Prerecorded music at inauguration causes flap

AP ^ | 1-23-2009 | NEKESA MUMBI MOODY,

[My Favorite Headache]

NEW YORK – To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, here we go again.

The revelation that millions of people who saw the inauguration of President Barack Obama were actually listening to recorded music instead of the actual performance of the Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman-led quartet has led to comparisons of lip-synching (though, in this case, might the correct term be hand-synching?) and drawn comparisons to other infamous cases, including Ashlee Simpson's "Saturday Night Live" debacle and perhaps music's most famous pantomimes, Milli Vanilli.

But Carole Florman, a spokeswoman for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, says she doesn't understand what the fuss is all about.

"I think this is a whole lot of nothin'," she said on Friday. "These are world-class performers who are playing in 19 degree weather and the technical requirements of their instruments made it impossible for them to have their music amplified and know that it would be in tune. So they made, what I think, was probably a difficult decision to play to tape."

A representative for Perlman echoed her comments Friday with the following statement: "Mr. Perlman was deeply honored to be a part of the inauguration ceremony. The brutal cold created the distinct possibility of broken or out of tune instruments and, in order to avoid a weather related issue detracting from the majesty of the day, a decision was reached to play along to the recording that the quartet had made earlier in the week."

Cellist Ma, violinist Perlman, pianist Gabriela Montero and Metropolitan Opera clarinet player Anthony McGill performed "Air and Simple Gifts," a piece arranged by Oscar-winning composer John Williams. Montero was wearing gloves, but the rest of the quartet played their instruments barehanded in the frigid 28-degree weather.

[Polybius]

"These are world-class performers who are playing in 19 degree weather and the technical requirements of their instruments made it impossible for them to have their music amplified and know that it would be in tune. So they made, what I think, was probably a difficult decision to play to tape."

Non-issue but the press is having a lot of fun mocking them.

[OneWingedShark]

Did the performers receive ANY money to play there? If so then this is a breach of contract and should be handled as such; if not, then what’s the big deal in bringing them there, just play the stupid tape!

[aroostook war]

“just play the stupid tape!”

Yeah, or hold up a boom-box, like in the stupid poem.

[chris_bdba]

Fit perfectly! Phoney live preformance and phoney centrist President 0!

[DieHard the Hunter]

Playing tape is a deception and a fraud. The audience has a right to feel cheated if they paid for their tickets. I sure wouldn’t enjoy standing around in 20 degree temperatures to hear a tape — I could do that in my backyard (well, actually I couldn’t: it never gets that cold in Auckland. But you know what I mean...)

Fake music, fake birth certificate, fake potus. Is there anything about Obama that’s real?

[HomeschoolMomma]

I have to agree with the use of pre-recorded music.

As a family of musicians, I understand that it could be detrimental, not only to the sound coming out of the instrument, but the temperature could in fact destroy the instrument altogether.

I questioned the fact that they were playing outside. It didn't make much sense that the musicians would expose their valuable instruments to possible damage, but then again I guess you'd do anything for "The One".

[ThomasThomas]

Having tried to a play instrument in 40^o weather, ( that is really cold for the San Diego area) everybody is better off both the listener and players to play with tapes.

[Robwin]

Phony music for a phiny President. Works for me.

[Robwin]

Phony music for a phony President. Works for me.

[luckystarmom]

I’m guessing it wasn’t their good instruments. In band in high school, I had my original student flute for marching and my good flute for concert band.

This is a non-issue.

[HomeschoolMomma]

"Yo-Yo has got a Stradivarius cello that's worth ... $2 million or $3 million," he said. "We had snow falling that night, we had 17 degree temperature, we had the wind blowing as high as 20 mph, and that's a very very risky environment in which to play an instrument like that and expect it to sound good. And it's not like someone else played the music, Yo-Yo played the music."

A good reason not to play in the cold weather! My guess is - he did not bring "his" instrument outside. It would have DESTROYED it. When you bring an instrument from one temperature to another, you must give it time to adjust to the changes - he would have NEVER left that Strad anywhere! They had NO intention of ever playing without the tape. They instumemts could not have handled it, and he would not have played on anything other than "his" instrument.

Canned music/voice is not that uncommon. Musicians use it a lot to cover for sing/dance numbers so you don't hear heavy breathing or miss words. Feet tapping in tap dance numbers is often canned in. There's also times where the person on stage singing has someone backstage giving her a "voice" (Nothing like your kid not getting the roll of Annie - but then having to sing for her when she loses her voice!-sigh!) It's just trade secrets most people don't realize go on. (I'm not just a homeschoolin'momma - I'm also a stage-momma!)

[tang-soo]

Here's a couple of excellent performances that were NOT pre-recorded. My son just finished his 4th year (F-Row) as a bass trombone player in the OSU marching band (TBDBITL).

Link 1 and link 2.

[My Favorite Headache]

You mean like Britney Spears?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ak1cpi74RM

[sazerac]

It was obvious from the first note that they were not actually playing live. I never gave it much of a thought.

[HomeschoolMomma]

String instruments are entirely different. Brass instruments can handle the temp changes better.

And I’m sure your son’s trombone did not cost 3 million. Gotta defend Yo Yo Ma on this one!

[HomeschoolMomma]

You mean like Britney Spears?

Way more common than you think. NYC - The Rockettes use canned singing. They cannot sing and dance at the same time and hold proper pitch/tone. Pavarotti has on occasion too, when his voice was not strong enough (recovering from illness). Every float in the Macy's Day Parade - all canned voices and music. It may look like they are singing/playing live - but nope! I think even Disney World does it.

It's done really to maintain the productions integrity and to make sure that the "ticket holder" gets a full show and the sound quality does not go out. It's not to cheat people! You try dancing around and singing at the same time like Britney. I get winded just walking up the stairs!LOL!

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Fake is as fake does.

[Milligan]

19 degree cold weather will ruin musical instruments. I think Yo Yo Ma’s has a irreplaceable Stradivarius. With extreme cold you can’t keep the strings tuned for long. The strings become inflexible and break right in the middle of the performance. You can warp wooden instruments if you play in the extreme cold then suddenly bring the instrument back into warmth of a building. Musicians never neglect their instruments like that.

Should the Musicians sacrifice their fingers through frost bite for the Messiah?

By the way...Yo Yo Ma and Condi did do a duet together.
http://www.beautyinmusic.com/artist_pages/condoleezza_rice.htm

[DoWhatsRight]

So they were playing “Air”(& Simple Gifts)Violin, chello, etc?! ;)

DWR