industrial
marketplace or village etc). This is the preservation of diverse cultural =
adaptation to
ecosystems. There are also some interesting industrialized ritual sounds -=
- the O.U.
Texas football game is one ritual that comes to mind. I have been there an=
d the sound
sends chills down your spine. An army of 40,000 on either side of the fiel=
d shouting in a
primitive ritual of annihilation. This must have been what ancient batttle=
s were like
(Cannae?) Creativity is key here.
There are probaly many archives out there with recordings of famous events:=
I can think
of FDR's speech here of "A Day That Will Live in Infamy," or "Mr. Gorbachev=
, Take Down
Your Wall" or "Ich in ein Berliner" in June of 1963, Therefore, we can't =
dillute this
idea by recreating something that full time employees are already doing. I=
t has to have its
own niche.
Accordingly, the key is to pick the unique and not easily commercially avai=
lable, and to
wrap in a conceptual package that instructs and inspires, and hopefully in =
my mind, allows
people to use the sound in their environments.
You would seem to have big headstart over in Europe, and can perhaps think =
about that
aspect. Europe has a refined landscape, and a culture less dependent on ma=
chines. Much
of the US did not even develop until after the invention of the auto, so ou=
r human
ecosystems are entrenched in that sound, and the sound of airconditioners. =
In Europe you have villages and ways of interacting that go back way befor=
e the industrial
revolution. That is one reason why we Americans enjoy visiting. And archi=
tecture. I
wonder who has made the best ever recordings inside gothic cathedrals?
Which one has the best acoustics? Do you have that info handy? That would=
seem to be a
good one to start on the western world/human side: The best recording of am=
bience
inside man made structures. This is fitting because for many of us histori=
ans in the new
world, the cathedral is an icon, representing the foundation of modern west=
ern
civilization.
I am, on this end, very much hoping that 3 or 4 of the top sound recordists=
in the U.S. will
agree to let us showcase their work in a didactic setting, with links to th=
eir websites or
other contact information. I have in mind 3 of them, and one who was the l=
eading
recordist of neotropical birdsong, who tragically died on a collecting trip=
. I don't know
how much Cornell would charge to get access to his recordings. I would lov=
e to edit and
present them, as a tribute.
Thanks again. George Paul
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