[TPIN] Are Symphony Orchestras Today Too Loud?

[RickTrumpetMan at aol.com]

Hi Paul!
 
Hope I'm not jumping in the way of this being directed to another  "Rick".  
Please overlook me if I am.  I'm one of those that (in this  discussion a 
couple of years ago) can be well and truly counted as  being in the being fed up 
with not being monitored well  demographic.  Being monitored well happens, but 
it's a rare  occurrence.  Like most things in this business the likelihood of  
it happening has everything to do with how much of the soundperson's  paycheck 
you personally are responsible for.  :) 
 
I think at one time we were part of a contingent of this discussion (and I  
still believe it) that if sound tech wants a trumpet player in an  amplified 
setting to deliver fewer DB's to the mic (overall) they should  turn the player 
up in the monitors and not down.
 
My two cents was just in regard to comparing the level  of orchestral volume 
of the years.
 
This threatens to give rebirth to the well trodden PA thread.  I  (just my 
opinion) think that applying PA to Symphony Orchestras (especially in  an 
interior concert hall environment) is a  travesty.  If an orchestra  needs PA in a 
concert hall, the acousticians screwed something up  mightily.  Of course, now 
that I think about it, I can think of a few  shining examples from my own 
experiences........
 
Best Regards,
 
Rick Price