Some of the earliest examples of what might be regarded as HIP recording
were the Mercury recordings of the 1812 and Wellington's Victory in the 50s
which sought to use historically accurate cannons, muskets and bells, and
went to a great deal of trouble to record them.

There are other extramusical elements which may worry HIP recording down
the track.  I believe Respighi specified a particular - presumably long
nla - recording of a nightingale to use in The Pines of Rome.  Did Leroy
Anderson spell out which grade of sandpaper or which brand of typewriter
should be used in his pieces featuring them? Most worrying of all is
Malcolm Arnold's A Grand Grand Overture with parts for three vacuum
cleaners and a floor polisher.  Where will they find late 50s electrical
appliances in 50 years' time? Did performance practice dictate divided
vacuum cleaners or were they grouped centre stage? Such problems should
be acted on now to save the musicologists of the future the trouble.

It occurs to me that in 50 years' time, when the HIP juggernaut has rolled
on past our present and ever onward and the music and practices of our time
are subjected to rigorous research, is it possible that HIP itself, as we
know it, will have been superseded by H even better IP, and thus become
suspect? Perhaps I shouldn't spend so much time outside in this beautiful
spring weather...

Richard Pennycuick
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