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Concert to be Performed from Beyond the Grave

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the digital-resurrection dept.

rtphokie writes "Raleigh, NC based Zenph Studios is hosting a live concert performed by two piano virtuosi long since dead. Zenph developed software which digitally transcribes performances even from the scratchy recordings. A more faithful transcription of timing, key and pedal pressure is achieved using Yamaha's high resolution version of MIDI."

5 of 196 comments (clear)

  1. Holograms by justdweezil · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Coupling a performance like this with a 3D Projected likeness of the artist would be mindblowing. The projection wouldn't even have to be very good.. but being able to visualize the person while hearing the digital "passion" in their notes.. live.. would be something amazing.

  2. Not the same by ShamanDave · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Part of the charm of Glenn Gould's recordings stems from the fact that you can hear him humming along with the music if you listen carefully. I guess he drove recording techs nuts.

    1. Re:Not the same by Quirk · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Glen Gould was a supreme recording tech. He stopped playing publicly "on 10 April 1964 in a Los Angeles recital". The list of Gould's idiocyracies would fill a few pages. He would steep his hands and forearms in steaming hot water to loosen them and increase the circulation. Those who witnessed this ritual said his arms would come out burnt red. He loved recording technology and was a master of the craft. Some detractors have suggested his later output reflected his virtuosity as a technologist more than his ability as a pianist, but those who heard him live state unequivocably that his mastery of the keyboard was unparalleled, especially his ability to play at a blinding speed.

      --
      "Academicians are more likely to share each other's toothbrush than each other's nomenclature."
      Cohen
  3. Re:This was done 12 years ago with Gershwin by cascino · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This was done 12 years ago with Gershwin
    That project was similar, but it's not quite the same thing. The Gershwin recordings were done using player piano rolls recorded by Gershwin himself - i.e.: his performances were already in a MIDI-like format - whereas this project is starting from the raw audio recordings of Gould and Cortot and creating MIDI files. In both cases the "concert" featuring dead performers' MIDI files is the headline grabbing story.

  4. the technology, or something similar by rawshark · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A few years ago I heard a CD made with this (or a similiar) technology.

    The way the technology was described to me was as follows: as you know a piano works by having a small hammer attached to each key. The recording technology has a modified piano where below each hammer is a pool of mercury. When the key is struck the hammer enters the pool, completing an electrical circuit, this causes a line to be drawn (???) on a piece of paper. Another modified piano will read the piece of paper like a player piano.

    We listened to music performed by Richard Strauss. It was very cool.