39 Classical Radio Facing New Digital Woes Disks' Extended Dynamic Range Creates Problems

By IS HOROWITZ justly proud of the cleanliness of when it takes up the topic "Signal their broadcast signals and their fi- Processing for Broadcasting." NEW YORK--Hybrid digital - delity to the original programs now The meeting will be held at the analog recordings that manage to face an increasing need to compro- WQXR Auditorium, 229 West 43rd pack in a few more dBs of dynamic mise dynamics. If the permissible Street, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. Classical sta- range than conventional LPs are peak is exceeded, the signal im- tions will be represented by Richard creating some new problems for pinges on a dial neighbor's territory, Koziol and Matt Biberfeld of quality conscious classical radio. something the FCC frowns upon to WNCN, and Doc Masoomian and The very attribute that is consid- the point of imposing sanctions. Too Robert Sherman of WXQR. They ered one of digital recording's quiet a signal. on the other hand. will be joined on the panel by Herb strongest selling points- extended places the program "down in the Squire and Dene Hallum of country dynamic range -is the one that gives mud" of near inaudibility. station WHN -AM, and Bob Deitsch radio the most trouble. Broadcasters are glad that rela- and Larry Berger of local rocker Compression of the signal, or sub- tively few classical recordings so far WPLJ. jective gain riding, becomes a fact of tax the practical limits, although Biberfeld says WNCN's approach radio life when up to 68dB of dy- they wonder to what extent the to the dynamics problem is to rely HOT OFF THE PRESS -A first copy of Deutsche Grammophon's new "Turan- namic range. considered the outside problem may be exacerbated when largely on judicious gain riding to dot" is admired by Katia Ricciarelli and , who star in the limit that can be engraved cleanly on the true digital disk. with its theoreti- contain level peaks rather than on digital production. Presentation during the Salzburg Festival was by DG's an analog disk. must be broadcast cal dynamic range extended by as automatic compression. He doesn't production chief Gunther Breest, left. over FM stereo that permits no more much as another 20dB, reaches the feel that any compressor yet avail- than about 56dB of dynamic spread. market. able can be relied on to perform ade- Classical stations which have been When the question was posed quately under all circumstances. REPORT CALLS FOR CUTBACKS during a demonstration at the recent The trick is to keep both extremes conference of the Concert Music of level within technical limits with- Broadcasters Assn. in Lenox, Mass. out destroying the illusion of reality

( Billboard. Aug. 21), a Soundstream for the listener. "When the cannons Concertgebouw Future In Doubt representative soft -pedaled the dy- go off in the 1812 Overture we'd bet- namic range attribute of digital. He ter have someone standing by," says By WILLEM HOOS And . Concertge- But Haitink is organizing an inter- preferred to stress other positive Biberfeld. bouw conductor, infuriated by the national campaign to protect the size qualities. such as low distortion and The knowledgeable engineer also AMSTERDAM -The future of report's findings. warns: This kind and stature of the Concertgebouw absence of tape speed fluctuations. has to be concerned with low level the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Hol- of cutback. if adopted, could prove a Orchestra. Initially, he's preparing a However. radio's concern with the passages that can hardly be detected land's most prestigious classical en- death blow." petition to be signed by top inter- problem will be aired during a meet- by the listener. The FCC sets limits semble and a major source of The report was produced by Ca- national conductors. many previ- ing here next month of the New on how long such superquiet musi- recordings for several generations, is nario, a business efficiency outfit ously involved with the orchestra, York section of the Audio Engineer- cal whisperings can be broadcast. al- under a cloud, following a recom- here. The main advice given was and submitted to the ministry of cul- ing Society. Massaging of dynamics though station management desir- mendation that 24 of its 116 musi- that the Concertgebouw and three tural affairs. and the digital factor are slated to be ing that their station be heard in its cians be sacked. other leading Dutch classical orches- Additionally. around 30.000 post- on the agenda of a joint session with market may set an even more strin- That is the most drastic point tras. the Amsterdam Philharmonic. cards, bearing the slogan "Minister, the Society of Broadcast Eneineers gent standard. made in an investigative report com- the Rotterdam Philharmonic and Protect The Concertgebouw." are to missioned by the ministry of cultural the Resident Orchestra of The be sent by fans to the minister in- affairs here, which has been charged Hague, should each reduce the num- volved. Haitink is also sending a per- with seeking economies in govern- her of musicians to a maximum of sonal letter pointing out. for ex- Intersound Set To Launch ment expenditures. 