@@junlee7237 Vikingur is great! And I agree that classical music really needs to shed the retardataire culture and bring outliers to the center, a big, messy bubbling cauldron of everything all at once.
As a person who merely listens to Classical music, I can say I had no idea that this would be controversial, and am baffled to have heard it at all! If I'm being honest, I got the impression that classical music just attracted very dull, unimaginative people to play and conduct, and all the creativity was in the composers, classical or contemporary. I have been immensely grateful to modern composers for breathing new life into classic works, like Max Richter's Vivaldi's The Four Seasons Recomposed. If more performers and conductors made more of an effort to interpret, there might be a reason to go to concert rather than listening to recordings.
As a composer, some of the most painful experiences I have had were when performers significantly altered the tempi I indicated. Yet I staunchly defend their right to do so. Once i have released the music, it is no longer mine; I want performers to make it their own. I am also a HUGE Glenn Gould fan, as you might have guessed. This video is a virtuoso and scholarly exploration of why Gould was so polarizing. Bravo!
Yeah! If anyone ever plays any of my music, I'd like them to stick as much as possible to the tempo but then it's up to them how to play, and I'd probably be happy with anything, as long as the notes stay (or nearly stay) the same.
As a composer I agree with you, but still I think that usually there's no reason to change tempo too much from composer's idea - as each music piece or its part has something like the optimal tempo when it sounds the best, and slowing down or speeding up destroy this ideal. The right tempo is very important even from the acoustic point of view, and also has a relation with the information density and ability of its recognition by listeners. Too slow tempo starts to be boring, too fast can cause a loss of the information value as listeners need some time to process the information.
Surprised about his apathy to the concept of virtuosity for its own sake if I'm understanding this right. Maybe it's my Zoomer brain, but sometimes the audience really does just want to see you send it like it's Mahavishnu Orchestra's Vital Transformation. People like Flight of the Bumblebee to see a violinist just go flat out.
As a 72-year-old, lifelong admirer of Gould, Bernstein, and Horowitz, I sat here the whole half hour in rapt attention and appreciation for the careful, incisive, broad, thorough and generous analysis offered - thank you! That said, the '55 Goldberg recording has always remained my platinum standard for ecstasy in motion.
@@CanadianDivergentIt might very well be that I was 30 years old in '82, and had already passionately loved the '55 version for over a decade, before he recorded the later one. They're definitely both worth repeated hearings!
IMO, the 1959 Salzburg live performance is a much better version of the 55 recording. Also the few variations he performed in Moscow are definitely worth a listen!
I've come to the conclusion that it depends on my mood at the moment. I have to sit on the fence with this one but it's a fence with a cushion so the iron doesn't enter the soul!! Very comfortable experience.👍
Gould's most important contribution in my opinion isn't just his Bach, but the way he unabashedly approached radical reinterpretations of pieces. This is more important now than ever as so many pianists sound exactly the same. I recall Gould saying something along the lines of "Why would I play a piece exactly how someone else played it. The conventional interpretations have been recorded and are perfect in their own right."
Because not everyone likes showboating. I'd rather hear a dozen subtly different interpretations of a piece than one radically different. Yeah yeah I like punk music too and all that so I'm not against people trying to be outrageous, but I prefer my classical music to be about the composer not the player.
@@John-k6f9k If they're described pre-presentation as such, then it seems more than fine. But for the situation here - it was largely that he didn't have the environmental capacity to do these sorts of variational performances, so had to take to them without reference/notice. But largely agreed, I do think there needs to be space for both however.
I'm an amateur admirer of Gould but I'm afraid I have been infected with fake news over the years --- 1. Did GG ever perform the Lizst Piano interpretations of Beethovens 7th ? Specifically the Allegretto ? 2. If you search on YT Allegretto - Lizst - Gould there is a video that pops up - (I will find the details and post it interested) I think this video is mislabeled because I cannot find where he recorded any Lizst that is similar
Agreed, but also Bach is important, thanks to him, newer generations were interested in Bach (myself included) listened so many times "The art of the fugue"!
I admit I have held a pretty snarky attitude about Glenn Gould’s musical interpretations and eccentricity. Thank you for introducing me to Glenn Gould in a different way - as someone who took time to examine the music he was playing, as someone who made people listen in an active way.
I appreciate this comment a lot! It's one thing to preach to the choir, but I'm perhaps more interested in sharing what is truly worthwhile in Gould even to those who'd otherwise stay far away.
Well, it's funny you put it that way: Gould was a believer of where technology would go, enabling the listener to alter the music to meet their standards. He dreamed of records that one could play with the volume, timbre, tempo, voices and anything variable. He would probably love today's technology and experiment with it. Or he could detest it and have a solid reason for it. :P Predictability wasn't his thing, his thing was making other things... work, on a new level. His recordings aren't the holy grail, but I would argue his philosophy is.
I think a lot of informed people have objected to some of his artistic decisions on aesthetic grounds. There is no need to apologize for yjhthat. But I was always amazed by his skills, not only musiical but verbal as well. I read a collection of his essays a few decades ago and found it very entertaining, as well as insightful om a variety of musical topics seldom discussed. Curiously GG enjoyed a very good reputation behind the Iron Curtain, which is interesting because of the general conservatism of taste in those parts, at that time and probably still now.
I have absolutely no music experience, never learned to read music or even play a musical instrument. All I have is my ears and that’s why I am here. I am just a regular guy who after reaching 40 plus years old I fell in the love with classical Piano. It started with Beethovens “Emperor” concerto. Then came the Goldberg Variations and much more followed. Much appreciate the greatness of Glenn Gould. Thanks Ben, I appreciate this video. .
This is very funny cause the video mentioned the author Murakami who had a character in his book Kafka on the shore who was a truck driver and also fell in love with classical music by way of Beethoven
@@bryandyer5454 Or even just start tinkering with free software. Music making has never been more accessible, yay! (Similar middle age broadening of horizons here)
We have the absence of formal musical training in common but contrasting reactions to Gould. I was a Bach lover before I first heard his 1955 recording and when I heard Gould’s interpretations I was jarred and awakened to an acute consciousness of construction - phrasing, counterpoint and harmonies. It was an amazing experience that kept me up at night wondering what happened to me. I was struck with thunder and lightning. Over time, and after hearing Gould play Beethoven sonatas and Wagner transcriptions I realized I was being educated to the inner workings of familiar and popular compositions. I was grateful. I absorbed my lessons. In the and, and to this day, I listened to Andras Schiff on keyboard, in lectures and in master classes. I listen to Furtwangler’s Wagner and Richard Strauss remastered recordings with a sense I am in touch with the soul of these composers and their scores. I am not less appreciative of Gould and evermore appreciative of what he brought to my musical education. I simply am no longer in his camp. I have returned to the grand Romantic traditions with new insights and appreciation. I now see Gould as a modernist pealing away the hardened crust of interpretive layers of performance history and now I can return to a fresh experience of what had grown old and stodgy. 🤔
Yes, this truly was the video that need to be made on the Glenn Gould controversy. It will clear up a lot of things about the Gould. I just posted some interesting comments on where I don't completely let him off the hook. But I truly garnered me more respect for the man's work. The comment are recent if you want to check them out above. // Also, you may want to take a peek at my music theory where show patterns of theme and emotion that come up depending on what key is used. Take care! - Your, _Acoustic Rabbit Hole_
I came across this video by chance. I am someone who loves music, but has no particular knowledge in the field. I have always appreciated Glenn Gould's playing, and never really understood the controversy around him, I had always assumed it was based on his eccentricities. Despite having watched documentaries on Glenn Gould before, this is the first time I feel that I understand why I am captured by his playing, and what drove the controversy. This was a fantastic piece of film making, and your knowledge an dedication to the subject, highly impressive. There is just so much to think about, to consider, to ruminate over; I'll be watching this again. Thank you so much.
