Sound and Music

@ghdprentice

I find that records vary so widely in quality I can’t make a blanket statement on the quality of LP’s, especially classical.

I think cdc pretty much hits the nail on the head. For myself I prefer a system that does not draw attention to itself and the recording is part of that system. I don’t want to have sounds coming at me which have nothing to do with the music. Vinyl problems were grossly apparent to me and I couldn’t listen past them on a regular basis although I could listen thru them on occasion for a very special performance. CD’s can have too much upper mid range energy, stuff that I would never hear in concert, and for that reason I put an equalizer in my tape loop to compensate. It works for me. IMHO, a home audio system can’t, and never will, replicate a live performance, not even close, so all I require is a quiet, balanced, system and recording, even if the technical merits of the performance are not superb. With this I can just sit back and enjoy the music.

The problem you are raising is the one which separated Plato from Aristotle.

Plato said the form can and must exist above and beyond the matter.

Aristotle said the two were permanently entangled.

This is a very old division which you are trying to solve by seeing it in one instantiation -- music vs. sound.

You might consider reading about form and matter.

Of course, you could also see this as a tension between soul and body.  You lament that music -- the soul -- is forced to become sound -- the body -- with all its limitations, defects, fallibilities. Pure music becomes sullied with sonic carnality. How terrible!

So, turn the tables! Revel in your body -- rejoice in flaws and carnality! Be dionysian and play the flute! Drink wine! YOLO, as the kids say.

Yes, live music, especially an orchestra, or big band can never be accurately depicted it the home.  A concert hall is not a living room.  It is true that smaller ensembles can come close.  
I also agree that records are especially troublesome, and it’s difficult to listen past vinyl problems. 
If one listens solely for sound, eventually that’s all one hears, and it can bring  you to a very dark place where the music disappears altogether.

In order to enjoy a record or CD (streaming,) one has to ignore the anomalies of sound which are inevitably there and listen to the music.  
Too many of us listen for the anamolies.