"When recordings replaced concerts as the dominant mode of hearing music, our conception of the nature of performance and of music itself was altered"

This quote by Charles Rosen speaks with the profound impact that recordings have actually had on our understanding of music and performance. Before recordings, performances were the primary way to experience music. This implied that performances were seen as an unique, one-time occasion, and the music itself was viewed as something that was constantly changing and evolving. With the arrival of recordings, nevertheless, music ended up being something that might be experienced in a more fixed method. Performances were no longer viewed as distinct, but rather as a method to duplicate the noise of the recording. This shift in perspective changed our conception of the nature of efficiency and of music itself, as recordings permitted us to experience music in a more irreversible and consistent method.