# Russian Composer Mark Ermler. Help needed.



## StudentAlert (Dec 27, 2011)

Hello to all members!

My name is Neil and I'm a 3 year music technology student from South Wales UK. I'm currently writing an essay about a recording of : Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: No. 13 Dance of the Knights composed by the Russian conductor Mark Fridrikhovich Ermler. I'm having great difficulty finding information on where and how this was recorded. I downloaded the piece off itunes, from an album called, “Je n'aime pas le classique mais ca j'aime bien”; which roughly translates to, “I don't like the traditional music, I love it” (I think!! Thanks to babblefish).

I need some help with my research. Anyone? Please? I need info on who he recorded this piece with (recording engineers/producers) and where too,name of Orchestra, musicians names, studio name, microphones used.... I know it's a very long shot but thank you for taking the time to read.

Regards,

Neil Dugmore.


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## Rasa (Apr 23, 2009)

The title of the track means "I don't like classical music, but I like this".

Furthermore, the work is composed by Prokofiev.

Here's more information


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## StudentAlert (Dec 27, 2011)

Thank you, I was aware that Prokofiev wrote the piece. One of my all time favourites. I need more info on where and when was it recorded/ who engineered and what equipment used.. I have also been searching google for a few days now. Nevermind, I will keep on looking and thank you again. :lol:


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Mark Ermler was not well known outside the USSR, but for me he was one of the most underrated of Russian conductors. He was for many years principal conductor at the Bolshoi Theatre and his opera and ballet recordings are superb. I had the pleasure of working with him once and he was a joy.

I have the Ermler recording of the complete _Romeo and Juliet_ ballet by Prokofiev from which your extract comes - it is one of the most prized recordings in my collection. There is no better recording of the ballet in my opinion. Here are some details about the recording:

Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London
Recording date: November 1993, All Saints' Church, Petersham, Surrey, England
Producer: Tryggvi Tryggvason
Engineers: Tryggvi Tryggvason, Andrew Hallifax
Assistant engineers: Geoff Miles, Emma Stocker
Editing and post-production: Marian Freeman
Executive producer: John Kehoe

If you haven't heard them, try to get a hold of Ermler's recordings of the operas and ballets of Tchaikovsky (ballets recorded in London, operas with the Bolshoi in Moscow). All are superb.

Hope this is what you were after.


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## StudentAlert (Dec 27, 2011)

Thank you ever so much! Your help will totally steer my research! I totally agree with you about this being the best Romeo and Juliet ever recorded. I wonder if I could look-up and hopefully have a little chat with the Engineers about microphones and placement. I will check out the recordings of the operas and ballets of Tchaikovsky too. Thank you very much indeed.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

StudentAlert said:


> Thank you ever so much! Your help will totally steer my research! I totally agree with you about this being the best Romeo and Juliet ever recorded. I wonder if I could look-up and hopefully have a little chat with the Engineers about microphones and placement. I will check out the recordings of the operas and ballets of Tchaikovsky too. Thank you very much indeed.


I was lucky enough to study recording with Tryggvi Tryggvason at university. By then he had engineered and/or produced all of Ashkenazy's early Decca recordings and has set-up the first of his own independent record companies, 'Gale' (Trygg later became Ashkenazy's brother-in-law when Ashkenazy married his sister Dódi). He taught me a huge amount about microphone placement (eg placing mics for flutes above and slightly BEHIND the player to avoid breathing/wind noises). He also taught me about his beloved 'stereo microphone tree'. Trygg is on facebook and he might let you add him if you send him a message saying you would like to learn about his various recording techniques. He is a great man.


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## StudentAlert (Dec 27, 2011)

That beloved tree is making a comeback with Telefunken:



 That sounds like exciting times! I will have a go at being his facebook friend but I wont be surprised if he don't add me. I myself can be a bit sceptic about adding people I don't know!! Thanks again> You have anything you've worked on I can listen to?


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## John Kehoe (Aug 12, 2021)

I've only just joined his forium, so my information may come a bit late for you! As Director of Artists and Repertoire for Conifer Records, I was Executive Producer of this recording. First thing - Mark Ermler was not a composer but a conductor. The ballet Romeo and Juliet was composed by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953). We recorded the complete ballet with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden conducted by the Russian conductor Mark Ermler in November 1993 at All Saints' Church, Petersham, Surrey. The recording producer was Tryggvi Tryggvason and balance engineers were Tryggvi Tryggvason and Andrew Hallifax. The assistant engineers were Geoff Miles and Emma Stocker. The post-production editor was Marian Freeman. The recording was released on our Royal Opera House label. You ask about microphones. I don't have that information but, in any case, knowing which microphones were used is of little use. Everything depends on their placement!and the skills of the balance engineer! You may still be able to find this recording on Amazon. I believe it may have been reissued by Sony Classical, but you should look for the original release on the Conifer/Royal Opera House label.


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