# Any Gouldians Here?



## Chiroptera

I personally adore Glenn Gould's performances and recordings- any other Gouldians lurking/active here on the forums?

What are some of your favorite Glenn Gould recordings?

If you are not a fan- why not? I am always interested in hearing opinions disparate from my own.


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## Bettina

I'm a huge fan of Gould's approach to Bach. His articulation is incredibly crisp and clear, which helps the listener follow the contrapuntal interplay of voices.

My favorite Gould recordings include the Well-Tempered Clavier, the French suites, and the Goldberg Variations.


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## Heliogabo

I´m a big fan too. 
It's difficult to choose some favorite recordings but some of them comes to mind now:

-Bach:
Goldberg variations (I prefer the second studio recording over the first one, but I love both)
Tocatas
WTC
English suites
Concerto italiano (1980 version)

-Handel:
Suites (on harpsichord, this is crazy but lovely)

-Music by Gibbons and Byrd

-Beethoven:
piano concerto No. 5

-Hindemith:
Sonatas for brass instruments

-Sibelius:
piano pieces

-Brahms:
Ballads & intermezzi

-Schoenberg:
piano concerto


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## Barbebleu

Ah, you have found a true Gouldian here. My all time favourite pianist. At the moment I am working my way through his Schoenberg stuff. Fabulous. Just as good as his Bach and that's saying something because his Bach is sublime. A genius whose interpretations were matched by his incomparable technique. I could rave on but I'll stop now. A happy new year to all.


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## Pugg

I do like him a lot, no Hindemith and Schoenberg for me though.


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## KenOC

I'm not a fan of Schoenberg but Gould definitely was. I've read that Schoenberg was the only composer he wrote about who he never criticized. He had a fancy speedboat named "Arnold."


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## DavidA

Yes I am a fan. Have all his recordings. Some like his Mozart were pretty idiosyncratic but he was never boring.


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## DavidA

KenOC said:


> I'm not a fan of Schoenberg but Gould definitely was. I've read that Schoenberg was the only composer he wrote about who he never criticized. He had a fancy speedboat named "Arnold."


I think he enjoyed the structure of the music. Most of us have to put up with its rather unpleasant sound. Must say I bought Gould's Schoenberg but never listen to it. Probably more interesting to play than to listen to.


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## starthrower

Pugg said:


> I do like him a lot, no Hindemith and Schoenberg for me though.


I wasn't crazy about the Hindemith sonatas at first, but the last time I listened to Gould's recordings I really got into them. I just bought some of his Bach. The inventions and Toccatas. And I have the 4 CD GG Plays Sonatas, Fantasies, Variations, which features numerous composers. I wish I had bought the Schoenberg set because the 2012 re-issue is out of print already. But knowing Sony, I'm sure they'll recycle these recordings continuously, so I'll wait for the next round.


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## Pugg

starthrower said:


> I wasn't crazy about the Hindemith sonatas at first, but the last time I listened to Gould's recordings I really got into them. I just bought some of his Bach. The inventions and Toccatas. And I have the 4 CD GG Plays Sonatas, Fantasies, Variations, which features numerous composers. I wish I had bought the Schoenberg set because the 2012 re-issue is out of print already. But knowing Sony, I'm sure they'll recycle these recordings continuously, so I'll wait for the next round.


Not even for sale on eBay?


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## starthrower

Pugg said:


> Not even for sale on eBay?


Oh, I'm sure there's some copies at inflated prices. If life wasn't so short, I'd just buy the complete album collection and be done with it! Same for the GG on Television DVD set. But I don't have a TV at the present time.


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## Pugg

starthrower said:


> Oh, I'm sure there's some copies at inflated prices. If life wasn't so short, I'd just buy the complete album collection and be done with it! Same for the GG on Television DVD set. But I don't have a TV at the present time.


In the meantime I did my usual trick with the link I gave you. (bookbutler)
Nowhere to be found, sorry.


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## starthrower

Sony will be milking the Gould catalog for years. No need to fret.


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## Vaneyes

All JS Bach, and much of the rest.

Some of his old Toronto haunts are worth visiting, including Massey Hall, Eaton's Auditorium (now The Carlu), 110 St. Clair Avenue West condo building, Fran's Restaurant (near The Carlu). And lastly, Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

Related:

http://aix1.uottawa.ca/~weinberg/tour.html

http://www.bulgergallery.com/dynamic/fr_artist.asp?ArtistID=20&Body=The Places of Glenn Gould










A conversation with GG is possible at 250 Front Street West.


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## satoru

Here is a proud owner of following set, The Glenn Gould Complete Jacket Collection. It gave me a peace of mind as I didn't need to check which album I was missing since then. Now I only look for unusual (bootleg-ish) releases.


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## Pugg

satoru said:


> Here is a proud owner of following set, The Glenn Gould Complete Jacket Collection. It gave me a peace of mind as I didn't need to check which album I was missing since then. Now I only look for unusual (bootleg-ish) releases.
> 
> View attachment 91267


Now we have this one:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88875032222


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## satoru

Pugg said:


> Now we have this one:
> 
> http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88875032222


Oh no~~! Now I have to look for another Gould set??

Well, initially I panicked by the idea, but after reading the description carefully, I decided to wait for a potential future release of this set in SACD format (or DSD download, possibilby?). As I don't have a SACD player, I can wait. Thanks for the info, Pugg!


