Microphone Placing

Radio Record, 3 June 1938, Page 42

Microphone Placing

John C.

Bradshaw

(Christchurch)

82 I

shall be obliged if you will allow me to comment on the reference in a recent issue to the broadcast of Beethoven’s Sonata in F, Op. 24, by Miss Croucher and myself. Your contribntor "Scherzo" states that "the piane consistently overpowered the violinist." I have no quarrel to make with this statement. From what I have heen told by listeners I am certain that the balance of the two instruments was very bad. I think, however, there might have been sufficient discernment

on the pirt of "Scherzo" to suggest to him that possibly there was some reason for this weakness other than that Which he clearly implies, want to judgment or my part. On a day previous to the broadcast we rehearsed the work, and Mr, Young, of 8YA, went to considerable pains experimenting with the reative positions of the violin, piano, and microphone. He finally marked on a chart an arrangement Which he considered gave a perfect balance. What happened to alter this at the broadcast I do not know. The operacor in charge, presumably, followed the directions on the chart, but evidently something was wrong-pos-sibly the angle of the mocrophone to the two instruments was incorrect. At my previous broadcast with Miss Croucher of Grieg’s Sonata in G, the result was exactly the reverse of the Beethoven. The violin part predominated throughout: I have heen told on reliable authority that the effect was that of a violin solo with piano accompaniment. I must add, however, that for the Grieg, the positions marked on the chart by Mr, Young had not been adhered to at the broadcast. This question of balance in chamber music is, of course, of first importance: Without it practically all is lost. It is evidently a very difficult matter to secure good results, and "Scherzo’s" statement that he had yet to hear an ideal presentation of a violin and piano sonata in this country seems further to indicate that the scientifie side of the subject requires more care and attention.