Where in the world have you been?! I am absolutely enthralled at the insightfulness and depth of your presentation - I learned so much! I particularly treasure the comparison between Gould and Horowitz. Yes, they are diametrically opposed in style, but I have always believed they were driven in their respective vectors by seeking new truth in the music. They were both gods, one a traditionalist, one a iconoclast, but that quest for enlightenment was their common element. I had a dear friend, Glenn Schieke, now passed on, who met Horowitz years ago at a piano bar in Beverly Hills while said friend was subbing for the regular pianist who was ill. To his amazement he spotted and recognized Horowitz, as the man ordered a drink and seated himself, close to the piano. Now Glenn himself was an accomplished pianist and French horn player himself, having recorded with Streisand on Evergreen, and so he thought "carpe diem" and started stepping things up and playing his "A" game. After a few minutes Horowitz stood up, brought his drink over to the piano, sat down on the bench next to Glenn, introduced himself, and the two spent a couple pleasant hours drinking and trading licks. I believe they even jokingly ripped off a couple bars of Chopsticks (it is still surprising to me personally that, in Beverly Hills, a most sophisticated city where Horowitz actually lived for years, no one else that night had any clue as to who this elderly distinguished looking man was!) Glenn wound up studying privately with Horowitz for several years and the two became good friends. He once challenged Horowitz to arm wrestle him on a dare, and Glenn I believe had a college athletics background and was always in good shape, but he remembered his surprise at how long, sinewy and muscled his opponent's arms were, and although decades older than my friend, Horowitz mopped the floor with him! I've been a lover of Glenn Gould ever since I heard my father playing the Gould album of the Italian Concerto and Partitas.. I became obsessed, I bought all the sheet music and after much blood sweat, angst and tears, I could play a vaguely similar version of most of it. We can argue for or against his interpretative rebellion, but, for me, the proof that his approach has staying power, merit and value is, when I found a TH-cam video of multiple classical pianists discussing Gould, that when they heard Gould playing Bach, they quickly forgot they were hearing Bach, that Gould had taken over things. That, my friends, is the working definition of creative power and greatness. Thank you so much for your work!
In his biography of Gould, Kevin Bazzana discussed the influence Horowitz had on Gould. Much more than we think. At some point I'll make a video about how they were much more similar than it seems on the surface.
I know close to nothing about classical music and you brought it to life so deftly. I picked up Gould’s Goldberg Variations Bach recording by chance from the public library. It brought me to my knees. I was flabbergasted and then to top it all off , I heard humming. I was like: who is humming along ? I loved it when I realized Gould himself hummed along. It made me more confident to listen to more classical music somehow. It brought it to me: a commoner with no knowledge or training in classical music. I love Gould for that.
The best thing about this video is that you didn't strawman those of us who don't love Gould. I tentatively clicked on this video and enjoyed it from the beginning to the end. Well done!
The most important statement is when Gould says when we play a work, we don't reproduce the composers intent, but RECREATE it anew. And each time, the big question is, "Is it musical; does it work?" With Gould, the answer is always, "Yes!" and kudos to Bernstein for running with him and helping it work.
The critical response to Gould reminds me of this quotation from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. "Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius."
I'm not sure Peter Shaffer would agree. ("Amadeus" is a work of fiction, frankly admitted as such, but Shaffer probably did believe that mediocrity could recognize talent)
@@ugolombMy all time favourite movie, mainly because of that message! Yeah, mediocrity really can recognize genius, and that film made me come to terms with the fact that there are people incredibly better at anything I say I do well.
@@LAK_770 No, it describes the attitude of many critics toward Gould. Disagreeing with his approach and disliking it is fine, but to assume that there is no artistry at work is a failure by the critic. Gould would frequently provoke, but it is very evident that he was always trying to communicate something.
this video healed my soul. i feel as though i was opened to such a different perspective than the one i was rigidly taught as a child. it brings me back to the times when i played moonlight sonata privately in a way i could emotionally connect to, but when forced to play in front of the teacher, it became forced and truly "machine-like." i haven't practiced the piano in a while, i've moved on to singing instead, but perhaps my old, strict regimen is what leads me to seek freedom in my voice today. gould's statement about music not being a momentary ejection of adrenaline but rather a beautiful state of serenity and wonder blew my mind. thank you for this video. it was educational, thought provoking, and i've earned a deep respect for Glenn Gould. it didn't occur to me that it was 30 minutes long and i was absorbed the whole way through.
I love Glenn Gould. After years of learning piano as a kid, I was able to listen to his recordings and it was the experience that finally unlocked truly my love of classical music. We are so lucky that not only did he make so many piano recordings, he WROTE so many essays about music and did so many programs and interviews that one could almost feel like they know him as person, even though he has passed on decades ago. It feels to me like if I met Mr. Gould, there would be many things to ask him and he is always on my mind as a musician. He is so relevant still today that I can almost imagine him writing a response to this video!
Before I heard Glenn Gould, I liked Bach. After hearing Glenn Gould, I loved Bach more than any other composer. And mind you, not just Gould’s recordings. Glenn’s recordings gave me a framework on how to view Bach’s music, the counterpoint, the separate voices and so on. I feel the same way about his treatment of Brahms. Rhapsody in Bm anyone?
The difference between Gould and his critics is that Gould wasn't afraid to murky the waters while looking for something fresh. Having listened to so many great classical pieces, I have to say, boring, unimaginative repetition is classical music's worst enemy. Thank God for the genius of Gould!
Fantastic job here, Ben! You manage to bridge local questions of octave-speed with the broadest questions of how humans make sense of the world "out there," and you do so in a way that might have made Gould the pragmatist and "continuist" (?) proud. Thanks much.
Thank you Arved! Your book helped me clarify things I had been trying to make sense of for a long time. And we do need to find the right term for Gould. “Techno-utopian postmodern-modernist rhythmic-collectivist pragmatist” doesn’t really roll off the tongue.
Gracias por este estupendo video! Yo pienso que el grande André Watts es la misma alta clase que Glen Gould! Y no se porque no tiene la misma fama que G. Gould?! Que piensa Usted? Gracias!
I love how Gould elevates the musical form (on the timescale of an hour) to the status it deserves. There's nothing quite like a piece of music that actually manages to build on itself for that amount of time.
I don't want to make any comment on Gould (I just love his approach). Rather: your work is FANTASTIC. You make videos that help each of us refine our understanding of music. Rare stuff. Hats off!
Thank you for sharing this!!! I have been ambivalent about Gould for a long time. Hearing more of your informed perspective is very interesting and great content!
I still remember my piano teacher describing Gould when he played for her Juilliard class. She said he hummed and sang, and would dip his hands often in a bucket of water.
Amazing video on Glenn Gould. Just subscribed to the Patreon as well. What's crazy about Gould is you can make an entire 30-min video just on that single Brahms Concerto performance. Gould is probably the most interesting pianist of the 20th century. People mostly know him for his eccentric takes on Bach, but even his Mozart, Beethoven, and Scriabin interpretations are beyond belief. I would love to see a series on Gould, or on pianists with unique interpretations in the future, something like that.
Thank you for subscribing. I have way too many videos to make about Gould… I haven’t even scratched the surface. Even this one had a ~5000 word script that had to chop in half to make it watchable. But I need to keep branching out haha. What would you like to see a video on?
@@benlawdy Really up to you. I like your videos that blend musical analysis, historical significance, and your own experiences. I think it would be wise to make different kinds of series, like one for pianists, one for different interpretations of the same work. Something like that. I also noticed the different records on the wall, perhaps you can go over some of your favorite records or give some insight into the record label industry.
I hope more followers get attracted to your channel, seriously underrated content. I mean the production value for this Gould video alone is second to none.
@@benlawdyYou didn’t ask me, but I would love for you to do the 5000-word versions of whatever, when you feel it! Maybe a double-length “director’s cut” released after the shorter version?! I’ll bet a lot of folks who don’t think they want longform would jump right from this into More is More.
Excellent essay! I just want to say it in my own words: The “Truth” Gould was reaching for is not “out there” in space somewhere. It’s in the score. It’s in the structure that Brahms wrote, which is incredibly complex and aspects of which can be revealed in many ways through the playing. You can’t communicate everything about a piece in one performance. So Gould was trying to show some of the structure that he felt had been glossed over or missed entirely by others. And I suppose the composer’s inspiration may have mystical aspects we can only guess at, but our study of the music is utterly down-to-earth. Thank you, Ben. This was a great addition to my day.
@@drabauer Yes and specifically I think Gould might have been attracted to the different lines moving at different rates of speed. Would have loved to hear him play Desordre or Autumn in Warsaw.
Thank you. This was all fascinating, especially hearing the response of the audience at the end of that performance. The critics were not expressing what the audience felt!
the Brahms 1 coda never fails to give me goosebumps, but listening Gould's rendition here might be the first time it's caused a lump in my throat (but maybe I'm just emotional since im listening to this in a quite hungry state). Great video!
The coda never gets old. Something about the pacing, the way it slowly unfolds/blooms, and then erupts. For me it has to have a strong pulse, no rushing, so of course Gould knocks it out of the park. And that rest he does that sounds like it will never is just ridiculously awesome - especially after an hour of playing like clockwork.
I have always loved this coda, especially because of Brahms' use of 2nds to make the harmonies so dense and gorgeous. What Gould does here is that the tempo lets those harmonies breathe. Many pianists bang the notes out and gallop through the coda. Gould let the tension build, and then there was that glorious release. The best interpretation of that coda I have heard in the 50+ years I have been listening to this piece!
