Searching for JdL…
Friday September 26 2008
I worked in the Douglass Listening Room this summer, which is part of the University of Oregon Knight Library. One interesting recording I stumbled across, was John de Lancie playing the Bach B minor Mass with the Bach Chorale of Bethlehem under the Baton of Ifor Jones.
It is generally agreed that LPs sound better than CDs, and HERE… is a good explanation why. But this was most plainly obvious listening to this recording. The aria Qui Sedes in the Gloria of the Mass with Contralto was GORGEOUS…. In fact, his sound was so fat, round, and full, I couldn’t tell if he was actually playing an oboe d’amore (as it is written for) or if he was playing oboe! The only other example I have heard JdL sound so fat and thick is on the Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet CD on the Barber Summer Music. It took me three or four listens to confirm that I believe he was indeed playing oboe (the LP jacket says “John de Lancie×Oboe”). Using the Audio/Video editing room in the library, I converted this aria to CD using some very fine sound equipment, but those overtones were lost in the digitalization. The CD ended up with the same JdL tone that one hears on any other JdL CD (which is still more preferable to my ear than anything else I hear nowadays).
All of these listening experiences continuously make me wonder what JdL really sounded like. Listening to this recording, certainly turned on a lightbulb for me though.
I wonder how many oboists nowadays who classify JdL’s tone as “bright” and “buzzy” have listened to him on LP.
Suvayd
Oct 1, 2008
Just heard the Brahms Concerto tonight, big event in Ottawa w. Zubin Mehta as guest conductor and Pinchas Zukerman (our NAC Orchestra’s Director, lucky us!) on the violin. It was wonderful, only I feel that our first oboe missed a big chance to shine in the slow movement’s solo: he played it TOO @#** FAST!!! I was SO disappointed: it was over almost as soon as it started and the guy did the same thing at the end… what a letdown!
Why am I posting this here? Because JdL knew how to make every single note count, and I’m reminded again how much I would have loved to hear him play this same solo live. Here’s to the great one!
Sep 27, 2008
Please cheak the email I sent you: too long to post here… but not THAT long!!:)
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