[f_minor] Beethoven for Fred

[Kpapademas at aol.com]

Fred, Brett and All
 
And even more controversy: Glenn Gould vs the World - see  article below:
 
_http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Article/317784,glenn-gould-vs-the-world
.aspx_ 
(http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Article/317784,glenn-gould-vs-the-world.aspx) 
 
 
Katherine
 
PS:  
Wasn't it Van Cliburn who sneezed over the  phone??
 

 
 
In a message dated 10/4/2012 5:35:37 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
brettab at ihug.com.au writes:

 
Wasn’t it Brendel  who, having some time to kill, decided to phone Gould 
from the Toronto airport? When he  sneezed over the phone, Gould was supposed 
to have hung up. Talk about  hypochondria in excelsis! 
Brett 
 
  
____________________________________
 
From: f_minor  [mailto:f_minor-bounces at glenngould.org] On  Behalf Of Houpt, 
Fred
Sent: Thursday, 4 October 2012 11:04  PM
To: sales at induscandia.se;  Discussion of the Canadian pianist Glenn  Gould.
Subject: Re: [f_minor] Beethoven for  Fred
That's a bit of a  stretch.  Worst pianist ever?  Don't think many in this 
group will  stand with you on your opinion.   
Fred 
  
____________________________________
 
From: f_minor  [mailto:f_minor-bounces at glenngould.org] On  Behalf Of 
Induscandia
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2012 9:27  AM
To: Discussion of the Canadian pianist Glenn  Gould.
Subject: Re: [f_minor] Beethoven for  Fred 
 
Brendler is just a  stupid fraud, worst pianst ever. 

Well you know I  greatly admire Brendel and had the joy to hear him in 
concert in Toronto.   However, his comments about GG are about as far off the 
mark as he accuses  Gould of.  However, Brendel is singing from his own well 
known song  book and he represents a Germanic purist school which has it's 
fans, it has  it's strengths and after a while it's obvious short comings.  
One  cannot ever recall hearing a piano piece of Beethoven, Schubert or 
Schuman  played by Kempf as revelatory.  Never.  Beautifully played but  always 
"urtext", safe and within proper boundaries, that Brendel refers  to.  Kempf's 
music making was never boring but it was always  predictable.   
Gould hated this  mentality and as an artist he resolutely waged war 
against that school of  thought.  Brendel is correct in suggesting that some (he 
would say  most) of Gould's interpretations are not successful.  I would 
never  refer to Brendel's "Goldburg Variations" (did he record it?) but I would  
listen to Murray Peraiah, Ivo Pogerelich or Angela Hewitt.  I cannot  
possibly imagine Horowitz trying the Goldberg's nor would I encourage that  
entire generation of titans (including Artur Rubinstein).  Perish the  thought.  
Though, Brendel's unkind words about Horowitz do not take  into 
consideration the dazzling Scarlatti - especially the younger  Horowitz.  Brendel does 
not like Rach, ok.  I happen to adore  Rach's music and yes, it is often 
heart on the sleeve but for me it all  radiates great musicality and emotion.  
Especially delightful are some  unusual harmonic cadences that come out of 
nowhere.....I love his  music...what can I say? 
Fred 
  
____________________________________
 
From:  f_minor [mailto:f_minor-bounces at glenngould.org] On Behalf Of 
maryellen  jensen
Sent: Wednesday,  October 03, 2012 7:26 PM
To: f_minor at glenngould.org
Subject: Re: [f_minor] Beethoven for  Fred 
 

Fred,

A bit of der  Brendel on your chosen topic:

"A well-known American author...once asked various  pianists what they 
thought of Horowitz. I was unable to contribute to his  book because, as I told 
him, I was more interested in musical realities than  musical myths.

I was not as enthusiastic about Horowitz the  artist as many of my 
colleagues. And I was not so captivated by him as a  pianist either, since I found 
that his kind of virtuosity rarely served the  music as I understood it.