One thing a director told us as an ensemble once: As we are at the top of our game, it is easy for us to play the fast stuff - we love to show off as you have said. However, it is another thing to take that "slow" piece and make it sound incredible, and not ruin it by playing it fast. In a way, that is exactly what he was doing. He was taking his time to really show how wonderful that music was, without trying to rush it, because that is the way to hide those technicalities in how a chord sounds, or even showing off those wonderful inner lines that otherwise would have been overlooked.
Interestingly in a completely different context, Albert King said remarkably similar sentiments took Stevie Ray Vaughan in a celebrated recording session of the two
I cannot put into words how thrilling this was to watch, as a trained pianist, a lover of the courageous Gould to stand up to convention and explore music with a freedon the music institutions, critics frown upon.
Recovering Gouldohollic for 25 years, describes me well. This artist has had the most influence on my life. However, I dismissed this performance as an oddball for many years now. Thanks for sharing your beautiful insights on Gould and this piece, which rekindle my interest in this amazing artist. Thank you so much! I’m sending this video to all my friends now…
8:40. I never realized this recording was AFTER the Bernstein. Huh. Thank you so much for this clear analysis of this particular performance. I have a great love of the Brahms 1st. And far and away, the Bernstein/Gould interpretation is my favourite (even among Gould's 3 surviving performances). I am not trained in music myself so I only feel what I feel, but the tension entrances me and at some parts (33:10 to the end: thank you for highlighting) my heart soars.❤
As a lifelong classical fan and listener, the absolute PEARL CLUTCHING by some critics is simultaneously hilarious and painful. These pieces are not the Ark of the Covenant, never to be touched, opened, or otherwise disturbed in any way. They are living things in the hands of those who perform them. They can and should be molded, transformed, and challenged. Their beauty will shine through regardless of their interpretation-the interpretation by the performers simply becomes another way of perceiving them.
GG had very definite ideas, biases. Some quirky ideas. But always worth a careful listen. His idiosyncrasies demonstrate a massive self-discipline to maintain his approaches so consistently through a composition. Huge technique to pull off his demonstrations. Interesting theories of harmonies. Imagine the sound worlds floating around in his head.
What an amazing production! To say it in the blandest terms, I'm simply blown away by your research and your TH-cam skills. Perhaps you are the Glenn Gould of TH-cam. Thank you for your amazing work.
Great video! Yes, Glenn could've spent his life worrying about pleasing people-but instead he chose to express himself, to allow us to hear classical music in meaningful ways we hadn't heard a thousand times before. Bravo to you both!
Thank you for this marvelous video. I am a longtime Gould fan, and you have humanized some of the magisterial mystery with your narrative. Of course, I am wiping away tears as I type this! Time to pull out the vinyl.
Wow. This video is like investigative journalism at its best. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a documentary on a musical topic as much as this one. It’s a piece of art in itself, with a tempo, a buildup of suspense and a grand finale. It certainly sold me on the musical genius of Glenn Gould. I wish all TH-cam videos are as well prepared as this one, well researched, well edited, punctuated with humor. Thank you!!!!
Great video. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm with you on those inner voices. It's wondrous to hear them when you've never heard them before, even though you've heard the piece multiple times by other musicians. I've always enjoyed Gould inner tempo that he holds throughout a piece. I used to wonder why I was so attracted to his music. And my conclusion years ago was the pulse he kept that gave it that "American rhythm".
I was very happy to come across your channel. I am not a musician, having failed to learn the piano at the age of 12, but I have been listening to music for 60 years now. I came across Gould almost by accident and immediately loved the way he played. What comes to mind from your video is to wonder what would've happened had Bernstein not given the audience any warning and had the critic not printed his piece the following day. I worry audiences are easily lead. For my part, I go to listen to the pianist not the critic. And without any prompting, having bought the 1955 and 1981 versions of the Goldberg Variations, I quickly decided I much preferred the later ones. I'm looking forward to exploring as many of your other videos on Gould as I can find!!!
Very interesting and amusing reflections.... at times you gave me the impression to be one one side, then on the other... At the end I got a sense of your stance on Gould's concept. I hope you'll make more videos like this. Bravo!
Such a great video, I learned so much. And I feel really inspired by this idea of Gould "bringing the pantheon down to Earth". Thanks for this great video as always Ben!
Fantastic video, Ben! How one feels about Gould I think depends very much on what one feels music interpretation means. For me, it is an act of empathy, connecting with the emotions and thoughts of the composer who attempted to convey that inner meaning through a double abstraction which turns emotion into sound and then sound into notation. Like Gould, I totally disagree with the doctrine of "composer intention". In this sense, for me Gould is one of the finest musical interpreters. Whenever I hear him play, I get the sense that the composer is right there beside the piano, that Gould is having an active conversation with the composer about the score. Sometimes agreeing, sometimes disagreeing - sometimes saying, "Oh, well done!", and at other times saying, "Don't you think it should be a bit more like this?". All this being said, there isn't a single piece I would play even remotely like Gould!
Love it! Yes I think this is exactly right. The old adage “you should listen to Gould, but not copy him” is correct. But it should be quickly followed up with, “you shouldn’t copy anyone.” Listening to Gould should inspire us to find our own ways of making sense out of music and learn to articulate it directly and communicatively.
Hi Ben, I love your stuff. I love specifically when you show, e.g., 26.20, the score with the highlighted voicing. This is such a treat to see and hear and Thank you! Just.... great work!! I so love the passion and interest. Keep that technique up especially. It's a treat. I'm super impressed and inspired at the work you do and your interest in great music. Keep going!
Gould's conception of the last movement is still my favorite of all recorded versions, studio or live. No one gives such care to so much of how the finale opens up to finally reach that insane cadenza. Though I don't always like the other 2 movements, it all fits well together as a whole. I'll always admire Gould's straight up courage to keep his mind open to possibilities. Also I've read enough about Brahm's own piano playing to know he would play wildly different from his own scores. I think he would have open to Gould's ideas.
I was quite sceptical when this showed up in my algorithm, since GG is one of my all time musical heroes and had such a huge influence on my thinking. But your knowledge and enthusiasm are just wonderful, thank you!!
I only really clicked this video because I know the studio in Toronto's CBC building is called the "Glenn Gould Studio" and that his statue sits outside of it. Always been aware of the name but not the man. This was very insightful. thank you!
That ascending inner voice accentuated (around 15:40-58) was just magical. That REALLY made me sit up. Absolutely blazingly beautiful. I can see why you like it.
What a great video. Instant fan of the channel. The host’s educated passion for Gould’s work shines through, but he’s also irreverent and funny. Bravo!!!
I'm coming from jazz and just recently really trying to learn classical piano, but I'm learning by myself listening to recordings and referencing sheet music. Some of the things you're saying in the comments are really speaking to me as an outsider of classical music who is just exploring it and with an unconventional approach haha. I'm only 7 minutes in. I'm gonna watch the whole thing, but I subscribed (having found you originally on Tonebase) and I look forward to hearing more from you as a solo presenter on youtube.
Hearing Horowitz next to Gould, it's just... stunning how much more evocative Gould's performance is. There's this emotional complexity to the way he interprets. It's so memorable and beautiful. I never understand the people who hear his versions and say such negative things. Gould really turns the music into a collaboration between himself and the original composer, and he's right-that is so much what separates a performance from a great recording. Anyone can play the music the way it's written and has been played before. It takes a true artist to turn the familiar new again, allowing the piece to almost be heard again for the first time, for new discoveries to be made in existing music.
I love how those old music critics expressed their anger with such grace and precision. It’s so romantic and classical, dropping the F-bomb with style. Absolutely historical!
Hey - I’ve been studying theory and history in preparation for me theory test. Thank you for making this video - you makes these composers and moments in time entertaining and memorable! Hoping to see more content like this
Thanks for your take on this! I’m off to my students about this head and heart debate in the classical music, and how there doesn’t need to be an actual struggle between the two. I’m definitely gonna recommend this video to some students.
Very interesting and enjoyable video. I have never understood Gould - I am not sure I ever will - but this brings me a step closer to understanding other points of view of him. 👍🏼
I picked up the piano about 4 months ago and had never heard of Gould.He seems like a very interesting person, will definitely look up more about him. Thanks.
Thanks for this video. Right on target. The usual criticisms of Gould’s approach to interpretation give me a headache. Critics, of course, are more guilty than any performer of writing nonsense just to get attention - yesterday’s equivalent of click bait. Gould was always a most thoughtful analyzer of any musical score and that shines through brilliantly in all of his recordings. And, speaking from a composer’s point of view, the idea that every note and every marking was somehow handed down from on high is, frankly, ridiculous.