92. a 20`i cutback involving the loss ample, that with a musician cutback Hain van Royan, the orchestra's of' more than 80 jobs. of the size recommended the orches- artistic director. says: "Such a cut- Earlier this year Canario looked tra would not be able to perform 90- Minute Cassette Line back would be disastrous. To lose so into the future the Dutch regional works by Mahler. a key factor in the of NEW YORK -Intersound Inc. is censee covers the Western Hemi- many musicians would mean a and provincial orchestras, coming to ensemble's international reputation. introducing a series of 90- minute sphere, as well as certain other dreadful crumbling stand- the conclusion six But of quality that orchestras Canario spokesman say free- midline cassettes containing selec- territories. says Johnson. ards. It would suggest the Concert- should fold or merge. putting lance musicians could be employed tions drawn from its Quintessence Neville Marriner will be among gebouw Orchestra is being down- around 300 musicians out of work. for specific concerts. adding that this line and designed for "people on the the artists recording for Delta in graded to the level of a provincial The belief here is that this recom- system works for leading London - move." 1983 and 1984, notes the Intersound orchestra." mendation will become reality. based orchestras. Haitink insists Called "Classics For Joy." the chief. He will direct the Dresden there is a shortage of top freelancers series carries a suggested list of $6.98 State Orchestra. There will also be in Holland. per cassette. but is being discounted some co- productions between Delta These suggested cutbacks of na- to the trade to permit a retail price and Intersound. tional and regional orchestras reflect point $5.99, according - of to Inter Meanwhile. Intersound's Pro Arte Classical Notes the poor state of the Dutch economy. sound president Don Johnson. The cultural affairs ministry handles label will be recording its own roster Skitch Henderson will be conductor of the Lions consider the format as a profitable switch. Intersound has also entered into subsidies and if all the cuts were of artists. Due out later this month is New York Pops Orchestra, a project being devel- West Coast importer Brilly Corp. has intro- an agreement for licensed material made there could be a saving of the first album in á projected com- oped by publicists /managers James Murtha and duced a new line of contemporary music record- with Delta Productions of Cologne. plete set of the Beethoven sonatas by Bernard Gurtman. Concerts and recordings are ings, Pro Viva, originating in Germany. A (Continued on page Johnson notes. special 62 to supplement mate- pianist Russell Sherman. The label in prospect.... Physicians at the Massachusetts Eastman series, featuring American works, is rial secured from Seon, Supraphon has a pact with the Cantilena Play- General Hospital are claiming some success also on the way, says Laurence Vibes, Brilly and Harmonia Mundi (Germany). ers, and deals with other artists are in treating concert pianists who have developed exec.... Bridge Record Productions bows on Recordings from this new source near the signing stage. says Johnson. hand problems. Gary Graffman, now again able the scene with an album of contemporary music New Classical will begin to appear in November. to play with his right hand after a number of featuring guitar. David Starobin is soloist.... Both Pro Arte, Intersound's top - years of disability, was among those treated. Leonora Productions, known primarily for its Radio Directory price line, and Quintessence will be The affliction seems to hit "steely- fingered" pi- recordings of works by women composers, has a outlets for Delta product, which will Russian anists of the school most, it is said. new "Schone Mullerin" said to be performed NEW YORK -About 250 radio include digitally recorded titles. Liszt Society Grenadilla Records celebrates its 10th anni- from the "original" score. The album also has stations across the country Digitals on Quintessence will list at versary by commissioning a new composition selections