and others have that straddle this 
recording period.  My thought is though, I bet the performances didn't change 
that much, this was how people were used to hearing this music. 

The other aspect of these recordings has to be how they were going to be 
marketed. Being a musician, and having recorded, I have a hard time believing 
that some A&R guy in an early record company saying "Dave Tarras is a 
national treasure, I believe we should record him for posterity." We all know 
it must have been more like," Hey I heard this amazing clarinetist the other 
day, the audience loved him, I think he could make us some serious money!" In 
which case who needs all that other "stuff" on the disc. 

Tom Puwalski, the artist formerly known as Sarge
Clarinetist with Lox and Vodka
Former Principal Clarinet with U.S. Army Field Band

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