[shane55]

 
Quote:

I'd give a lot to hear Mr. Savall. I've got a number of his recordings with Hesperion XX.  He also did the sound track on that movie about Marais (only the French would do a bio pic on an early music composer and with Gerard Depardieu!) with a wonderful version of the sonnerie de ste-geneviève du mont-de-paris. I'll see if I can find a YouTube of that.
 
Here you go.
 

Thanks.
 
Yep. I have the remastered and extended soundtrack to the movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103110/), as well as a few versions of this particular piece. One is especially interesting by Reinhard Goebel and Musika Antiqua Koln. Very Germanic interpretation.
Interesting and kind of 'sleepy' movie, but the music held my interest... not the story (almost more about St Colombe than Marais), but whatever. The music is sublime, and also good introduction to the viola da gamba.
 
 

 

[Syan25]

An interview and some performance by Jordi Savall on the viola da gamba (a cello forebear). It's in Spanish, but even if you don't understand what he's saying, the early music is great.

He is a genius - I started getting into his recordings this Winter in the UK. He is stunning . really...

 

[juman231]

Quote:

 I don't know of such a headphone that will produce exactly what you're looking for.  However, I can offer you a full-sized cello (4/4) along with a hard case finished off in a medium blue metallic paint.  I forget the manufacturer of the bow - though, it was costly.  This equipment was purchased from a local professional instrument shop and was only utilized for 10 music lessons and a small amount of practice at home.  Now, it's just sitting because my daughter is strictly focusing on the violin, which she has been playing for well over 8 years.
 
I'll let the cello package go for $2,000 and we can provide all of the original paperwork from the instrument shop, etc. to include receipts.
 
PM me if you're interested.

 
I'm sure you'll be playing like Yo-Yo Ma in no time at all ... filling your house with the lively sounds of the cello.

Ha! funny how that works out. I'm exactly the opposite from your daughter. I started out with a violin, but stopped and am planning to jump onto cello. Luckily, my sister used to play cello, so I will be using hers.
 

 

[melomaniac]

Quote:

Thanks.
 
Yep. I have the remastered and extended soundtrack to the movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103110/), as well as a few versions of this particular piece. One is especially interesting by Reinhard Goebel and Musika Antiqua Koln. Very Germanic interpretation.
Interesting and kind of 'sleepy' movie, but the music held my interest... not the story (almost more about St Colombe than Marais), but whatever. The music is sublime, and also good introduction to the viola da gamba.

 
having attended many Reinhard Goebel recitals in Cologne and elsewhere way back when, I feel less and less compelled by the period approach, and more inclined to pursue what else the instrument can become as it evolves. for me, then, a thread about "loving the sound of cello" looks at music that, while leaving the cello what it is (an old instrument), teases new sounds out of it.
 
my newest purchase on that front: Erik Friedlander's Broken Arm Trio (buy the CD, read a review)

 

[juman231]

When the cello notes hit the C string, sometimes the sound blurs out into a big blob, instead of coming from a single location. Would a DAC fix this problem, or would this be a problem in the recording itself? 

 

[juman231]

Quote:

When the cello notes hit the C string, sometimes the sound blurs out into a big blob, instead of coming from a single location. Would a DAC fix this problem, or would this be a problem in the recording itself? 

bump?
 

 

[rroseperry]

When the cello notes hit the C string, sometimes the sound blurs out into a big blob, instead of coming from a single location. Would a DAC fix this problem, or would this be a problem in the recording itself? 

Try playing the recording on some other device. If the problem's still there, it's the recording. Though as I type this, I can't imagine why a soundcard would distort a single note for one instrument. In other words, you should have noticed it before if the problem wasn't with the recording.

 

[Brent Hutto]

If being played at a very loud dynamic level, the open C string on a cello will have a character somewhat different from any other note on the instrument. Even different from the other open strings. It is a way the player can produce that extra little bit of profound emphasis if he likes when using that note. Is it possible you're just hearing the rumbly sound of a very emphatic open C? Is it at a peak dynamic moment in the song?

 

[rroseperry]

If being played at a very loud dynamic level, the open C string on a cello will have a character somewhat different from any other note on the instrument. Even different from the other open strings. It is a way the player can produce that extra little bit of profound emphasis if he likes when using that note. Is it possible you're just hearing the rumbly sound of a very emphatic open C? Is it at a peak dynamic moment in the song?

Now that's interesting. Is it something about the harmonics?

 

[Brent Hutto]

No, it sounds to me like the open C-string just has more excursion than any of the others when played loudly. Any bowed or plucked stringed instrument has a "sweeter" or more in tune with itself, pure tone when the string doesn't move too far from a straight line. At the extremes of its travel when played loudly the vibration gets nonlinear and it's not as close to pure waveform.

It's been a while since I've seen a cello in person but I recall the C-string being very fat and a bit looser than the others. Fat strings and loose strings are the most "different" than ideal in this regard. And that's what those low C notes sound like to me. It gets a little raspy like it's shaking everything in the room.

P.S. A big part of the "non-ideal" behavior of fat, loose strings being driven far from a straight line is that the overtone series is not quite in tune with itself. That is called "inharmonicity" (sp?) and so in a sense, yes, it kind of has to do with harmonics...among other things!

 

[Syan25]

Good explanation!

 

[juman231]

Quote:

If being played at a very loud dynamic level, the open C string on a cello will have a character somewhat different from any other note on the instrument. Even different from the other open strings. It is a way the player can produce that extra little bit of profound emphasis if he likes when using that note. Is it possible you're just hearing the rumbly sound of a very emphatic open C? Is it at a peak dynamic moment in the song?

I think it's just whenever the C string is hit, but more prominent as the notes go lower. i will do some more listening with different headphones and report back
 

 

[juman231]

On the side note, do any of you guys listen to cello with a tube amp? Would love to try but only source I've got is my computer hp out and my J3, which i guess brings me closer to SS amp? -_-...

 

[revolink24]

I listen on a SS amp and a hybrid amp.

Don't get too caught up in SS vs tubes. From my experience, amp topology and power characteristics have a much greater effect than just tube vs. solid state.

 

[wje]

I was listening to some Cassandra Wilson on my way into work this morning.  I don't recall which album it was (she has about 15 out there), but I do know it was the 3rd track and it featured some great cello work in the song.  I'll have to post an update later this evening on which album it was.
 
Cassandra Wilson is primarily a jazz singer, but does mix in some blues with her music.  She's done quite a few cover songs - Jimi Hendrix, Van Morrison, etc. to name a few.  Her music is so peaceful, yet eccentric at the same time to listen to.