I'm walking on air!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mallette]

After nearly ten years of laboriusly worming my way into the Dallas/Fort Worth music scene to feed my recording passion and getting just within reach of the brass ring of a major audiophile spectacular only to accept a job in Houston requiring 110% of my time and energies, I find that God steps in from time to time with a reward.

The core group in that project was Camerata, a Dallas wind group with a core of about 20 regulars under the direction of James Rives Jones, a former DSO conductor and quite the Maestro. While there are a number of large wind ensembles such as Eastman and the Dallas Wind Ensemble (Pomp and Pipes), I don't know of another of this size and composition anywhere and their repertoire and versatility is a rare medium well done. Anyway, some may recall that last year I'd gradually convinced them of the fact that the real market for such classical fare is the starving audiophile surround bunch who subsist on the crumbs of the recording industry table. The plan was to build a program that would get the interest of this bunch while not being such a total blazing sonic spectucular of loud and lousy warhorses as to run off the "normal" small crowd of classical enthusiasts. However, with no entre into the Houston area on which to refine my 6 Cardinal Rule/Virtual Presence surround process and working dark to dark on development of the Helmerich & Payne "Roughneck Boot Camp" 14-17 days in a row I finally felt it necessary to cut my guts out and kill the project. Camerata hired another engineer for their big spring gala and that was that.

I'd warned them before that the Lutheran church that served as their primary venue had serious problems with flourescent noise that, in my opinion, rendered it useless both for recording and as a concert site. However, they really never seemed to think it a terminal issue. Their new president has them blowing and going with a major growth plan to attract new subscribers and media attention, so they had invited a number of DFW area critics to the big show including Scott Cantrell, go/nogo czar for the region on matters classical. His review was quite ecstatic about the program and execution...except the "...utterly annoying and spirit-killing noise from the buildings light system."

As I could see no good in it, I resisted the "I told you so..." email and remained silent with a great deal of effort still feeling that they needed someone who could be there for them better than me. However, my soul longed to ride to the rescue.

Then, yesterday, the following email arrived (excerpted):

"Just as you've decided to explore musical opportunities there more fully, here comes an interesting follow up to our recording project. This is very preliminary but per critic Scott Cantrell's interest in Camerata pairing with Orpheus for the Bruckner and Stravinsky masses (and our interest in a Respighi piece (Laud to the Nativity?), I am entering conversations with Orpheus about working together. These might make a very nice cycle along the lines we initially discussed, with additional pieces for voice/winds and/or organ included. Likely it would happen over 2 years starting in 2007, funding permitting.

I've not broached the recording part of this yet with Orpheus' director but would like to know your interest. We would work with your schedule as possible but are dealing with Symphony schedule too for some musicians.

Let me know what you think."

Well, I saw this message as written on stone tablets signed "Deus Omnipotens." I responded

"COUNT ME IN."

I hope the group will pardon my need to bubble this out to the only body of folks I know that contains people who will understand my elation, provide me with guidance, and anticipate the product (then probably tell me it sound like DynaWarp []). As you can see, it will be a while before results are heard so don't hold your breath. I will keep you informed and be asking for program help to fill this out and look toward the hoped-for sequels. Now that I have their full attention I intend to be far more forthright about locations, repertoire, and such. One location that is a non-starter is that Lutheran church...

It will be produced in accordance with my Virtual Presense philosophy and I'll be experimenting over the next year to get it just right. I'll be asking some of you to judge the results of these experiments objectively as you are the primary target audience.

Thanks for letting me share this and I look forward to your input!

Regards to all,

Dave

[Daddy Dee]

Congrats! Dave!

[maxg]

Nice result Dave - congrats.

But I hope you do a 2 channel mix too - as it happens I met a guy recently that can produce vinyl records in small numbers - just to expand that audiophile penetration a bit....[]

[Mallette]

Thanks, guys.

Max: 2 channel is likely as well, though I will likely do it as a separate chain altogether at 24/88.2 to avoid a "mix" (against my "direct to disc" philosophy) or downsampling from the 24/96 surround at an odd multiple of CD sample rate (over my dead body!).

I MAY consider a 24/192 stereo if I have sufficient funds to use MLP so as to be able to get 4X24/96 plus 2X24/192 on the release.

It is still my intent, as with the first abortive project, to main title this "The Exploration of Space" and make it as much about the acoustic space we record in as the music. As it is my belief that such space cannot be reproduced with only two channels such considerations must be relative afterthoughts...though they will not see the light of day if they are not at least equal to "best in class."

Long way to go before those decisions are made...

Dave

[NOSValves]

Dave,

I'm happy for you. I love to see people that enjoy the fruits of the labor!

Craig

[Hardhead]

Sincere congratulations, but watch out for that "funding permitting" caveat: it can be a killer.

[Cal Blacksmith]

Congrats!! May it all turn out the way you hope!!

[pmsummer]

Congratulations, Dave! Way to go!

P.S. There does seem to be something about Lutherans, lime jello mold, and flourescent lighting.

[jacksonbart]

I gotta get me a pair of your shoe incerts they sound awesome

[MarkBK]

Great news! Congrats - hope it all goes well for you!

[Mallette]

Sincere congratulations, but watch out for that "funding permitting" caveat: it can be a killer.

To all:

Thanks for the cudos. Now the work begins. As to the above, well, I've spent a good 15k over the past 10 years on MBS1-5 digital recording systems and took in about 2k. Needless to say "funding permitting" is not likely to scare me off. I do this for passion, not profit.

Not to say a little profit wouldn't be welcome...

Now it's time to purchase every copy I can find of these works and see how they are framed. I am going to need the collective wisdom of you guys to make this not just another couple of mikes in front of noise. You are the target audience. I am just another schmuck with mikes.

Kind regards,

Dave

[3dzapper]

Dave, You've been killing yourself with your real work, it's good to hear that you will now be able to have some fun pulling your hair out. That's the key, above all, have fun!!!

Rick