@CanuckFluter They are indications, not exact prescriptions. If they were, who needs 100 different recordings. They’d all sound exactly alike. How insufferably dull. Music is a living, breathing art and the performers must take notes on a page but then breathe life into it. My personal experience is that I welcome hearing what performers make of my scores. I may have had a sound in mind, but then I hear something wonderful that I may not have had in mind when I wrote it. That is a wonderful moment which only happens once in that moment. There are dozens of artists with amazing technique whose recordings I click off after a moment because it brings nothing to the music that hasn’t been done exactly the same way many times before. Then, there’s Gould. Sometimes oddball, but always interesting and compelling.
I'm currently in the middle of this video and I can say this is incredible work. Thank you. I've been a Glenn Gould enthusiast since I was 15, this pianist is one of my favorites. He's just so intricate, honest, kind hearted (and, yes, sometimes very infuriating), I regret his death every day.
Thank you! I need to start making shorter videos because I can’t help myself with the attention to detail… even 30 minute in when most people aren’t watching anymore
Every so often the algorithm tosses a real gem on your screen. The writing, the attention to detail, pacing, and the visuals combine to create one of the best videos of its kind. Bravo!
Great video. As one who enjoys the "controversial" 1962 concert recording, I was always baffled by the over-the-top outrage. Also, a fairly prominent classical music channel here on TH-cam just the other day mentioned the Gould 1955 Bach Goldbergs and the usual smattering of snoots chimed in about it with the usual condescension, just as the comments shown in your video. It's so hilarious how rigid minded people are about music, as if some stuck-up rando on the internet has any credibility. Call me a rando, too, if you will.
I have to say that as a musician and a lover of music, I don’t understand these kinds of arguments. Can’t people be free to enjoy lots of different interpretations and styles? The artists are dedicated and technically competent so they should be free to embrace their own vision. (BTW, I think that applies to all the arts).
it sounds noticably different because it's noticably bad. he just does things differently for the sake of being different, he never serves the music like a good pianist should. he makes a mockery of all music he plays. @@literallyjustgrass
I studied tonal theory when I first entered college in 1979. Gould became my hero; I marveled at all the lines he could maintain perfectly. And he died right on cue in 1982 to cement the drama for me over the rest of my life. Which, of course, is the ultimate irony regarding Gould.
Ben! Thank you so much for this! For me too , it was always about the inner lines and voicings that Gould so gorgeously took to wing and soared. As a child in the 1960s I could not get enough of his vinyl recordings. I played them over and over, captivated. Especially his Bach recordings. I became a pianist because of the inspiration he gave me
Thank you for this wonderful video. I remember back in college in the early 90s, a music major friend of mine who is now a respected musician in his own right would complain that when he listened to Gould playing Bach (say the Goldberg Variations, 80s recording), he would hear more Gould than Bach. Keith Jarrett on the other hand, was the exact opposite: intervening with moans and vocal melody in his improvisations but playing Bach and classical with pin drop silence and scrupulous attention and adherence to score, time signature, and discipline with minimal if any affectation, even in the ornamentation! 😊
Actually so cool that Ben has his own channel now. I wonder what his least favorite Gould recordings are. I do think it’s good to adopt and listen to true critical thinkers but also being a contrarian myself, sometimes I do it just to do it.
Good question. Maybe some of his Bach WTC is underwhelming. Like, if he didn’t really like a piece and wasn’t inspired to develop a concept for it, especially when he’s recording complete sets, he can just sound like “generic Gould.” But even then, I just love his touch. And I’m not ashamed to say that I love his intentional parodies of pieces he dislikes. Some of the machine gun Mozart movements are laugh out loud funny.
@@Veaseify He did like the Brahms Concerto, actually. But he did record lots of music he didn't like, and yeah it's more or less because of incentives from labels to sell more records of standard works. The complete Mozart sonatas are the best example - he liked some of them, but mostly were not his cup of tea. But there was pressure to record the whole cycle. This still happens today - pianists recording complete cycles - but you see it less and less, and more variety and concept albums, which I think is a good thing.
@@benlawdy Thanks for the response Ben. I wonder if he would have been happier improvising like Keith Jarret or getting to grips with some Bill Evans pieces where 'interpreting' the music doesn't get you into trouble...
@@Veaseify he had a composer’s mindset, but his genius was as a pianist / so I think these kinds of interpretations were natural for him. He actually was ideologically opposed to improvisation, but that’s a whole other video/can of worms. You’re onto something though - part of him didn’t want to be a pianist. He became more interested in producing conceptual radio and film, where piano wasn’t involved (like Idea of North) and probably would have directed more film if he had lived longer.
Brilliantly researched and presented. I've never been a huge fan of Gould, but after seeing this, I appreciate him a bit more and understand more what drove him. Thanks for this.
If classical music does not get more interpreters with Gould’s audacity, the audience will continue to wither.
Perfectly stated.
I could not agree more!!!! Yes!
Thats why we got dudes like olafsson. I very much think he is the modern gould
@@junlee7237 Vikingur is great!
And I agree that classical music really needs to shed the retardataire culture and bring outliers to the center, a big, messy bubbling cauldron of everything all at once.
As a person who merely listens to Classical music, I can say I had no idea that this would be controversial, and am baffled to have heard it at all! If I'm being honest, I got the impression that classical music just attracted very dull, unimaginative people to play and conduct, and all the creativity was in the composers, classical or contemporary. I have been immensely grateful to modern composers for breathing new life into classic works, like Max Richter's Vivaldi's The Four Seasons Recomposed. If more performers and conductors made more of an effort to interpret, there might be a reason to go to concert rather than listening to recordings.
As a composer, some of the most painful experiences I have had were when performers significantly altered the tempi I indicated. Yet I staunchly defend their right to do so. Once i have released the music, it is no longer mine; I want performers to make it their own. I am also a HUGE Glenn Gould fan, as you might have guessed. This video is a virtuoso and scholarly exploration of why Gould was so polarizing. Bravo!
Yeah! If anyone ever plays any of my music, I'd like them to stick as much as possible to the tempo but then it's up to them how to play, and I'd probably be happy with anything, as long as the notes stay (or nearly stay) the same.
They mentioned him having the mindset of a composer? How well have his own works been received?
😢
As a composer I agree with you, but still I think that usually there's no reason to change tempo too much from composer's idea - as each music piece or its part has something like the optimal tempo when it sounds the best, and slowing down or speeding up destroy this ideal. The right tempo is very important even from the acoustic point of view, and also has a relation with the information density and ability of its recognition by listeners. Too slow tempo starts to be boring, too fast can cause a loss of the information value as listeners need some time to process the information.
Exactly right
As a jazz musician Goulds approach to music is nothing out of the ordinary. I think this is why so many jazz musicians appreciate him.
Exactly right. Ironically Gould did not like jazz and was ideologically opposed to improvisation
Surprised about his apathy to the concept of virtuosity for its own sake if I'm understanding this right. Maybe it's my Zoomer brain, but sometimes the audience really does just want to see you send it like it's Mahavishnu Orchestra's Vital Transformation. People like Flight of the Bumblebee to see a violinist just go flat out.
@benlawdy wait what?? that’s really funny now i wanna know why
He said that he was mildly enthusiastic about it and had an admiration for Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson @benlawdy
This...
As a 72-year-old, lifelong admirer of Gould, Bernstein, and Horowitz, I sat here the whole half hour in rapt attention and appreciation for the careful, incisive, broad, thorough and generous analysis offered - thank you! That said, the '55 Goldberg recording has always remained my platinum standard for ecstasy in motion.
I didn't like the 55' version, I loved the 82' version tho.
@@CanadianDivergentIt might very well be that I was 30 years old in '82, and had already passionately loved the '55 version for over a decade, before he recorded the later one. They're definitely both worth repeated hearings!
IMO, the 1959 Salzburg live performance is a much better version of the 55 recording. Also the few variations he performed in Moscow are definitely worth a listen!
@@fredsun9496Amazing, thanks! Proof that even in my 70s, I can discover new things previously unknown.
I've come to the conclusion that it depends on my mood at the moment.
I have to sit on the fence with this one but it's a fence with a cushion so the iron doesn't enter the soul!! Very comfortable experience.👍
Gould's most important contribution in my opinion isn't just his Bach, but the way he unabashedly approached radical reinterpretations of pieces. This is more important now than ever as so many pianists sound exactly the same. I recall Gould saying something along the lines of "Why would I play a piece exactly how someone else played it. The conventional interpretations have been recorded and are perfect in their own right."
