Barry Blesser:

>But by splitting the performance space from the listening space, which
>only happened in the 20th century, reproducing classical music now
>contains a paradox.  The listening experience no longer matches the
>composers original intent.

I'm not sure about where the paradox lies.  That's simply a loss. From
the very beginning, recording technologies were accused of "spoiling
music", not only concerning spatial matters.  Nowadays we don't neccesarily
uphold this extreme position, but we accept that recorded music fatally
implies some kind of loss.

Besides, I don't know if any listening experience ever matched the
composer's original intent, or if all music really losses something
essential when that match fails to occur.  For example what kind of
"spatial intent" is there at Bach's Art of Fuge whose "not matching"
with the listener's experience would mean a regrettable defeat? I don't
know it clearly, but I guess that the answer is quite different if we
think of Feldman's "Rothko Chapel".

Another remark, Barry, if you allow me: recording technologies didn't
only split the performance space from the listening space: they splitted
the performance time from the listening time.  Personally, that produces
me a strongest sense of loss than the mere space splitting.

Regards

Pablo Massa