...you can either illuminate  works with a spotlight from without, or 
develop them from within....the  spotlights from without are embodied for me 
particularly clearly in Glenn  Gould. In my view, he was not interested in 
deciphering a work from within,  but wished instead, as unexpectedly as possible, 
to illuminate it from  without. He went so far as to actually hamper an 
understanding of a  composer, and maltreat him, in order to be original at all 
costs. It was  clearly compulsive.

Gould to me was a classic  example of what a performer should not be; as an 
eccentric, he seemed  determined to oppose the wishes of the composer or go 
against the character  of the piece.

I've always asked myself: why does this man, who  is so gifted, treat 
composers in such a disgraceful way? It seems to me that  quite a few people love 
this kind of sadism...There is nothing wrong in  playing pieces in a 
variety of ways - but please do so within the limits,  within the character and 
structure of the piece itself. Gould deliberately  oversteps these limits, or 
he is simply not aware of  them.

...it seems to me that he has no interest in all  in the character of the 
piece. He is not aware that it exists...He does not  consider that there 
might be a character which is indissolubly connected  with the piece, which one 
must find and bring to  life.

I have to accept that Gould's playing can on  occasions be revelatory. But 
I do not think this is due to psychological  understanding, but rather to 
chance - the desire to do what is  unexpected.

I am not a Rachmaninov fan. The piano repertoire  is vast, and Rachmaninov 
to me seems a waste of  time.

...among [Rachmaninov's] works for piano, above  all the piano concertos, 
there is nothing that I find captivating, enough to  recommend to a young 
pianist. Nor has the third piano concerto ever  convinced me."

The book is in Q & A format (the questioner is Martin  Meyer, literary 
editor of the Neue Zurcher Zeitung) and the sections are Life, About Music, On 
Performance,  On Writing (Brendel has published essays and poetry), and an  
Epilogue.

The book in question  is: 






Me of All People: Alfred  Brendel in Conversation with Martin Meyer 
 
by _Alfred Brendel_ 
(http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/390865.Alfred_Brendel) , _Martin Meyer_ 
(http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/327188.Martin_Meyer) , _Richard Stokes_ 
(http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/447942.Richard_Stokes)  (Translator)


_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiX3Rof5E00_ 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiX3Rof5E00) 


Mary

PS  There's an  interesting 2 dvd documentary "Alfred Brendel: In Portrait" 
- visit  your local University Library for further details...   




  
____________________________________
 
Date: Mon, 1  Oct 2012 15:52:51 -0700
From: boyboy_8 at yahoo.com
To:  f_minor at glenngould.org
Subject: [f_minor]  Beethoven 
 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbhBnpMx8-M
 

 
On the recent CBC radio Sunday program  that Michael Enright did with 
Robert Harris, Harris mentioned a CBC  recording (many years ago) of GG playing 
Beethoven's Tempest piano sonata  (#17).  I do believe that the one I've 
posted here is part 1 of this  sonata.   As Harris explained, GG often ignored 
the composer tempo  and dynamic markings were in search of what "the music" 
was asking  for.  This was a curious but I think accurate insight into GG's  
mind.  When I hear GG doing this Tempest, there are several things to  look 
for.  Notice that he is conducting all the time, breathing with  the music 
as if it was a symphony.   In his lectures, famous  Beethoven specialist 
Andras Schiff often explains that Beethoven was first  and foremost a symphonist 
and his sonatas reflect symphonic architecture  reduced to two hands.  This 
is also correct and in GG's performance he  is approaching the sonata as if 
it was a symphony.  Notice as well how  he handles the motifs that sound 
like a soloist singing a single musical  line.  Gould takes extra time to 
allow the notes of the motif to rise  up in melancholy, expressing such depth of 
Beethoven emotion.  The  entire movement, for me, is extraordinary and I 
cannot remember hearing it  done with more pathos and introspection.  
Incredible.....and totally  unique interpretation.  But again, Gould has sought to 
make the music  sound fresh and all the while respecting the meaning that the 
music has  within itself.  
 

 
regards,
 

 
Fred  Houpt
 
Toronto


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