which do you prefer - live or studio recordings?

[stevie]

which do you listen to most and enjoy most?

[donjuan]

The energy of a crowd really does something amazing to a performance, so I voted for live. 

I am certainly glad we have studio performances though because its nice to have something clean to listen to when I am studying a piece etc.. also, the coughing and noises from the audience can be annoying

[stevie]

i agree, the noise of many live recordings can be annoying, and the sound is almost always sub-studio quality.

but this is made up for by much more exciting performances in many cases.

which is why in general id prefer a live recording, especially by someone like cziffra, horowitz, richter, those great live pianists.

[JCarey]

but this is made up for by much more exciting performances in many cases.

For some reason, this statement made me think of Madge's OC performance in Chicago.

Yes, quite... exciting. 

As for me, I prefer live recordings.

[prometheus]

To me this is a silly question. But to my amazemend some people actually prefer live performances.

Some live performances are quite good. But the audience, the coughing, the appauding, the overal noise and bad quality and the less perfect performance. The answer is obvious.

[stevie]

but some artists, particularly exciting and spontanious artists can ve very 'flaccid' in the studio and only the audience can inspire them to become 'fully erect' and produce much more exciting performances.

[da jake]

I usually find great live recordings more exciting and satisfying than great studio recordings.

[Waldszenen]

Live for Concerto (simply for the applause)

Studio for Solo (better sound IMO)

[prometheus]

If I want something spontanious I will listen to some jazz or indian music.

[mikey6]

Perahia loves live performances more than studio (his live Chopin concerto's are rather amazing)
And the applause is good - i've got Karajan's Beethoven 9th on VHS - all the previous ones are done live, but the last one with the biggest/loudest finish finishes and stops dead! a raptous applause would have been good.
But I agree, sounds quality is definitely better in studio.

[pseudopianist]

Studio due to the lack of coughing and the sound quality.

[stevie]

If I want something spontanious I will listen to some jazz or indian music.

i think thats a stupid and narrow-minded viewpoint, and one of the reasons classical music is thought of as boring by many people.

[allthumbs]

While I do enjoy listening to a live recording on occasion, I prefer the studio session results better for the same reasons already mentioned.

Of course, hearing it live and in person is the ultimate.


Cheers

allthumbs