by Louise Reichardt and Fanny Men - broadcast at least 20 hours of $7.98, a new industry low for such Honors Five from Pulitzer Prize- winning composer Karel delssohn. classical music weekly, although albums. List for digital recordings Husa. Naturally, it will be recorded on the Neville Marriner, who is fast closing in on BUDAPEST -Five recordings re- only 46 are commercial enter- on Pro Arte is $12.98. Grenadilla label.... Highlights of the Paul Chi - Herbert von Karajan for most recorded conduc- ceived this year's Grand Prix awards prises. Like the 90- minute cassettes intro- hara ballet, "The Tempest," released as a two - tor honors, has somehow found time to arrange from the Hungarian Liszt Society. These statistics are culled from record set by Moss Music, are also available on and conduct the score for a motion picture duced earlier this year by Deutsche the latest station directory pub- Three awards went to piano an audiophile Reference Recordings LP cut at based on the hit play "Amadeus." ... A new live Grammophon, Quintessence's lished by the Concert Music recordings; 's record- 45 r.p.m. and mastered at half speed. ... Lots on -air series bows on New York's double -length tapes will have no a - ing of Liszt's late piano works on of George Sid and the Cleveland Orchestra on WQXR next month, featuring such top Broadcasters Assn., pocket counterpart on LP. Carrying such en- Philips, Elisabeth Leonskaja playing the CBS Great Performances series this month. sembles as the Juilliard Quartet, the Beaux Arts sized volume that is being made crossover -type titles as "Basically Liszt transcriptions on the Amadeo The Eurodisc release of Mussorgsky's Trio, the Cleveland Quartet, the Canadian Brass available to record companies Bach," "Popular Themes From ...... label, and a cassette recording of "Kovantchina" this month holds the same per and the Waverly Consort. and other interested parties. and "Very Best Of Bach," they fea- Schubert song transcriptions by formance released some years ago by Vanguard. is honorary president of the Stations are listed by state. ture shorter selections and excerpts Melodiya is the source of the original recording. Liszt, recorded by the Connoisseur Tcherepnin Society, formed in New York to per - with key personnel named, num- of standard repertoire works. Society and played by Antonio Bar - ... And Claude Bolling's "Concerto For Classical pertuate the memory of the composer who died ber of hours on the air and hours Ten titles make up the intial re- Guitar And Jazz Piano," with Alexandre Lagoya in 1978.... Winners of the Sixth Gina Bachauer bosa. devoted to classical music in- lease, with another 10 scheduled for as collaborator, now on CBS' green crossover la- piano competition held recently in Salt Lake cluded. If program guides are November. The latter will include In the orchestral category, the bel, is the very rendition once available on RCA. City shared more than $40,000 in prize money. published. that is noted. A listing some opera highlight collections. Grand Prix went to Decca for the Jim Frey of Tioch Productions circulating a Grand prize winner is Michael Gurt who, as part of classical record labels and pro- Special counter displays and header recordings of Liszt's piano concertos yer to dealers plugging "Hooked On Classics" of his winnings, will be presented in a New York ducer /syndicators of programs is cards will be available for the cas- played by , with the on RCA. "This is one of the strongest sales aids recital debut next spring. ... And in Madeira, also carried. sette line, says Johnson. London Symphony Orchestra con- the industry has ever had," he writes, in a nod scene of the Bach Festival recorded in part by Copies of the directory may be Delta, whose recordings in recent ducted by . to his giant competitor. Of course, he appends a Moss Music Group, Motoaki Kato, Japanese born obtained at the association head- years have list of Tioch recordings that tie in. ... Concert but resident of Paris, has won the Festival's been produced largely The fifth Grand Prix was awarded quarters, Penthouse East, Termi- Music Broadcast Sales, which reps classical mu- flute competition. U.S. record producer Thomas for sale through the company's own to the Festivo label for its recording nal Tower, Cleveland, Ohio racks, is sic for advertisers, suggesting that struggling Frost was one of the judges, along with Jean - now seeking wider distribu- of a Liszt organ recital by Jean Guil- 441 13. stations in major markets without classical sta- Pierre Rampal and Julius Baker. tion. Intersound's agreement as li- Ion.

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