In Search of the "True" Sound of and Artist : a Study of Recordings by Maria Callas
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IN SEARCH OF THE “TRUE” SOUND OF AN ARTIST: A STUDY OF RECORDINGS BY MARIA CALLAS Adriaan Fuchs Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy (Music Technology) in the Faculty of Arts, Stellenbosch University. APRIL 2006 Supervisor: Mr. T Herbst Co-supervisor: Prof. HJ Vermeulen DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own original work and that I have not previously, in its entirety or in part, submitted it at any university for a degree. …………………… …………………… Adriaan Fuchs Date ii ABSTRACT Modern digital signal processing, allowing a much greater degree of flexibility in audio processing and therefore greater potential for noise removal, pitch correction, filtering and editing, has allowed transfer and audio restoration engineers a diversity of ways in which to “improve” or “reinterpret” (in some cases even drastically altering) the original sound of recordings. This has lead to contrasting views regarding the role of the remastering engineer, the nature and purpose of audio restoration and the ethical implications of the restoration process. The influence of audio restoration on the recorded legacy of a performing artist is clearly illustrated in the case of Maria Callas (1923 - 1977), widely regarded not only as one of the most influential and prolific of opera singers, but also one of the greatest classical musicians of all time. EMI, for whom Callas recorded almost exclusively from 1953 - 1969, has reissued her recordings repeatedly, continually adapting their sound “to the perceived preferences of the record-buying public” (Seletsky 2000: 240). Their attempts at improving the sound of Callas’s recordings to meet with the sonic quality expected of modern recordings, as reissued in the latest releases that form part of EMI’s Callas Edition, Great Recordings of the Century (GROTC) and Historical Series, have resulted in often staggeringly different reinterpretations of the same audio material that bear no resemblance to previous CD or LP incarnations or “evince no consolidated conviction about exactly how Callas’s voice should sound.” In essence, some commentators argue that the “Callas sound” we hear on recent CD releases is not necessarily exactly as the great diva might have sounded. The purpose of this study is to consider the influence of audio restoration and remastering techniques on the recorded legacy of Callas, by illustrating the sometimes startlingly different ways in which her voice has been made to sound, examining and comparing the way in which different remasterings of the same audio material can vary in quality, as well as demonstrating how vastly different sonic reinterpretations of a single recording can affect our perception of an artist’s “true” sound. To this end, various reissues of six different complete opera recordings, including four studio recordings: Tosca (1953), Lucia di Lammermoor (1953), Norma (1954), Madama Butterfly (1955), as well as two “live” performances of Macbeth (1953) and La Traviata (1958), have been evaluated and compared, using the “true” sound of Callas’s voice as reference in comparing the different remasterings. Pitch and frequency spectrum analysis was used to confirm or support any subjective claims and observations and further analysis performed with the aid of a specialised Matlab algorithm. iii OPSOMMING Moderne digitale seinprossesering bied kragtige en veelsydige moontlikhede vir die verwerking van klankseine. Die groter potensiaal vir ruisverwydering, toonhoogte verstelling, filtrering en redigering van opnames bied klankingenieurs ‘n wye verskeidenheid van maniere om die oorspronklike klank van opnames te verbeter, te interpreteer en soms ingrypend te verander. Dit het aanleiding gegee tot teenstrydige en uiteenlopende menings oor die funksie van die klankrestourasie-ingenieur, die aard en doel van klankrestourasie en die etiese gevolge van die restourasieproses. Die invloed van klankrestourasie op die klanknalatenskap van ‘n uitvoerende kunstenaar kan duidelik bestudeer word in die geval van Maria Callas (1923 – 1977), algemeen aanvaar as een van die mees invloedryke en grootse klassieke musici van alle tye. Die platemaatskappy EMI, vir wie Callas feitlik uitsluitlik vanaf 1953 tot 1969 opgeneem het, het haar klankopnames reeds verskeie kere heruitgereik en die klank daarvan deurlopend aangepas om aanklank te vind by die “veronderstelde voorkeure van die publiek” (Seletsky 2000: 240). EMI se pogings om die klank van Callas se opnames te verbeter om aan die klankvereistes van moderne opnames te voldoen, het ontaard in dikwels aangrypend verskillende interpretasies van dieselfde audio materiaal wat geen ooreenkomste toon met vorige laserskyf of langspeelplaat uitgawes nie, asook “geen vasgestelde oortuigings openbaar oor hoe Callas se stem presies moet klink nie.” Sommige critici argumenteer dat die “Callas klank” wat ons op hedendaagse CD uitgawes hoor, nie noodwendig klink soos wat Callas werklik geklink het nie. