Classical Recording: A Practical Guide In The Decca Tradition Book Review
Over the years, I must have read a small library’s worth of books on music recording techniques in general, with many concerning the specific approaches typically employed for classical music, in all its forms. However, this new 410‑page tome published by Routledge at the end of 2020 has established an impressive new high‑bar in the genre. Indeed, I forecast that it will quickly become ‘the’ standard reference work for students of all levels.
Its three co‑authors, Caroline Haigh, John Dunkerley, and Mark Rogers, all gained considerable experience working with Decca (hence the book’s subtitle), with over 70 years between them at that great institution. Haigh worked mostly in post‑production roles at Decca over 18 years, while Dunkerley’s 50‑year recording career won him 15 Grammys, and Rogers, also a Grammy‑winner, started his career at Decca, EMI and Warner before becoming a