Because not everyone likes showboating. I'd rather hear a dozen subtly different interpretations of a piece than one radically different. Yeah yeah I like punk music too and all that so I'm not against people trying to be outrageous, but I prefer my classical music to be about the composer not the player.
@@John-k6f9k If they're described pre-presentation as such, then it seems more than fine. But for the situation here - it was largely that he didn't have the environmental capacity to do these sorts of variational performances, so had to take to them without reference/notice. But largely agreed, I do think there needs to be space for both however.
Did it ever once occur to you that the MASTER COMPOSERS had a specific idea in mind as to how THEIR creations should sound?
I'm an amateur admirer of Gould but I'm afraid I have been infected with fake news over the years ---
1. Did GG ever perform the Lizst Piano interpretations of Beethovens 7th ? Specifically the Allegretto ?
2. If you search on YT Allegretto - Lizst - Gould there is a video that pops up - (I will find the details and post it interested)
I think this video is mislabeled because I cannot find where he recorded any Lizst that is similar
Agreed, but also Bach is important, thanks to him, newer generations were interested in Bach (myself included) listened so many times "The art of the fugue"!
I admit I have held a pretty snarky attitude about Glenn Gould’s musical interpretations and eccentricity. Thank you for introducing me to Glenn Gould in a different way - as someone who took time to examine the music he was playing, as someone who made people listen in an active way.
I appreciate this comment a lot! It's one thing to preach to the choir, but I'm perhaps more interested in sharing what is truly worthwhile in Gould even to those who'd otherwise stay far away.
@@benlawdy Your preaching skill is reaching an even bigger choir.
Well, it's funny you put it that way: Gould was a believer of where technology would go, enabling the listener to alter the music to meet their standards. He dreamed of records that one could play with the volume, timbre, tempo, voices and anything variable. He would probably love today's technology and experiment with it. Or he could detest it and have a solid reason for it. :P Predictability wasn't his thing, his thing was making other things... work, on a new level. His recordings aren't the holy grail, but I would argue his philosophy is.
I think a lot of informed people have objected to some of his artistic decisions on aesthetic grounds. There is no need to apologize for yjhthat. But I was always amazed by his skills, not only musiical but verbal as well. I read a collection of his essays a few decades ago and found it very entertaining, as well as insightful om a variety of musical topics seldom discussed.
Curiously GG enjoyed a very good reputation behind the Iron Curtain, which is interesting because of the general conservatism of taste in those parts, at that time and probably still now.
@@aimilios439 "......alter the music to meet their standards..."??????
I have absolutely no music experience, never learned to read music or even play a musical instrument. All I have is my ears and that’s why I am here. I am just a regular guy who after reaching 40 plus years old I fell in the love with classical Piano. It started with Beethovens “Emperor” concerto. Then came the Goldberg Variations and much more followed. Much appreciate the greatness of Glenn Gould. Thanks Ben, I appreciate this video.
.
This is very funny cause the video mentioned the author Murakami who had a character in his book Kafka on the shore who was a truck driver and also fell in love with classical music by way of Beethoven
Wonderful. The next step is to learn an instrument. Give it a try.
@@bryandyer5454 Or even just start tinkering with free software. Music making has never been more accessible, yay! (Similar middle age broadening of horizons here)
Well done on keeping an open mind! Music is for everyone!
We have the absence of formal musical training in common but contrasting reactions to Gould. I was a Bach lover before I first heard his 1955 recording and when I heard Gould’s interpretations I was jarred and awakened to an acute consciousness of construction - phrasing, counterpoint and harmonies. It was an amazing experience that kept me up at night wondering what happened to me. I was struck with thunder and lightning.
Over time, and after hearing Gould play Beethoven sonatas and Wagner transcriptions I realized I was being educated to the inner workings of familiar and popular compositions. I was grateful. I absorbed my lessons.
In the and, and to this day, I listened to Andras Schiff on keyboard, in lectures and in master classes. I listen to Furtwangler’s Wagner and Richard Strauss remastered recordings with a sense I am in touch with the soul of these composers and their scores. I am not less appreciative of Gould and evermore appreciative of what he brought to my musical education. I simply am no longer in his camp. I have returned to the grand Romantic traditions with new insights and appreciation. I now see Gould as a modernist pealing away the hardened crust of interpretive layers of performance history and now I can return to a fresh experience of what had grown old and stodgy. 🤔
this was amazing please please please keep making videos like this, classical music needs more content like yours
Yes, this truly was the video that need to be made on the Glenn Gould controversy. It will clear up a lot of things about the Gould. I just posted some interesting comments on where I don't completely let him off the hook. But I truly garnered me more respect for the man's work. The comment are recent if you want to check them out above. // Also, you may want to take a peek at my music theory where show patterns of theme and emotion that come up depending on what key is used.
Take care! - Your, _Acoustic Rabbit Hole_
I came across this video by chance. I am someone who loves music, but has no particular knowledge in the field. I have always appreciated Glenn Gould's playing, and never really understood the controversy around him, I had always assumed it was based on his eccentricities. Despite having watched documentaries on Glenn Gould before, this is the first time I feel that I understand why I am captured by his playing, and what drove the controversy. This was a fantastic piece of film making, and your knowledge an dedication to the subject, highly impressive. There is just so much to think about, to consider, to ruminate over; I'll be watching this again. Thank you so much.
His entire life of "controversy" was fictional so that they could use it to promote and make money. Literally JUST LIKE THIS VIDEO IS DOING.
Where in the world have you been?! I am absolutely enthralled at the insightfulness and depth of your presentation - I learned so much! I particularly treasure the comparison between Gould and Horowitz. Yes, they are diametrically opposed in style, but I have always believed they were driven in their respective vectors by seeking new truth in the music. They were both gods, one a traditionalist, one a iconoclast, but that quest for enlightenment was their common element. I had a dear friend, Glenn Schieke, now passed on, who met Horowitz years ago at a piano bar in Beverly Hills while said friend was subbing for the regular pianist who was ill. To his amazement he spotted and recognized Horowitz, as the man ordered a drink and seated himself, close to the piano. Now Glenn himself was an accomplished pianist and French horn player himself, having recorded with Streisand on Evergreen, and so he thought "carpe diem" and started stepping things up and playing his "A" game. After a few minutes Horowitz stood up, brought his drink over to the piano, sat down on the bench next to Glenn, introduced himself, and the two spent a couple pleasant hours drinking and trading licks. I believe they even jokingly ripped off a couple bars of Chopsticks (it is still surprising to me personally that, in Beverly Hills, a most sophisticated city where Horowitz actually lived for years, no one else that night had any clue as to who this elderly distinguished looking man was!) Glenn wound up studying privately with Horowitz for several years and the two became good friends. He once challenged Horowitz to arm wrestle him on a dare, and Glenn I believe had a college athletics background and was always in good shape, but he remembered his surprise at how long, sinewy and muscled his opponent's arms were, and although decades older than my friend, Horowitz mopped the floor with him!
I've been a lover of Glenn Gould ever since I heard my father playing the Gould album of the Italian Concerto and Partitas.. I became obsessed, I bought all the sheet music and after much blood sweat, angst and tears, I could play a vaguely similar version of most of it. We can argue for or against his interpretative rebellion, but, for me, the proof that his approach has staying power, merit and value is, when I found a TH-cam video of multiple classical pianists discussing Gould, that when they heard Gould playing Bach, they quickly forgot they were hearing Bach, that Gould had taken over things. That, my friends, is the working definition of creative power and greatness. Thank you so much for your work!
In his biography of Gould, Kevin Bazzana discussed the influence Horowitz had on Gould. Much more than we think. At some point I'll make a video about how they were much more similar than it seems on the surface.
My mother was a young, fairly accomplished pianist during Gould's time and absolutely loved his audacity and musicianship.
That was my best 34 minutes spent on TH-cam for a while. Thanks Ben!
Agreed!
I know close to nothing about classical music and you brought it to life so deftly. I picked up Gould’s Goldberg Variations Bach recording by chance from the public library. It brought me to my knees. I was flabbergasted and then to top it all off , I heard humming. I was like: who is humming along ? I loved it when I realized Gould himself hummed along. It made me more confident to listen to more classical music somehow. It brought it to me: a commoner with no knowledge or training in classical music. I love Gould for that.
Did he record 2 studio versions of that? One near the end of his life.
@@davebellamy4867 Yes, 1955 and 1981. Both are distinct versions despite the same performer and instrument.
