Classical sound recordings and live performances: Artistic and analytical perspectives

Abstract

The growing emphasis on performance in recent musicological research has fostered various arguments to be put forth regarding the relationship between performance and the musical score. Similarly, discussions of sound recordings often debate the relationship between live performance and studio recordings. This paper revisits these issues drawing on a specially conducted survey, published comments and views of artists and researchers, analysis of multiple recordings (both live and in the studio) of the same work by the same artist, and listeners’ perception of these interpretations. In doing so it searches the question whether sound recordings are appropriate documents for the historical study of musical performance and interpretative styles.