In the previous century, recording companies such as DGG, Philips, and EMI maintained expert teams of in-house recording technicians skilled in recording classical music performances. The teams included a good balance engineer. At the present time, one gets the impression that contract technicians are used and that on Monday they may be recording the pop group Lord Muck and the Five Virgins, and on Tuesday a baroque chamber group with a solo singer. The message is: give the star a big microphone, and keep the backing group in the background.
This thought came to me while listening to some expert refurbished transfers of Arthur Grumiaux and Clara Haskil playing six of Mozart's violin and piano sonatas (Philips recordings from around 60 years ago). The refurbished recordings are excellent in quality; modern technology can do wonderful things. The recorded balance of the two musicians struck me: the balance was just right. In these sonatas, the piano has the lion's part (probably Mozart himself showing off). The performances by Grumiaux and Haskil come from another, golden age. No “original instruments”, no fortepiano. Just the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Highly enjoyable, balance and all.
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