Fauxharmonic Orchestra

Here's an interesting article my Dad brought to my attention.

"Doing Beethoven's symphonies is how you prove your mettle," he says. But Mr. Smith's proof comes with the help of a computerized baton. He will use it to lead an "orchestra" with no musicians -- the product of a computer program designed by a former Vienna Philharmonic cellist and comprised of over a million recorded notes played by top musicians.

Make sure you take the little test - see if you can tell the faux recording apart from the three real ones under the batons of Roger Norrington, David Zinman, and Fritz Reiner. My Dad guessed correctly on his second try, and I'm rather ashamed as an orchestral musician - who has played Beethoven's 7th, no less - to admit that I did no better! How embarassing!