<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><div>sorry about getting a little excited about the word haptic, but it does seem to provide the missing term which describes the type of memory which most pianists use. ( and often with disastrous results ! ) and i'm happy to say, bob, that mr webster would totally agree with you is his fine book. no difference to him either. but , if i might be excused for a little personal interpretation, there may be a great difference. the term tactile seems to have been sullied by previous use, it's connection with the " feel " of , say, a fabric or smooth piano keys. ( providing they aren't worn ivories ! ). haptic, on the other hand, happily ( sorry about that ) because of it's lack of familiarity, can easily make the bridge between touch and mind to my way of
thinking. it even sounds psychological ! i mentioned the disaster that can result in using this type of memory for a concert. it's always a temptation to rely upon it because most pianists will find that they can play a sonata without music ( and without mind !! ) in just a few months. then they try to play it for a jury exam or recital, they start to " think " about the connections, and lo and behold, all is lost. their hand memory, or haptic memory was an illusion. and they slink away in disgrace. </div><div>i have a feeling that gg relied upon this type of memory to a certain extent, in addition to his using great additional analytical skills. this might explain his shaking in bed on the afternoon before a evening concert. ( i mean, there are rather more than a few unnatural memory spots in the goldberg, as anybody would admit who plays it )
it might also explain why he used the loud vacuum cleaner to distract his mind temporally so that he could get through the ascending sixths passage in the last movement ( var 5 ) of op 109. ( when suddenly, one day, he couldn't play it ! )</div><div>well, just a little digression on a day when it's honestly too hot in connecticut to do anything but think and then bother the f minors. stay cool if you happen to be on the unfortunate side of the equator. </div><div style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><br><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><hr size="1"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Robert Merkin <bobmerk@earthlink.net><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> Discussion of the Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. <f_minor@glenngould.org><br><b><span
style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Sun, June 27, 2010 11:39:10 PM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [f_minor] book<br></font><br>
<style type="text/css">DIV {
MARGIN:0px;}
</style>
<div><font size="4" face="Courier New"><strong>Thanks for the cool new word! But
... how does "haptic" differ from "tactile"?</strong></font></div>
<div><font size="4" face="Courier New"><strong></strong></font> </div>
<div><font size="4" face="Courier New"><strong>Bob</strong></font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT:#000000 2px solid;PADDING-LEFT:5px;PADDING-RIGHT:0px;MARGIN-LEFT:5px;MARGIN-RIGHT:0px;">
<div style="FONT:10pt arial;">----- Original Message ----- </div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial;BACKGROUND:#e4e4e4;"><b>From:</b>
<a rel="nofollow" title="mmacelletti@sbcglobal.net" ymailto="mailto:mmacelletti@sbcglobal.net" target="_blank" href="mailto:mmacelletti@sbcglobal.net">michael macelletti</a> </div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial;"><b>To:</b> <a rel="nofollow" title="f_minor@glenngould.org" ymailto="mailto:f_minor@glenngould.org" target="_blank" href="mailto:f_minor@glenngould.org">f_minor@glenngould.org</a> ; <a rel="nofollow" title="gmadoodat@hotmail.com" ymailto="mailto:gmadoodat@hotmail.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:gmadoodat@hotmail.com">gail
paynter</a> </div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial;"><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, June 27, 2010 9:30 PM</div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial;"><b>Subject:</b> [f_minor] book</div>
<div><br></div>
<div style="FONT-FAMILY:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;FONT-SIZE:12pt;">
<div>a " must have " book for all gouldians : " BRAVO
FORTISSIMO " GLENN GOULD , THE MIND OF A CANADIAN VIRTUOSO , by helen
mesaros. and , believe me, i've got them all. this volume is
a veritable treasury of minutiae. i.e. where and when did he practice on
the nassau trip. ( and who was there to witness it. ) , where was he when his
teacher died, what bothered him the most about retirement. the word, haptic (
i never saw it before! ) and the beethoven 5. enjoy! </div>
<div style=""></div></div>
<p>
</p><hr>
<p></p><br></blockquote>
</div></div><div style="position:fixed"></div>
</div></body></html>