The best thing about this video is that you didn't strawman those of us who don't love Gould. I tentatively clicked on this video and enjoyed it from the beginning to the end. Well done!
I'm disappointed that you didn't get the thorough strawmanning that you deserve.
@@DavoStreetNot sure if there is any sarcasm, but strawmanning is counter-productive.
I don’t like Gould. I guess I’m a complete idiot that should cut my ears off.
The most important statement is when Gould says when we play a work, we don't reproduce the composers intent, but RECREATE it anew. And each time, the big question is, "Is it musical; does it work?" With Gould, the answer is always, "Yes!" and kudos to Bernstein for running with him and helping it work.
TH-cam at its best. Deep, thorough and fascinating. Well done.
The critical response to Gould reminds me of this quotation from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. "Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius."
I'm not sure Peter Shaffer would agree. ("Amadeus" is a work of fiction, frankly admitted as such, but Shaffer probably did believe that mediocrity could recognize talent)
This is a nice sounding quip, but it’s a profoundly reductive and self-serving view
@@ugolombMy all time favourite movie, mainly because of that message! Yeah, mediocrity really can recognize genius, and that film made me come to terms with the fact that there are people incredibly better at anything I say I do well.
@@LAK_770 No, it describes the attitude of many critics toward Gould. Disagreeing with his approach and disliking it is fine, but to assume that there is no artistry at work is a failure by the critic. Gould would frequently provoke, but it is very evident that he was always trying to communicate something.
Gould was an incompetent narcissist cult leader. that's all he is. talks a lot, plays poorly. he is trash
this video healed my soul. i feel as though i was opened to such a different perspective than the one i was rigidly taught as a child. it brings me back to the times when i played moonlight sonata privately in a way i could emotionally connect to, but when forced to play in front of the teacher, it became forced and truly "machine-like." i haven't practiced the piano in a while, i've moved on to singing instead, but perhaps my old, strict regimen is what leads me to seek freedom in my voice today. gould's statement about music not being a momentary ejection of adrenaline but rather a beautiful state of serenity and wonder blew my mind.
thank you for this video. it was educational, thought provoking, and i've earned a deep respect for Glenn Gould. it didn't occur to me that it was 30 minutes long and i was absorbed the whole way through.
I love Glenn Gould. After years of learning piano as a kid, I was able to listen to his recordings and it was the experience that finally unlocked truly my love of classical music.
We are so lucky that not only did he make so many piano recordings, he WROTE so many essays about music and did so many programs and interviews that one could almost feel like they know him as person, even though he has passed on decades ago. It feels to me like if I met Mr. Gould, there would be many things to ask him and he is always on my mind as a musician. He is so relevant still today that I can almost imagine him writing a response to this video!
Thanks! I have been worshipping Gould for decades. Every morning, I start my work with his recording of English Suites
Before I heard Glenn Gould, I liked Bach. After hearing Glenn Gould, I loved Bach more than any other composer. And mind you, not just Gould’s recordings. Glenn’s recordings gave me a framework on how to view Bach’s music, the counterpoint, the separate voices and so on. I feel the same way about his treatment of Brahms. Rhapsody in Bm anyone?
Ditto
Hear hear! Or is it Here, here! 100%.
His A major Intermezzo is simply divine.
@@owenbloomfield1177 Agreed! I am bowled over by all of his Brahms.
Scott Ross said Gould has absolutely no understanding of Bachs music.
The difference between Gould and his critics is that Gould wasn't afraid to murky the waters while looking for something fresh. Having listened to so many great classical pieces, I have to say, boring, unimaginative repetition is classical music's worst enemy. Thank God for the genius of Gould!
Fantastic job here, Ben! You manage to bridge local questions of octave-speed with the broadest questions of how humans make sense of the world "out there," and you do so in a way that might have made Gould the pragmatist and "continuist" (?) proud. Thanks much.
Thank you Arved! Your book helped me clarify things I had been trying to make sense of for a long time. And we do need to find the right term for Gould. “Techno-utopian postmodern-modernist rhythmic-collectivist pragmatist” doesn’t really roll off the tongue.
@@benlawdysounds like a term Gould would approve of though, considering his own writing style. 😂
Well, "the last puritan" is short and sweet, but smacks more of prudish religion than non-prudish music making. @@benlawdy
Gracias por este estupendo video! Yo pienso que el grande André Watts es la misma alta clase que Glen Gould! Y no se porque no tiene la misma fama que G. Gould?! Que piensa Usted? Gracias!
Probably one of the best TH-cam videos on classical music I've seen to this day. Ben is also so genuine in his feelings.
I love how Gould elevates the musical form (on the timescale of an hour) to the status it deserves. There's nothing quite like a piece of music that actually manages to build on itself for that amount of time.
I don't want to make any comment on Gould (I just love his approach). Rather: your work is FANTASTIC. You make videos that help each of us refine our understanding of music. Rare stuff. Hats off!
Thank you for sharing this!!! I have been ambivalent about Gould for a long time. Hearing more of your informed perspective is very interesting and great content!
It means a lot to hear that. Gould isn't for everyone, but I do wish more people would try to understand him!
I still remember my piano teacher describing Gould when he played for her Juilliard class. She said he hummed and sang, and would dip his hands often in a bucket of water.
Amazing video on Glenn Gould. Just subscribed to the Patreon as well. What's crazy about Gould is you can make an entire 30-min video just on that single Brahms Concerto performance.
Gould is probably the most interesting pianist of the 20th century. People mostly know him for his eccentric takes on Bach, but even his Mozart, Beethoven, and Scriabin interpretations are beyond belief. I would love to see a series on Gould, or on pianists with unique interpretations in the future, something like that.
Thank you for subscribing. I have way too many videos to make about Gould… I haven’t even scratched the surface. Even this one had a ~5000 word script that had to chop in half to make it watchable. But I need to keep branching out haha. What would you like to see a video on?
@@benlawdy Really up to you. I like your videos that blend musical analysis, historical significance, and your own experiences. I think it would be wise to make different kinds of series, like one for pianists, one for different interpretations of the same work. Something like that.
I also noticed the different records on the wall, perhaps you can go over some of your favorite records or give some insight into the record label industry.
I hope more followers get attracted to your channel, seriously underrated content. I mean the production value for this Gould video alone is second to none.
@@5kyfall2017 thank you! I’m dedicated to growing it, so hopefully it’s just a matter of time.
@@benlawdyYou didn’t ask me, but I would love for you to do the 5000-word versions of whatever, when you feel it! Maybe a double-length “director’s cut” released after the shorter version?! I’ll bet a lot of folks who don’t think they want longform would jump right from this into More is More.
Excellent essay! I just want to say it in my own words: The “Truth” Gould was reaching for is not “out there” in space somewhere. It’s in the score. It’s in the structure that Brahms wrote, which is incredibly complex and aspects of which can be revealed in many ways through the playing. You can’t communicate everything about a piece in one performance. So Gould was trying to show some of the structure that he felt had been glossed over or missed entirely by others. And I suppose the composer’s inspiration may have mystical aspects we can only guess at, but our study of the music is utterly down-to-earth.
Thank you, Ben. This was a great addition to my day.
Masterfully paced and argued. I'm a lifelong Gouldian who never quite understood his approach to the Romantics; now I do!
If Gould had lived longer, wouldn’t you have liked to hear his Ligeti Etudes?
@@benlawdy Of course! A feast of inner voices! They both shared an obsession with counterpoint.
@@drabauer Yes and specifically I think Gould might have been attracted to the different lines moving at different rates of speed. Would have loved to hear him play Desordre or Autumn in Warsaw.
I can also imagine a glacial "White on White" LOL
Thank you. This was all fascinating, especially hearing the response of the audience at the end of that performance. The critics were not expressing what the audience felt!
Thanks so much for your terrific exploration of this performance. It made me happy on a cold spring day.
And thank you for everything you’ve done for the music world over the years! Your work has been always been inspirational to me.
@@benlawdy Thank you Ben. Should you ever get to NY it would be a pleasure to say hello. Best, Tim
Wow, you did great- thanks for a wounderful Friday late night
the Brahms 1 coda never fails to give me goosebumps, but listening Gould's rendition here might be the first time it's caused a lump in my throat (but maybe I'm just emotional since im listening to this in a quite hungry state). Great video!
The coda never gets old. Something about the pacing, the way it slowly unfolds/blooms, and then erupts. For me it has to have a strong pulse, no rushing, so of course Gould knocks it out of the park. And that rest he does that sounds like it will never is just ridiculously awesome - especially after an hour of playing like clockwork.
