James Badal is an assistant professor of English and Journalism at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. His articles have appeared in many music and entertainment publications, among them High Fidelity, Symphony, Fanfare, Cleveland Edition, and Northern Ohio Live. He was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Cleveland Police Historical Society in 2000. He is also the author of In the Wake of the Butcher: Cleveland's Torso Murders (Kent State University Press, 2001).

"There is no doubt that this book will appeal to specialists, including conductors, recording enthusiasts, musicologists, and performers. It provides unique information about conductors' views regarding the artistic, procedural and commercial aspects of recording. Of greatest importance is the inclusion of 16 conductors who, while expressing varying viewpoints, are among the most important conductors of the past 15 years. James Badal's interview technique successfully leads the conversation into many important areas, but allows each conductor to engage in some exploration of issues unique to the individual's background, career, and areas of specialization." --Wayne Gorder, Conductor and Associate Professor of Music, Kent State University

In this collection of interviews with major orchestra conductors, James Badal explores the impact of recording technology on contemporary musical culture. Spanning more than a decade with masters such a Vladimir Ashkenazy, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Christopher Hogwood, these discussions offer valuable commentary on the digital revolution and subsequent compact disc explosion.