DCC Archive OT, but oh-so-cool...

In my real life (yes, I **do** have one...) I'm a memeber of a fine organization called the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA)... as I write this, our annual convention is going on, and while I was attending meetings & presentations today, something happened that was so **neat** that I had to tell the story.

To set this up, I should point out that many of the folks that are members of the organinzation are obscenely well-connected (unfortunately, I'm not one of them yet...). One gentleman involved here now does audio restoration and forensics was with AMPEX for over 30 years and in fact, was one of the engineers that invented the 1" video format, in the mid-70s.

But-- rather than butcher the story myself, I'll let one of the other participants tell the tale, which you'll find here:
http://www.aes.org/journal/suppmat/hess_2001_7.pdf

It's fascinating reading, if a litle technical.

Now the neat part. They presented a summary of this paper to the AMIA membership tonight, and brought the shows along with them, on CD-R... and were kind enough to stick around afterwards long enough to play about 15 minutes worth of excerpts!

It was, in a word, **stunning** to hear a 54-year old radio broadcast from a TAPE source. And the s/n ratio was so good that it could've very well been recorded yesterday (well-- maybe not **yesterday**, but you get the picture. It was hi-fi!!) And I know what you're thinking, if you read the article and saw the pictures, but it's true!

And in the interest of accuracy, there **is** one complete radio program included in the lot, the 10/1/47 episode of Bing Crosby's comedy/musical radio show-- the first episode of that season. I got to hear about the first 5 minutes of this, and then about 10 minutes of excerpts from other programs.

I wish I could convey how thrilled I was to be able to hear these recordings, and the effect that they had on the audience. The shows literally just came alive for us, as they played over the speakers.

I think the reason I wanted to tell this story here was because I get the same feeling listening to Steve's re-masters-- one of revelation, new discovery and satisfaction in knowing that someone has done right by the aritists involved-- and if Bing Crosby were alive today, I'm sure he'd have been smiling himself, watching our looks of awe as that show was playing.

Anyhow, thanks for indulging me, folks-- I hope that someday they can iron out the copyright cloud around these tapes, and let **everyone** hear them... as it was, I just needed to share the experience with people that **understand**!!

-Joel Cairo

 

I went to an AES meeting in the early 1990's and Jack was there with some tapes and a machine or two.

I heard the Bing Crosby thing also. Amazing sound. Very "breath of life".

Jack then played some mag tape from the 1930's, and some killer metal tape from the same era. All of it so superior to direct to disc recording of the time it really took my breath away.

Those German engineers really invented an amazing system back then.

Ever hear some of the wartime stereo stuff? On headphones one can hear the anti-aircraft guns booming in stereo outside the recording hall during the performance. Awesome....

 

Steve:

Yeah, I have heard that one... I believe that's a Beethoven symphony (the "Emperor"[?]), conducted by Gieseking. Hearing the guns really brings an unusual feeling to the performance... I'll bet those musicians felt like the band on the Titanic, until they managed to finish, and cleared out of the symphony hall

It's on CD, now-- I think Allegro imports it, here in the States.

I knew we'd had the stereo technology for a while, but I was surprised to see that the Germans had developed that capability at roughly the same time.

Geez-- tape recording, stereophonic sound.... are we gonna find "Olympiad" in Sensurround if we look deeply enough into their archives??

-Joel Cairo


HZ:

I agree with you about the potential PD status, but Richard doesn't want to take any chances... his lawyer suggested waiting another 50 years!!

[ November 09, 2001: Message edited by: Joel Cairo ]

 

Yes, Joel. Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor" with Walter Gieseking on piano, conducted by Artur Rother & the Berlin Reichsender Orchestra. Good Nazi's every one.

Great performance in stereo from 1944.

The booming guns thing only works with headphones. Probably the only stereo recording of World War II guns ever made. I don't even think the musicians were even aware of the ak-ak guns going off. They don't miss a beat.

An amazing and tragic performance.