“The justification of artwork is the inner combustion it ignites within the hearts of males and never its shallow, externalized, public manifestations. The aim of artwork just isn’t the discharge of a momentary ejection of adrenaline however is, moderately, the gradual, lifelong building of a state of marvel and serenity.” – Glenn Gould
One of many biggest classical pianists of the twentieth century, Glenn Gould, shocked the world at age thirty-one when he introduced his everlasting retirement from public efficiency. Denouncing the live performance corridor as a relative of the Roman Colosseum and audiences as a “drive of evil”, for the sake of his inventive integrity and private sanity he dedicated the remainder of his musical life to recording within the studio.
Gould’s sensible and generally provocative performances of classical masterworks are well-known, particularly his unequaled recordings of Bach. However he was additionally a prolific, articulate, and no much less provocative critic. In essays like “The Prospects of Recording”, he laid out his philosophy of efficiency, of the relation between expertise and music.
He described his personal experimentation with unconventional recording strategies, and made daring and infrequently correct predictions about how recording expertise would change how the typical individual would relate to music. And he outright rejected lots of the stagnant conventions of latest classical efficiency.
On this episode, Thomas discusses Gould’s fascinating (and infrequently entertaining) views on music and expertise, and performs a variety of his recordings. For those who’ve by no means heard Gould play, you are lacking out. If in case you have, you will discover this episode all of the extra attention-grabbing.
Items performed on this episode (all carried out by Glenn Gould):
J. S. Bach, Effectively-Tempered Clavier, E-book I: Prelude and Fugue no. 3 in C-sharp main, Fugue no. 20 in A serious, Prelude no. 21 in B-flat main
Bach, Two- and Three-Half Innovations: Invention no. 12 in A serious, Sinfonia no. 5 in E-flat main, Sinfonia no. 9 in F minor
Brahms, Intermezzo No. 2 in A serious, op. 118
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, IV. Allegro, piano transcription by Franz Liszt
Thomas Mirus’s 2011 essay “Glenn Gould within the Studio” https://thomasmirus.com/2013/05/20/glenn-gould-in-the-studio
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