Ed Marshall is quite simply one of the very finest audio engineers I have ever met. He is of course thoroughly professional in the technical aspects of his work, and over the 41 years I have known him, he has consistently demanded of himself the very highest standards.

I know Ed from many hours of studio work in the CBC, often working to daunting deadlines. I recall one national broadcast of the Wagner Ring Cycle where the then quite new digital recording technology was put to the test. Ed would patiently and most efficiently edit each new act of the Bayreuth performance, sometimes with just minutes to spare before we went live to air with it. The product was always first-class, and Ed was never flustered, even under great pressure.

Then there have been the countless times where Ed has recorded performances that I have conducted. He cares deeply about the music and spares no effort to assure the very finest recording possible. Ed is a consummate professional, and he is also a dear friend.

The Canadian musical world owes him a great debt of gratitude. So many significant musical moments in Canada’s history have been immortalized, thanks to Ed’s midas touch.

Thank you, Ed. Howard Dyck, C.M., LL.D.

“As music director of the New York Staff Band I produced more than 25 recordings with Ted Marshall. He is the consummate professional. Great ears and never finished a project until we were satisfied it was the best it could be. We even won the British Bandsman CD of the year for our recording featuring tuba artist Patrick Sheridan. Ted has enriched my life through his great skills and his Christian humility. We have become life long friends through these many years and many recordings.  Congratulations toTed on an exceptional career.” Ronald Waiksnoris, Bandmaster, New York Staff Band ( Retired )

I first met Ed (who is this Ted guy?) when I was a student at Western University (UWO) in the early 80s.  In addition to my music studies, I had a part-time job as a recording engineer working in the Faculty of Music’s recording facilities, and this gave me a chance to connect with the CBC technicians who came to record the faculty choir. It was my first encounter with a “real” recording engineer, and believe it or not, it had not occurred to me that it was possible to make a living doing this work until that moment.

Although I went on to finish my degree, I determined to follow the path towards the work I saw Ed doing, and eventually ended up at the CBC for a year, at one of the moments that it was constricting the growth of its staff size… I took another path towards my goal. Years later, a highlight of my own career in recording came when I had the opportunity to produce some choral recordings and engage Ed as recording engineer.

During one of those sessions, Ed related an anecdote he thought was appropriate to our careers: “Some day, some one will realize that we are having fun doing what we love, and will make us stop”. Ed is still looking over his shoulder!

Congratulations Ed on a long career achieving excellence in audio recording.   We are not only deeply grateful for your commitment and patience with the Penderecki String Quartet but we recognize the generosity and value you have brought to the dreams and ambitions of so many Canadian musicians in their pursuit of disseminating their craft – often with small means.

The Penderecki Quartet remembers fondly our Bartok string quartet cycle we recorded with you back in the good ol’ days!   Your super sonic ears and magic with mics and digital editing brought this project to a level we are very proud of.   Our  deep thanks to you Ed for all your support over the years!

Ed was our recording engineer for the first two CD’s in the Canadian Art Song Series, – Thread of Winter and Halibut Cheeks and Other Love Songs. We came to depend heavily on Ed’s quite feedback. His dry humour often made doing yet “another take” possible. His love of coffee and pastries brought from his favourite bakery helped sustain us.

Ed has an amazing capacity for patience, always finding time to adjust that splice one more time. We are grateful for his technical prowess and his “ears”. Simply put, Ed is a mensch!

Leslie Fagan, Lorin Shalanko

canadianartsong.ca

I consider myself one of the lucky ones because Ed and I are still working events together. I first met Ed in the 80’s when he came to Centre In The Square to record the KW Symphony for “Symphony Hall” and the CBC “SM5000” series.

A fun memory I have with Ed is working a live show together in the 90’s with The TSO at Molson Park in Barrie.  We had contracted a PA for 50,000 patrons…1,200 showed up and were all seated in front of the stage.  So…we turned off the PA, threw 4 wedges across the front of the stage for some light reinforcement, and enjoyed the sunny afternoon with no pressure. To this day Ed still has that easy going manner and has retained the magic touch which I call “silk” in his live pickups of the KW Symphony and Grand Philharmonic Choir.

Ed is always a pleasure to work with and I am proud to call him my friend as well as colleague. Bob Luffman Centre In The Square Kitchener, On.

It is quite impossible to know how many recordings Ed made for us in Kitchener at the Center in the Square, but one thing I know Ed always found the right sound whether it was chamber music,orchestra or vocal music with orchestra. He also had the uncanny feel for the style of the music and the space he recorded in.

When my wife Agnes Grossmann was to record the Taiwan National Choir, in surroundings we were not familiar with in Taipei, Ed put up the mikes and again produced a great sound, and this very quickly and discreetly. He has an outstanding talent to immediately place everything for maximum results at the highest level. To add to this is his enormous patience and experience in editing.

Thank you Ed for your work and your devotion to music. Agnes and I truly appreciate your work and humanity.

Raffi Armenian

In one way I feel I’m looking back at ancient history, in another it seems but yesterday that Ed and I were involved in so many broadcasts and recordings with the TSO together. In particular I remember a few late nights – early mornings in fact – when we somehow managed to put together a CD of a somewhat rusty organist turned conductor at the organ of Roy Thompson Hall very soon after it opened!

As always his patience and unflappability, not to mention his perfect ears, were a major factor in achieving a successful outcome in trying circumstances. We even had a few laughs! Indeed that wonderful shy but at the same time knowing smile of his floats before me as I write.

Colgrass with Rivka Golani, Shafer with Judy Loman, Strauss with Ben Heppner, Beethoven with Anton Kuerti and so many other performances with the TSO were all brought to life by his extraordinary ability to make the sound world for all and every kind of music RIGHT!

Mille grazie, Ed and a Big Hug!!

Andrew Davis