Inauguration Music - Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma - Wasn't Live But Recorded

WASHINGTON — The classical music played for millions of people watching President Barack Obama's inauguration was not the live performance it appeared to be.

Unless you were one of the fortunate few sitting within earshot of the celebrated performers, what you heard was a recording made two days earlier.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill made the decision a day before Tuesday's inauguration to use a previously recorded audio tape for the broadcast of the ceremonies.

Carole Florman, a spokeswoman for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, said the weather was too cold for the instruments to stay in tune.

"They were very insistent on playing live until it became clear that it would be too cold," said Florman in a telephone interview Thursday night.

People sitting nearby could hear the musicians play "Air and Simple Gifts", written for the inauguration by John Williams, but their instruments were not amplified.

"It would have been a disaster if we had done it any other way," Perlman told The New York Times, which first reported that the music was taped on its Web site Thursday. "This occasion's got to be perfect. You can't have any slip-ups."

The Marine Band, the youth choruses and the Navy Band Sea Chanters performed live, Florman said, although Aretha Franklin was accompanied by taped music and voices.

Florman said all the acts "laid down tape" before Tuesday's inauguration. When they did their sound checks on Monday, all but the quartet made the decision to have their live performances broadcast.

The temperature hovered around 30 for the ceremony on the Capitol steps, too cold for McGill's clarinet, Ma's cello or Perlman's violin to offer true pitch. But the cold played havoc with the piano, which can't hold tune below 55 degrees for more than two hours, Florman said. The group played at 11:43 a.m., and guests seated near them could hear them as well as the tape made two days earlier. Guests seated farther away, the crowds that thronged the National Mall, and the millions who watched around the world heard the taped version of Williams' piece.

"This isn't Milli Vanilli," Florman insisted, referring to the late 1980s group stripped of a Grammy for lip-syncing. "They had to perform in such cold weather, the instruments couldn't possibly be in tune. They were able to play in sync with the tape. It's not unusual."

(This version CORRECTS spelling of Gabriela in 3rd graf.)

Comments

[SJeffH]

I was amazed that these guys could play live in that weather. Now that I know what I was hearing was a recording, I'm still amazed that they could play in that weather. I hadn't thought about the tuning aspect.

[Irish55]

So? The music sounded beautiful and appropriate. Even more importantly it was enjoyed and appreciated by all. Why is this a story?

[greendream]

Its hard on the instruments and its hard on the hands. I play piano and I've tried to play in places without proper heating and its difficult. Fingers just won't go where I want them to go or they stiffen up. I can't imagine trying to play outside in freezing temperatures.

[tech7]

If we would of just saved all the money spent on this Gala, how many people could of been helped. This country and its people are warped for sure!

[Savanna]

The only comment for this story has to be SOOOOOO WHATTTT.

[kittychi]

I am a musician--a pianist and a violist.

It would be impossible to keep fine instruments in tune in 20 degree weather to last 5 minutes, let alone the time they had to wait before performing. They were all playing...you could see that. What was broadcast was a recording so it sounded decent and in tune.

As for keeping it real...it was real if you were sitting there.

[Elderlady]

No wonder many newspapers are dropping the AP as a source for "news."

This is not "news".

This is "Gotcha" tabloid journalism.

I admire those famous and wonderful musicians, for sitting in the cold, and even pretending to play.

[swo68]

I heard shortly after they were discovered, they all stood up and danced a jig.

[ishok]

So.

[dteg]

Wish they would do it live. Keep it real. We have had enough deceit for the last 8 years. We understand things will not go well in a January event with over 2 million people. Inauguration weekend was awesome including the miscues. I will always remember what a great time this was.

[mick7191]

There instruments don't work in 30 degree weather. They just don't work. Besides, if you had a 400 year old Stradivarius, would you take it out. I think not.

[Forester]

This has nothing to do with politics - but something to do with our "culture".

That it is somehow acceptable that some of our greatest musicians can pretend to be performing in front of literally millions of people as if it were an authentic experience? What does that say about us as a culture? I REALLY object to such a stunt. If it was too cold or whatever, then DON'T DO IT! Bit by bit, our "culture" is diminished by vulgarity and bad taste, and this absolutely qualifies as the latter. What's next? A president lip-syncing to James Earl Jones?!
This was a bad call, and should not have been done.

[cloudminder]

if this iswhat passes as vulgarity and bad taste in your world

then you must live in --- an egg shell

[Forester]

its called death by a thousand cuts, and if you like fake music, then its your loss.

[Dana D]

Forester, your bigotry is showing.

[Forester]

care to justify your accusation lady? Your posts show you to be a typical main-stream liberal type without much original thinking. I am not a liberal or conservative, but an issues oriented skeptic with a strong reliance on US history. Do a little posting research before you make an accusation like this - it only demonstrates your lack of sophistication. My opinion about fake music is probably more a function of my age and appreciation of authenticity, something younger generations generally do not seem to value. Enjoy your fake culture, but I reject that crap despite dopey comments like yours.

[Davwbaird]

Yep, I knew it had to be a recording, you just don't play them there instruments under such conditions.

[cloudminder]

I can't believe how much play this "story" is being given

I am grateful to the musicians for being willing to simulate due to weather conditions

I wish Aretha had done so as well-- she could have caused real damage to her vocal chords by singing in that weather

so many snarky writers and talking heads who have no idea what it is like to perform in weather

[RoseMerry]

In the scheme of things, perhaps, this is a small thing.

But shame, shame, shame. It is a big slap in the face of musicians everywhere.

[peaceonearth]

Read the whole article. They had no choice.

[Forester]

right. at gunpoint no doubt.

[BearsLeft]

Spoken like someone who has never played an instrument outside.

[unite4change]

Who cares? Our country is in crisis, why is this an issue?