I have always loved this coda, especially because of Brahms' use of 2nds to make the harmonies so dense and gorgeous. What Gould does here is that the tempo lets those harmonies breathe. Many pianists bang the notes out and gallop through the coda. Gould let the tension build, and then there was that glorious release. The best interpretation of that coda I have heard in the 50+ years I have been listening to this piece!
One thing a director told us as an ensemble once: As we are at the top of our game, it is easy for us to play the fast stuff - we love to show off as you have said. However, it is another thing to take that "slow" piece and make it sound incredible, and not ruin it by playing it fast.
In a way, that is exactly what he was doing. He was taking his time to really show how wonderful that music was, without trying to rush it, because that is the way to hide those technicalities in how a chord sounds, or even showing off those wonderful inner lines that otherwise would have been overlooked.
Interestingly in a completely different context, Albert King said remarkably similar sentiments took Stevie Ray Vaughan in a celebrated recording session of the two
Beautiful analysis and superb video, I wish TH-cam had more stuff like this
I cannot put into words how thrilling this was to watch, as a trained pianist, a lover of the courageous Gould to stand up to convention and explore music with a freedon the music institutions, critics frown upon.
Heaven help them if he dared venture into jazz
Thank you so much Ben, I felt like attending a great piano masterclass while watching the video!
Recovering Gouldohollic for 25 years, describes me well. This artist has had the most influence on my life. However, I dismissed this performance as an oddball for many years now. Thanks for sharing your beautiful insights on Gould and this piece, which rekindle my interest in this amazing artist. Thank you so much! I’m sending this video to all my friends now…
8:40. I never realized this recording was AFTER the Bernstein. Huh. Thank you so much for this clear analysis of this particular performance. I have a great love of the Brahms 1st. And far and away, the Bernstein/Gould interpretation is my favourite (even among Gould's 3 surviving performances). I am not trained in music myself so I only feel what I feel, but the tension entrances me and at some parts (33:10 to the end: thank you for highlighting) my heart soars.❤
As a lifelong classical fan and listener, the absolute PEARL CLUTCHING by some critics is simultaneously hilarious and painful. These pieces are not the Ark of the Covenant, never to be touched, opened, or otherwise disturbed in any way. They are living things in the hands of those who perform them. They can and should be molded, transformed, and challenged. Their beauty will shine through regardless of their interpretation-the interpretation by the performers simply becomes another way of perceiving them.
GG had very definite ideas, biases. Some quirky ideas. But always worth a careful listen. His idiosyncrasies demonstrate a massive self-discipline to maintain his approaches so consistently through a composition. Huge technique to pull off his demonstrations. Interesting theories of harmonies. Imagine the sound worlds floating around in his head.
What an amazing production! To say it in the blandest terms, I'm simply blown away by your research and your TH-cam skills. Perhaps you are the Glenn Gould of TH-cam. Thank you for your amazing work.
Thanks a lot for this video, Ben! I felt like I waited for too long that someone was able to do this. Greaaat job!!!
Incredible video - thanks for sharing!
Great video! Yes, Glenn could've spent his life worrying about pleasing people-but instead he chose to express himself, to allow us to hear classical music in meaningful ways we hadn't heard a thousand times before. Bravo to you both!
I couldn't agree more. Only a cretin would think he was in any way ruinous to classical music.
the coughing visualizations at 3:50 killed me 😂
Very interesting and well put together video - great work!
Thank you for this marvelous video. I am a longtime Gould fan, and you have humanized some of the magisterial mystery with your narrative. Of course, I am wiping away tears as I type this! Time to pull out the vinyl.
Wow. This video is like investigative journalism at its best. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a documentary on a musical topic as much as this one. It’s a piece of art in itself, with a tempo, a buildup of suspense and a grand finale. It certainly sold me on the musical genius of Glenn Gould. I wish all TH-cam videos are as well prepared as this one, well researched, well edited, punctuated with humor. Thank you!!!!
Great video. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm with you on those inner voices. It's wondrous to hear them when you've never heard them before, even though you've heard the piece multiple times by other musicians. I've always enjoyed Gould inner tempo that he holds throughout a piece. I used to wonder why I was so attracted to his music. And my conclusion years ago was the pulse he kept that gave it that "American rhythm".
Thanks TH-cam for these amazing recommendations & thank you for making this video. ❤
Love from India.
As a lifelong Gould fan, I feel this is a video that you've wanted to make for a very long time and wow, you really did it!
I was very happy to come across your channel. I am not a musician, having failed to learn the piano at the age of 12, but I have been listening to music for 60 years now. I came across Gould almost by accident and immediately loved the way he played. What comes to mind from your video is to wonder what would've happened had Bernstein not given the audience any warning and had the critic not printed his piece the following day. I worry audiences are easily lead. For my part, I go to listen to the pianist not the critic. And without any prompting, having bought the 1955 and 1981 versions of the Goldberg Variations, I quickly decided I much preferred the later ones. I'm looking forward to exploring as many of your other videos on Gould as I can find!!!
This is next level content and production quality for videos about classical music 👏
It's awesome !! TH-cam needs such a content! Thank u for brilliant work! Can't wait for next video!
Very interesting and amusing reflections.... at times you gave me the impression to be one one side, then on the other... At the end I got a sense of your stance on Gould's concept. I hope you'll make more videos like this. Bravo!
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen. Thank you for your hard work, interest, and dedication to this topic. I sincerely love this. Thank you.
Such a great video, I learned so much. And I feel really inspired by this idea of Gould "bringing the pantheon down to Earth". Thanks for this great video as always Ben!
Thanks Robert!
The nerve of holding that fermata to breaking point, serves like a springboard to the final bars of the coda. Fabulous presentation! More please.
Fantastic video, Ben!
How one feels about Gould I think depends very much on what one feels music interpretation means. For me, it is an act of empathy, connecting with the emotions and thoughts of the composer who attempted to convey that inner meaning through a double abstraction which turns emotion into sound and then sound into notation. Like Gould, I totally disagree with the doctrine of "composer intention".
In this sense, for me Gould is one of the finest musical interpreters. Whenever I hear him play, I get the sense that the composer is right there beside the piano, that Gould is having an active conversation with the composer about the score. Sometimes agreeing, sometimes disagreeing - sometimes saying, "Oh, well done!", and at other times saying, "Don't you think it should be a bit more like this?".
All this being said, there isn't a single piece I would play even remotely like Gould!
Love it! Yes I think this is exactly right. The old adage “you should listen to Gould, but not copy him” is correct. But it should be quickly followed up with, “you shouldn’t copy anyone.” Listening to Gould should inspire us to find our own ways of making sense out of music and learn to articulate it directly and communicatively.
Hi Ben,
I love your stuff. I love specifically when you show, e.g., 26.20, the score with the highlighted voicing. This is such a treat to see and hear and Thank you! Just.... great work!! I so love the passion and interest. Keep that technique up especially. It's a treat. I'm super impressed and inspired at the work you do and your interest in great music. Keep going!
Gould's conception of the last movement is still my favorite of all recorded versions, studio or live. No one gives such care to so much of how the finale opens up to finally reach that insane cadenza. Though I don't always like the other 2 movements, it all fits well together as a whole.
I'll always admire Gould's straight up courage to keep his mind open to possibilities.
Also I've read enough about Brahm's own piano playing to know he would play wildly different from his own scores.
I think he would have open to Gould's ideas.
Thank you for this in-depth analysis. What's more, the video has been prepared with so much attention to detail.
I was quite sceptical when this showed up in my algorithm, since GG is one of my all time musical heroes and had such a huge influence on my thinking. But your knowledge and enthusiasm are just wonderful, thank you!!
Skeptics should know how to spell skeptical.
@@SubmitToTheBiomass Damn, I changed it back and forth. But you’re right, in English my spelling is terrible :D
@@aradieschen4880 It's spelled with a K in German too, isn't it?
@@SubmitToTheBiomass Yeah! I overcorrected.
I only really clicked this video because I know the studio in Toronto's CBC building is called the "Glenn Gould Studio" and that his statue sits outside of it. Always been aware of the name but not the man. This was very insightful. thank you!
That ascending inner voice accentuated (around 15:40-58) was just magical. That REALLY made me sit up. Absolutely blazingly beautiful. I can see why you like it.
15:17?
What a great video. Instant fan of the channel. The host’s educated passion for Gould’s work shines through, but he’s also irreverent and funny. Bravo!!!
I'm coming from jazz and just recently really trying to learn classical piano, but I'm learning by myself listening to recordings and referencing sheet music. Some of the things you're saying in the comments are really speaking to me as an outsider of classical music who is just exploring it and with an unconventional approach haha.
