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Beyond Recording

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Welcome to Beyond Recording - exploring the art of classical music production.

Presented by Sound Espressivo & CiMA Streams

Beyond Recording Ep. 1 - The First Lehner Quartet Album

In the first episode of Beyond Recording, presented by Sound Espressivo & CiMA Streams, we go behind the scenes of the first Lehner Quartet album with Gianriccardo Pera of CiMA Streams to explore the artistic and technical decisions that shape a modern string quartet production.

From microphone placement and acoustic perspective to editing, stereo imaging, and mastering, this episode reveals how recording technology can support — rather than overshadow — the musical expression.

🎻 Featured Recording: Lehner Quartet - Volume 1 & Volume 2 Production

Focus:

• Recording
• Editing
• Mixing
• Mastering
• Acoustic Vision

In this episode, we explore:
• What makes the Lehner Quartet unique
• The challenges of recording contemporary string quartet repertoire
• How performers make complex musical structures accessible
• The philosophy behind the unusual microphone placement
• Recreating the perspective of a listener in the room
• Building a natural stereo image between the four instruments
• How editing can preserve the physical relationship between musicians
• The role of mastering in bringing important musical phrases forward
• Why a recording should be more than a document of a performance

The episode also features excerpts from works by Joel Feigin and Jana Skarecky, performed by the Lehner Quartet.

🎵 Music featured in this episode:
Joel Feigin - Mosaic in Two Panels- excerpt Jana Skarecky -
I. Kata Tjut - excerpt Jana Skarecky -
IV. Karrimurra Waterfall - excerpt

At the heart of the conversation is a simple question: How can a recording make a past musical performance become present again?

 

Beyond Recording Ep. 2 - How We Edit and Master a String Quartet

In Episode 2 of Beyond Recording, presented by Sound Espressivo & CiMA Streams, we go deeper into the creative process behind the Lehner Quartet recordings, focusing on the stages where a recorded performance becomes a finished musical work.

Gianriccardo Pera of CiMA Streams takes us inside the editing and mastering process for Lehner Quartet – Volume 2, exploring how musical decisions, performance continuity, acoustic perspective, and mastering shape the final listening experience. 💬

.🎻 Featured Recording: Lehner Quartet – Volume 2

In this episode, we explore:

• How we edit a string quartet performance
• Making musical edits while preserving the performers’ interpretation
• Choosing edits that respect phrasing, timing and ensemble interaction
• Maintaining a natural acoustic perspective throughout the edit
• How editing can disappear into the music
• The transition from editing and mixing to mastering
• What mastering can — and cannot — change
• Bringing important musical moments forward without sacrificing dynamics
• Creating a final master that remains faithful to the original performance
• The artistic decisions behind a finished classical recording.

At the heart of this episode is another fundamental question: How do you edit and master a performance without losing the musicians, the room, and the musical intention behind it?

Beyond Recording Ep. 3 - Mastering a String Quartet: Shaping the Final Sound

In this episode of Beyond Recording, we enter the final stage of the production process: mastering.

Working with the Lehner Quartet, we explore how mastering can do much more than simply adjust levels and prepare a recording for release.

The goal is to preserve the natural balance of a string quartet while subtly guiding the listener's attention towards the musical voice that matters most at any given moment.

We discuss the delicate boundary between mixing and mastering, and how very small, carefully controlled adjustments can influence the perception of an instrument without changing the fundamental character of the mix.

We also look at the challenge of creating coherence across an entire album: maintaining a consistent acoustic and sonic experience from one piece to another while preserving the individual character of every composition.

Featuring musical examples from Lehner Quartet – Volume 2, including Jana Skarecky's Karrimurra Waterfall.