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die invloed van klankrestourasie op die klanknalatenskap van Callas te bestudeer deur die verskillende wyses waarop die klank van haar stem aangepas is te illustreer, die verskille in klankkwaliteit tussen verskillende uitgawes van dieselfde materiaal te ondersoek en te vergelyk, asook te demonstreer hoe uiteenlopend verskillende interpretasies van ‘n enkele opname die persepsie van ‘n kunstenaar se “ware” klank kan affekteer. Vir hierdie doel is verkeie uitgawes van ses verskillende volledige opera opnames, insluitend vier studio opnames van onderskeidelik Tosca (1953), Lucia di Lammermoor (1953), Norma (1954) en Madama Butterfly (1955), asook twee “lewendige” opnames van Macbeth (1952) en La Traviata (1958) bestudeer deur Callas se “ware” klank as maatstaf te gebruik om die onderskeie opnames te vergelyk. Toonhoogte- en frekwensie spektrum analise, asook analise deur middel van ‘n gespesialiseerde Matlab algoritme, is deurlopend gebruik om enige subjektiewe gevolgtrekkings en waarnemings te staaf. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Writing a thesis concerning one of the greatest musicians of all time, an opera singer whose artistry has been compared to that of Michelangelo, who has been hailed as a goddess, labelled a “living legend” and termed “immortal,” has proven both an enormously rewarding experience and an incredibly daunting undertaking, not least because of Callas’s stature and influence, but also because so much has already been written about her. Even so, there still remains much to be said and so much more to be learned. Over the past few months I’ve acquainted myself with as many Callas recordings as I could lay my hands on. The process of endless comparisons between different reissues of the same recording was at times emotionally draining and incredibly tiring. To my supervisor, Mr. Theo Herbst, my sincere thanks for all your insight, advice and continuous support and to my co-supervisor, Prof. Hendrik Vermeulen, a warm-hearted word of thanks for your interest and time, especially with regards to the development of the Matlab analysis algorithm. I would also like to extend my gratitude to a number of individuals who have in one way or another contributed to the study: Acáma Fick, who assisted in the initial listening process and whose interest, comments and advice regarding the study is greatly appreciated. Magdalena Oosthuizen, who proofread sections of the text. Barbara Robinson, who, as a generous gift, supplied me with several valuable LP sets of Callas recordings. Helmut Meijer, who gave of his time in checking and confirming my observations during the listening phase. Tim Lengveld, who transferred the original LP’s to CD. My friends and family, to whom I extend my deepest gratitude for their continued support and encouragement. “Music is so great that the more you learn, the more you realise how little you know. We are interpreters, not geniuses; we serve music.” Maria Callas (cited in Rosenberg 2003) v vi “Music starts where language stops, as ETA Hoffmann said. This is true, but although music is something too big to be talked about, it can be served forever and respected with humility. Singing, for me, is not an act of pride, but merely an attempt to rise towards those heights where everything is harmony.” Maria Callas (cited in Gara 1958: 27) vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ii Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. iii Opsomming ……………………………………………………………………………………………………... iv Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………………………………...v Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………………………………………... viii List of Figures …………………………………………………………………………………………………..xiii List of Tables ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. xix Photo Credits ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. xxi Compact Disc Track Listing …………………………………………………………………………………. xxii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1) Background ……………………………………………………………………………………..1 1.2) The Ethics Of Audio Restoration …………………………………………………………….. 2 1.3) Copyright Law …………………………………………………………………………………..3 1.4) Maria Callas – Influence And Legacy ……………………………………………………….. 4 1.5) The Influence Of Audio Restoration On The Recorded Legacy Of Maria Callas …….… 6 1.6) Aims And Objectives Of This Study …………………………………………………………. 8 1.7) Motivation For The Study …………………………………………………………………….. 8 1.8) Research Design ……………………………………………………………………………… 9 1.9) Research Methodology ……………………………………………………………………… 10 1.10) Sources ……………………………………………………………………………………….