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## Vaneyes

Pugg said:


> Now we have this one:
> 
> http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88875032222


If GG had only adopted the cane and bowler.

https://www.glenngould.com/remastered/the-project/










Better wait, this collection's almost 16 months old.


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## Pugg

Vaneyes said:


> If GG had only adopted the cane and bowler.
> 
> https://www.glenngould.com/remastered/the-project/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Better wait, this collection's almost 16 months old.


Do you really think there's going to be another one?


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## Vaneyes

Pugg said:


> Do you really think there's going to be another one?


You can take it to the bank.


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## satoru

Pugg said:


> Do you really think there's going to be another one?


Well, I found that file format of this "remastered" edition on USB stick is 24-bit but 44.1KHz. Better than 16-bit but not as good as 24-bit 96KHz DSD version. So, it's rather obvious that Sony will eventually release 24/96 version in some future (and rake in more many from us: sigh). I'll wait for a release of 24/96 DSD (or PCM) format on USB stick. If it doesn't happen, then I will save some money


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## lextune

I too love Glenn. Very much. I still remember hearing that he had died, I felt the silence like a heavy weight. So sad.

All Gould is worth hearing, (I have all the recordings), but much of it is idiosyncratic, individual...willful..?....

...

...the flexibility of Bach suits him best of course, and is almost universally wonderful. His Beethoven is serious, and powerful. His Haydn is excellent. I also think his Prokofiev and Scraibin are quite successful. So many others (is there a better recording of Strauss' five piano pieces op.3?!) .... The less said about his Mozart the better though....


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## sprite

Total Gouldian here. Love everything about him. I could listen to that man talk for hours. Brilliant visionary. I love that him and Marshall McLuhan were in a dialogue. There's a lot of intersection in their ideas. What I wouldn't give to see a recording of them speaking!

Also, this is really cool, "What Glenn Gould Taught Steve Jobs" : http://www.musicaltoronto.org/2016/...ties-that-foster-remarkable-human-creativity/

I'm pretty much convinced by anything he plays. I adore his Scriabin - I wish he did more of the sonatas. I'd love to hear what he would have done with the much later ones.

Has anyone here seen the documentary he made "The Idea of North"?


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## quietfire

I like Gould and his playing style. Unfortunately the recordings are not always the best quality - and the humming...


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## Pugg

quietfire said:


> I like Gould and his playing style. Unfortunately the recordings are not always the best quality - and the humming...


That's his trademark so to speak.


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## sprite

He doesn't like the humming either. 

Has anyone seen that documentary about him where that shows footage of his funeral? They play a recording of him playing Bach at the service, and his voice resonates throughout the church. Everyone at the funeral started crying. So did I. It's very moving.


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## Guest

sprite said:


> He doesn't like the humming either.
> 
> Has anyone seen that documentary about him where that shows footage of his funeral? They play a recording of him playing Bach at the service, and his voice resonates throughout the church. Everyone at the funeral started crying. So did I. It's very moving.


Yes I saw also this documentary and I asked myself,why are they crying.Is it the occasion and the music from Bach,I hope it was the greatness of the music more than anything else.


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## mathisdermaler

Yes what fan of piano music wouldn't be! When my father passed on all his CDs to me he had almost 30 discs of Gould. One included was of Paul Hindemith's piano concertos. I love Hindemith because his music is tonal but wholly undiatonic. Gould' performances are emotional and brilliant but not over embellished.


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## Pugg

mathisdermaler said:


> Yes what fan of piano music wouldn't be! When my father passed on all his CDs to me he had almost 30 discs of Gould. One included was of Paul Hindemith's piano concertos. I love Hindemith because his music is tonal but wholly undiatonic. Gould' performances are emotional and brilliant but not over embellished.


They are in good hands I see.


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## sprite

Traverso said:


> Yes I saw also this documentary and I asked myself,why are they crying.Is it the occasion and the music from Bach,I hope it was the greatness of the music more than anything else.


They're crying because they can hear his humming so clearly.


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## znapschatz

My exposure to Glenn Gould was limited, but I considered him THE Bach guy, and I didn’t mind his humming. I once attended a Bach concert with him and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra conducted by George Szell, a most perfect pairing if there ever was one. Gould was a veritable Bach machine, and Szell the ultimate enabler. It was a stunning performance that resonates with me to this very day.


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## Vaneyes

znapschatz said:


> My exposure to Glenn Gould was limited, but I considered him THE Bach guy, and I didn't mind his humming. I once attended a Bach concert with him and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra conducted by George Szell, a most perfect pairing if there ever was one. Gould was a veritable Bach machine, and Szell the ultimate enabler. It was a stunning performance that resonates with me to this very day.


z., I share your GG enthusiasm.

'Twas Szell who said, "That nut's a genius."


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## Guest

sprite said:


> They're crying because they can hear his humming so clearly.


very funny :lol:

I would not miss a documentaire with Gould.


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## CurlybWv988

I'm a big Gould fan, especially of his Goldberg Variations. If I were to pick another recording it would be his Scriabin/Sibelius album with Sony Classical.


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## fluteman

I can make two recommendations that in my humble opinion are absolute musts for fellow Gould fans: first and foremost, The Glenn Gould Reader, a collection of Gould's writings compiled and edited by Tim Page; second, and not quite as essential but highly entertaining, the Francois Girard film 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould.


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