[f_minor] Beethoven for Fred

[Brett Allen-Bayes]

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

 

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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

 


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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
<http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/327188.Martin_Meyer>  Meyer, Richard
Stokes <http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/447942.Richard_Stokes>
(Translator)


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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