Sennheiser 2009 Annual Report Download - page 6

11
SOUND
“It all comes down to
the microphone”
Klaus Doldinger, Germany’s foremost jazz musician, has been composing music for
advertising, television (the German crime series Tatort) and film since the 1960s.
Doldinger is known internationally for his screen scores for Das Boot and The Never-
ending Story. The jazz saxophonist and his band, Passport, have been performing
together for over 40 years. On the occasion of his 75th birthday, Doldinger talks about
music’s sensuality and gives his insight into how to choose the right microphone.
Is there a smell or taste to music?
(Laughs) That would make it all the better. When music grabs you, it
evokes all kinds of feelings, though I am not sure one would get the same
sense of enjoyment as sitting down to a nice meal of alpine trout. How-
ever, I do believe that good sound and the right music can trigger a
physical sense of well-being.
Wild Freshness, the advertising jingle you composed in 1969 for the
beauty soap Fa, has become a classic. Is it possible for music to
conjure up a sense of the “wild freshness of lime”?
Back then, I had just started to write music for films,
documentaries and TV commercials. All of a sudden,
that took precedence, not the band. Questions like
“Who’s playing?” or “Who can play what?” were
expanded to include questions on content, sequences
and synchronization. It’s possible to create an
atmosphere that evokes the feeling of being at the
beach – possibly even smelling limes. Whether that
can be translated to every feeling – or even should –
is a question for another day. But having to address
these questions broadened my reach as a composer.
Wild freshness is just an example. But, in the end, it’s
about writing something meaningful … something of
lasting value.
Is playing the saxophone sensuous?
When you play, you are fully connected and totally
involved in the instrument. Though you may not get the
same feeling you do when listening to music, playing
adds a whole new dimension. The location, such as a
theater with relatively dry acoustics, a large concert hall
or a sports arena, makes a huge difference.
That’s a bit disappointing to hear. Your music seems
so full of emotion and now you tell us that the saxo-
phone and sensuousness don’t go hand in hand …
I know the feeling (laughs). I was a pianist at first. My
enthusiasm for the saxophone suffered a big shock
when I started practicing. It was a painful sensory
experience for my lips, hands, arms and neck. I associate
the first few years of learning to play the saxophone
with bloody lips. It isn’t an easy instrument to master.
But don’t take it too badly. The more you practice, the
more sensuous it becomes.
The mouthpiece I use on my sax is really unique because the
chamber size is adjustable. As the chamber becomes narrower ,
the sound becomes brighter and more penetr ating.