I'm only 7 minutes in. I'm gonna watch the whole thing, but I subscribed (having found you originally on Tonebase) and I look forward to hearing more from you as a solo presenter on youtube.
he is just riding the 🍆 of a cult leader. this isn't anything special.
That was.just wonderful!. I never knew what to make of Glenn....pls give us more of your work!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤😊🎉🎉
Hearing Horowitz next to Gould, it's just... stunning how much more evocative Gould's performance is. There's this emotional complexity to the way he interprets. It's so memorable and beautiful. I never understand the people who hear his versions and say such negative things. Gould really turns the music into a collaboration between himself and the original composer, and he's right-that is so much what separates a performance from a great recording. Anyone can play the music the way it's written and has been played before. It takes a true artist to turn the familiar new again, allowing the piece to almost be heard again for the first time, for new discoveries to be made in existing music.
"Hearing Horowitz next to Gould, it's just...there's this emotional complexity to the way he interprets."
Yeah, not to mention the correct notes. 😂
I love how those old music critics expressed their anger with such grace and precision. It’s so romantic and classical, dropping the F-bomb with style. Absolutely historical!
27:23 “That clockwork aspect really pulls you in.” That’s a fantastic way to put it.
Hey - I’ve been studying theory and history in preparation for me theory test. Thank you for making this video - you makes these composers and moments in time entertaining and memorable! Hoping to see more content like this
Extremely enjoyable watch. Thank you!
Thanks for your take on this! I’m off to my students about this head and heart debate in the classical music, and how there doesn’t need to be an actual struggle between the two. I’m definitely gonna recommend this video to some students.
Very interesting and enjoyable video. I have never understood Gould - I am not sure I ever will - but this brings me a step closer to understanding other points of view of him. 👍🏼
I picked up the piano about 4 months ago and had never heard of Gould.He seems like a very interesting person, will definitely look up more about him. Thanks.
Thanks for this video. Right on target. The usual criticisms of Gould’s approach to interpretation give me a headache. Critics, of course, are more guilty than any performer of writing nonsense just to get attention - yesterday’s equivalent of click bait. Gould was always a most thoughtful analyzer of any musical score and that shines through brilliantly in all of his recordings.
And, speaking from a composer’s point of view, the idea that every note and every marking was somehow handed down from on high is, frankly, ridiculous.
@CanuckFluter They are indications, not exact prescriptions. If they were, who needs 100 different recordings. They’d all sound exactly alike. How insufferably dull. Music is a living, breathing art and the performers must take notes on a page but then breathe life into it. My personal experience is that I welcome hearing what performers make of my scores. I may have had a sound in mind, but then I hear something wonderful that I may not have had in mind when I wrote it. That is a wonderful moment which only happens once in that moment.
There are dozens of artists with amazing technique whose recordings I click off after a moment because it brings nothing to the music that hasn’t been done exactly the same way many times before. Then, there’s Gould. Sometimes oddball, but always interesting and compelling.
It's hard to believe anyone is more hooked on Gould than I am, but the host of this channel makes a compelling case.
Quite the video essay - well researched and produced. Good times and learning. My listening ears appreciate it.
I'm currently in the middle of this video and I can say this is incredible work. Thank you. I've been a Glenn Gould enthusiast since I was 15, this pianist is one of my favorites. He's just so intricate, honest, kind hearted (and, yes, sometimes very infuriating), I regret his death every day.
What a great Video ! Love the editing, thank you for putting in so much effort !
Thank you! I need to start making shorter videos because I can’t help myself with the attention to detail… even 30 minute in when most people aren’t watching anymore
@@benlawdy I for sure watched the whole 30 minutes and enjoyed every minute of it ! Thanks again :)
@@benlawdyI don't mind 30 minutes at all when it's so engaging and informative!
@@Sanders-vd3tp thank you! But also, if my videos were shorter there would be more of them!
@@benlawdy Not to worry - your viewers have long attention spans and soak up the details without complaint. They are what make your videos stand out.
Every so often the algorithm tosses a real gem on your screen. The writing, the attention to detail, pacing, and the visuals combine to create one of the best videos of its kind. Bravo!
Great video. As one who enjoys the "controversial" 1962 concert recording, I was always baffled by the over-the-top outrage. Also, a fairly prominent classical music channel here on TH-cam just the other day mentioned the Gould 1955 Bach Goldbergs and the usual smattering of snoots chimed in about it with the usual condescension, just as the comments shown in your video. It's so hilarious how rigid minded people are about music, as if some stuck-up rando on the internet has any credibility. Call me a rando, too, if you will.
Please do more of this 🙏 how incredible in-depth and entertaining analysis
Man, really enjoyed this video! Thanks for making it.
I have to say that as a musician and a lover of music, I don’t understand these kinds of arguments. Can’t people be free to enjoy lots of different interpretations and styles? The artists are dedicated and technically competent so they should be free to embrace their own vision. (BTW, I think that applies to all the arts).
I knew nothing about Gould beforehand but now I'm in love with his work.
the appeal isn't his performances, it's the *idea* of his performances. Good job, you fell for the appeal of a cult leader.
@@Whatismusic123 Bro ur goofy
@@Whatismusic123or maybe it's because we all know the classical pieces and when gould plays them it sounds noticably different and that's cool?
it sounds noticably different because it's noticably bad. he just does things differently for the sake of being different, he never serves the music like a good pianist should. he makes a mockery of all music he plays. @@literallyjustgrass
@@Whatismusic123OH BROTHERRRRRRRRR GET A LOAD OF THIS GUY
Loved the video and the deep dive into Gould's sometimes odd interpretation of pieces. Awesome work!
I learn so much from your videos. Thank you
I studied tonal theory when I first entered college in 1979. Gould became my hero; I marveled at all the lines he could maintain perfectly. And he died right on cue in 1982 to cement the drama for me over the rest of my life.
Which, of course, is the ultimate irony regarding Gould.
Ben! Thank you so much for this! For me too , it was always about the inner lines and voicings that Gould so gorgeously took to wing and soared. As a child in the 1960s I could not get enough of his vinyl recordings. I played them over and over, captivated. Especially his Bach recordings. I became a pianist because of the inspiration he gave me
Me too
Thank you for this wonderful video. I remember back in college in the early 90s, a music major friend of mine who is now a respected musician in his own right would complain that when he listened to Gould playing Bach (say the Goldberg Variations, 80s recording), he would hear more Gould than Bach. Keith Jarrett on the other hand, was the exact opposite: intervening with moans and vocal melody in his improvisations but playing Bach and classical with pin drop silence and scrupulous attention and adherence to score, time signature, and discipline with minimal if any affectation, even in the ornamentation! 😊
Actually so cool that Ben has his own channel now. I wonder what his least favorite Gould recordings are. I do think it’s good to adopt and listen to true critical thinkers but also being a contrarian myself, sometimes I do it just to do it.
Good question. Maybe some of his Bach WTC is underwhelming. Like, if he didn’t really like a piece and wasn’t inspired to develop a concept for it, especially when he’s recording complete sets, he can just sound like “generic Gould.” But even then, I just love his touch. And I’m not ashamed to say that I love his intentional parodies of pieces he dislikes. Some of the machine gun Mozart movements are laugh out loud funny.
@@benlawdy Begs the question - why do artists record music they don't like? Were they told what they had to play back then or something?
@@Veaseify He did like the Brahms Concerto, actually. But he did record lots of music he didn't like, and yeah it's more or less because of incentives from labels to sell more records of standard works. The complete Mozart sonatas are the best example - he liked some of them, but mostly were not his cup of tea. But there was pressure to record the whole cycle. This still happens today - pianists recording complete cycles - but you see it less and less, and more variety and concept albums, which I think is a good thing.
@@benlawdy Thanks for the response Ben. I wonder if he would have been happier improvising like Keith Jarret or getting to grips with some Bill Evans pieces where 'interpreting' the music doesn't get you into trouble...
@@Veaseify he had a composer’s mindset, but his genius was as a pianist / so I think these kinds of interpretations were natural for him. He actually was ideologically opposed to improvisation, but that’s a whole other video/can of worms. You’re onto something though - part of him didn’t want to be a pianist. He became more interested in producing conceptual radio and film, where piano wasn’t involved (like Idea of North) and probably would have directed more film if he had lived longer.
A highly elucidating analysis of this remarkable artist. Thank you!
I’ve been waiting for someone to make a video like this
Brilliantly researched and presented. I've never been a huge fan of Gould, but after seeing this, I appreciate him a bit more and understand more what drove him. Thanks for this.
That is the most wonderful demonstration of music….i weep with Joy ….thank you !
What a banger! I can see how much effort you put into this man, good job.
Thanks dude