We were lucky to have the opportunity to record the superb QUINTETO DEL FUEGO performing works by Astor Piazzola

The quintet specialises in playing and reinterpreting the tango and is made up of Elmira Darvarova, violin, Stéphane Chapuis, bandonéon, Irina-Kalina Goudeva, double bass, George Vassilev, guitar, and Lionel Monnet, piano.

To capture the energy and richness of this complex and intoxicating music, we turned to Jean-Claude Gaberel, the world-renowned sound engineer who has won a César for his work on the soundtrack to the film Farinelli. Together with an array of exceptional microphones, many of which valve-based, Jean-Claude Gaberel used a Pyramix virtual studio to create very high definition (24 bit, 384 KHz DXD) audio files.

Elmira Darvarova, the famous American violinist who plays the violin in this fiery quintet, summed up the session on her Facebook page: “In Switzerland at the sensational debut of the new super-group QUINTETO DEL FUEGO, performing to standing ovation (with multiple encores) at sold-out venues, and recording for the renowned Stenheim "Swiss Made Audio Excellence" for their prestigious "Stenheim Acoustic Sessions" program with globally-recognized sound engineer and Cesar winner)Jean-Claude Gaberel.”

 

PRODUCTION

  • Engineered and co-production by Jean-Claude Gaberel - Image & Son

  • Recorded at L’Espace Consonance, Saxon, Suisse

  • Produced by Jean-Pascal Panchard & Bernard Pache

  • Acoustic Session Photos François Panchard - Arolle Production

  • Thanks to Lionel Monnet

  • P 2014 - Stenheim

  • C 2014 - Quinteto Del Fuego

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

  • Principal microphones: 2x Neumann M 50 (valve)

  • Vocal microphone: Neumann M 49 (valve)

  • Piano microphones: 2x Violet/Gaberel

  • Guitar microphone: Violet/Gaberel

  • Percussion microphone: SE T2

  • Vocal microphone valve preamplifier: Gaberel

  • Preamplifiers/DACs: Horus by Merging Technologies 24bit/192KHz

  • Recording desk: Pyramix Virtual Studio by Merging Technologies 24bit/192KHz

  • DACs, Headphone and line preamplifiers: Grace Design M905 24bit192KHz

  • Headphones: Fostex TH 900 – Grado PS 1000

  • Cables: Cardas, HI-FI Câble et compagnie, Van den Hul, Silversonic

  • Amplifier: NAGRA PSA

  • Acoustic loudspeakers: Stenheim Alumine 2 Way