Gould Bach

[weissenberg2]

did he record the complete works of Bach or just a lot of them?

thanks in advance.

[ramseytheii]

Just a lot.

Walter Ramsey

[mr music]

Some readers will know I am not at all a fan of Johann Sebastian but Glenn Gould is one of my idols and I know he recorded the Complete Goldberg Variations in 1955 and 1981.

Other than that, just a lot.

Mr Music.

[gep]

Some readers will know I am not at all a fan of Johann Sebastian

I've read something like this before elsewhere, and more than once too, but everytime it befuddles me no end. It's like someone saying: "Oxygen? Nah, don't like it very much!".

gep

[iroveashe]

I've read something like this before elsewhere, and more than once too, but everytime it befuddles me no end. It's like someone saying: "Oxygen? Nah, don't like it very much!".

gep

I remember a friend of mine used to say he didn't like water.

[weissenberg2]

Some readers will know I am not at all a fan of Johann Sebastian but Glenn Gould is one of my idols and I know he recorded the Complete Goldberg Variations in 1955 and 1981.

Other than that, just a lot.

Mr Music.

I think he recorded it 4 times. A 1954 radio broadcast, the 1955 studio recording. 1959 live from Salzburg and the studio recording 1981.

[scottmcc]

I think he recorded it 4 times. A 1954 radio broadcast, the 1955 studio recording. 1959 live from Salzburg and the studio recording 1981.

I have the cd's for the 54, 55, and 81, and can neither confirm nor deny the Salzburg recording.  it intrigues me how very different the three versions I have truly are--most performers interpretations of pieces remain relatively stable over time, but not so with Gould and the "Gouldberg."

[weissenberg2]

I have the cd's for the 54, 55, and 81, and can neither confirm nor deny the Salzburg recording.  it intrigues me how very different the three versions I have truly are--most performers interpretations of pieces remain relatively stable over time, but not so with Gould and the "Gouldberg."

The 1959 is on YouTube. How is the 1954? how does the tempo differ from the other recordings?

[scottmcc]

The 1959 is on YouTube. How is the 1954? how does the tempo differ from the other recordings?

overall slower than 55 but faster than 81.  I think I like 81 the best of the 3 I have.

[mikey6]

I've read something like this before elsewhere, and more than once too, but everytime it befuddles me no end. It's like someone saying: "Oxygen? Nah, don't like it very much!".

gep

It's all personal opinion - Bach may just not speak to them as much as others.
I read that Schumann is 'the most romantic of composers' yet a certain member with his 'romantically tuned ears' gets nothing from him... (although I wish he wouldn't remind us of it everytime Schumann is mentioned!)  In our opinion, it's their loss....

[michel dvorsky]

Incredibly/Glib/Fast/Runthrough of Gould's Goldberg variations recordings/videos.

1954 is like the 1955 one but less polished.
1955 Columbia Gouldberg's are exciting and fun - a must have.  
1957 Gould gave a lecture in the Maly Hall in Moscow.  He played about 10 minutes worth of the Art of the Fugue and 10 minutes worth of Goldbergs.  He takes a lot of chances, and the playing is absolutely electrifying.
1959 Salzburg ones are romantic and spontaneous - worth hearing.
1964 CBC video of him playing a bunch of the canonic variations. Pretty uninvolved playing by Gould's standards.
1981 One of Gould's great achievements as well as one of the greatest achievements in interpretative pianism, imo.

EDIT: Also, worth noting that the video of the 1981 is a bit different than the recording in places.  In a good way.

[weissenberg2]

Incredibly/Glib/Fast/Runthrough of Gould's Goldberg variations recordings/videos.

1954 is like the 1955 one but less polished.
1955 Columbia Gouldberg's are exciting and fun - a must have.  
1957 Gould gave a lecture in the Maly Hall in Moscow.  He played about 10 minutes worth of the Art of the Fugue and 10 minutes worth of Goldbergs.  He takes a lot of chances, and the playing is absolutely electrifying.
1959 Salzburg ones are romantic and spontaneous - worth hearing.
1964 CBC video of him playing a bunch of the canonic variations. Pretty uninvolved playing by Gould's standards.
1981 One of Gould's great achievements as well as one of the greatest achievements in interpretative pianism, imo.

EDIT: Also, worth noting that the video of the 1981 is a bit different than the recording in places.  In a good way.

Thanks for that 

don't you think the 1981 is ridiculously slow? I like the 1955 the best followed by the 1959.

[michel dvorsky]

Thanks for that 

don't you think the 1981 is ridiculously slow? I like the 1955 the best followed by the 1959.

No. The aria and some of the other variations are slower. The virtuosic variations (i.e., 5, ..., 26) are just as fast as the '55 ones (and even more accurate in bits).  Gould has a magical way of interrelating all the tempi so the work coheres as a whole.  Listen from start to finish.  It's a terrific interpretation.

[weissenberg2]

No. The aria and some of the other variations are slower. The virtuosic variations (i.e., 5, ..., 26) are just as fast as the '55 ones (and even more accurate in bits).  Gould has a magical way of interrelating all the tempi so the work coheres as a whole.  Listen from start to finish.  It's a terrific interpretation.

okay, I will take your word for it. When I listened to it before I stopped during the aria because I assumed it would be just like the 1955 except much much slower, shame on me  

[weissenberg2]

A lot of people recently seem to hate Gould. Was it always like that or just a recent trend?

[iroveashe]

A lot of people recently seem to hate Gould. Was it always like that or just a recent trend?

Given the strangeness in his interpretation, I believe there's always been controversy and hate towards him, but I can't say I've seen much of that lately.