I had yet another proof of how the environment affects the performance, and how everything should fit in order to provide a pleasing experience.
We went to a concert on 23rd Oct, which was good overall, the performance of the duo undoubtedly at least. The environment, a Catholic church built in post-modern style, with flat surfaces, sharp colors and direct images, seemed a promising and appealing choice for the event.
However, the modern and forward-looking architecture came as a double-edged sword and negatively affected the acoustics of the environment. The reverberation was terrible, likely because of the flat surfaces which created almost infinite early reflections, and what was supposed to be a rhythmic and staccato vibe became a melted and blurred impression of what the musicians were trying to communicate. If you're not a musician having performed at least once in front of an audience, you might have a hard time realising that what you're hearing is totally different from what the two jazz players actually meant.
Is it a negligence of the architects? I don't know, but what I realised is that it definitely takes some guts to outsmart the past and try to re-invent the wheel.
As sound artists & engineers, is our duty to make sure that every piece of the music experience fits properly.