Gould

[atserriotserri]

Hello, I registered a minute ago and this is my first topic, perphaps too controversial to start but anyway...
Question is that I'm concentrating this last months in listening works for solo instrument or duets, mainly for piano but also cello, violin, piano-violin etc...
I find beethoven sonatas, as you might guess extraordinary (I got the ashkenazy set), and recently I bought the glenn gould set of the beethoven sonatas (all of the but numbers 4, 11, 19-22 and 24-29, which he didn't recorded).
In the inner notes it is mentioned that he was already insulted by critics because the unorthodox conception of most of the sonatas.
Has anyone listened to his performances? What do you think of them? And what credit (if any) do you give to Gould?
Thanks for creating this forum and for making it so interesting, hope I'll contribute too.

[Rod]

Originally posted by atserriotserri:
Hello, I registered a minute ago and this is my first topic, perphaps too controversial to start but anyway...
Question is that I'm concentrating this last months in listening works for solo instrument or duets, mainly for piano but also cello, violin, piano-violin etc...
I find beethoven sonatas, as you might guess extraordinary (I got the ashkenazy set), and recently I bought the glenn gould set of the beethoven sonatas (all of the but numbers 4, 11, 19-22 and 24-29, which he didn't recorded).
In the inner notes it is mentioned that he was already insulted by critics because the unorthodox conception of most of the sonatas.
Has anyone listened to his performances? What do you think of them? And what credit (if any) do you give to Gould?
Thanks for creating this forum and for making it so interesting, hope I'll contribute too.

I've only ever bought Goulds recording of Beethoven's variations op34, op35 and WoO80 (a set of 32 composed in the style of a chaconne). Occasionally good, occasionally eccentric, appauling piano sound, appauling singing from Gould. Never again!

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[v russo]

Originally posted by atserriotserri:
Hello, I registered a minute ago and this is my first topic, perphaps too controversial to start but anyway...
Question is that I'm concentrating this last months in listening works for solo instrument or duets, mainly for piano but also cello, violin, piano-violin etc...
I find beethoven sonatas, as you might guess extraordinary (I got the ashkenazy set), and recently I bought the glenn gould set of the beethoven sonatas (all of the but numbers 4, 11, 19-22 and 24-29, which he didn't recorded).
In the inner notes it is mentioned that he was already insulted by critics because the unorthodox conception of most of the sonatas.
Has anyone listened to his performances? What do you think of them? And what credit (if any) do you give to Gould?
Thanks for creating this forum and for making it so interesting, hope I'll contribute too.

Gould has always caused controversy with his interpretations. I must admit I do like his playing though. I have the 'Eroica' Variations and the Op. 126 Bagatells and I think he does an amazing job with them. I have also been listening to Bachs 2 and 3 part inventions with Gould as well. He was a very important musical figure. Not only for his interpretations, but also for his concept of Classical Music and its role in the coming generations and the importance of the recording process for future generations. Gould gave up performance for a number of years and devoted his time exclusively to the recording studio.


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v russo

[Tony John Hearne]

Recent reviews in the quality papers of the re release of the Goldberg Variations are simply ecstatic

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Love from London

[Haffner]

He didn't like Beethoven and once said that his musical interests end with The Art of Fugue (J.S. Bach's last work) and begin again with Tristan and Isolde (Wagner's second last musical drama). Thus, that excludes all classical and romantic repertoire, so since he was not passionate about this music, one should not consider his recordings of these composers as serious, as some (epically those of Mozart) were done in jest and intended to offend.

For Gould listening, anything by Bach; NO ONE compares to him when it comes to Bach. I am currently listening to his recording of the Sinfonias, Partita in G, Italian Concerto and Concerto in D (with the Toronto Symphony orchestra). It is a wonderful disc but his crowning achievement is the 1981 recording of the Goldberg Variations (His second recording of the work, one of his last, he recorded Brahms ballades at around the same time, I can't remember which was done first). From this theme and 30 variations, he exposes as much imagination as is contained in Chopin's preludes, Mozart's Piano Concertos, or Beethoven's Symphonies, and he breaths new life into Baroque music. It is autumnal, heroic, delicate, passionate and divine beyond all description. This disc is a must have for all music lovers. Yes, there are vocal contributions by Gould, but one has to ignore it. If I could recommend one recording of any work, it would be this; I garantee, you will never listen to Bach the same again.