9 ms·

Glenn Gould is absolutely the definitive source in regards to Bach piano music. For me the beauty in Bach's music is the extreme technical expertise, which, lik

• leephillips 12y ago
  I love everything that you said and have no quarrel with any of it. I just thought it worth pointing out that when you say "if possible go see some play live" after extolling Glenn Gould, that he would probably advise not going to live performances. Gould thought that live performances were distracting rituals and that music could be much more easily focused on and appreciated through recordings. Personally, although I understand his point, I think the occasional live concert is worthwhile. I love Gould because of the way he brings out Bach's counterpoint so clearly, especially the inner lines - his playing is a good argument for using the piano to perform Bach's keyboard works rather than something more authentic to the period. As a fan of period instruments, what do you think about that?
  • marquis 12y ago
    I am not a musician the calibre, or even near it, to Gould but I completely, utterly disagree about live music. Maybe he preferred the recording studio, but why would you want to take away live music from the tradition! It's like watching a chef make food on TV instead of being where you should be when it comes to food: in the kitchen and dining room, smelling all the smells. Edit for those not agreeing: try sitting under or near a grand piano with your eyes closed. Your body experience is completely, utterly different than listening to the same music over even a very good stereo sound system. Being in the same room as an orchestra or even small chamber ensemble gives you a fully physical experience. It's not just your ears being involved, when listening to music.
    • gcv 12y ago
      As far as "classical" music goes, I can definitely live without the synchronized audience coughing between movements. Or the fact that you can only applaud at the end of the piece, no matter that a prior movement might have ended on an energetic forte and the last movement on an introspective pianissimo. Or the upraised eyebrows you inevitably draw if you're under 70.
    • evanlivingston 12y ago
      I have to disagree. When listening to a recording, you hear all the music. A more fitting analogy would be tasting and eating the food without seeing the chef prepare it.
      • nkuttler 12y ago
        No audio system comes close to sitting in front of a symphony orchestra with a hundred or more different sound sources.
        • oalders 12y ago
          This is absolutely correct, but for choral music Janet Cardiff's 40 Part Motet might actually come close. http://www.cardiffmiller.com/artworks/inst/motet.html http://www.cardiffmiller.com/artworks/inst/motet.html
• gjm11 12y ago
  > Glenn Gould is absolutely the definitive source in regards to Bach's piano music. I love Gould's performances, but it's worth saying that plenty of good musicians don't, so "definitive" is probably not the best word. So, anyone reading this: If you listen to Gould playing (say) the Well-Tempered Clavier or the Goldberg Variations and find it too mannered or mechanical or can't get past his humming, try Schiff or Richter or Perahia or someone more "mainstream". (And try Gould again later when you're more familiar with the music, just in case your tastes change; what he does, he does very well indeed.)
  • acheron 12y ago
    Agreed. I will especially vouch for Andras Schiff's recent recording of the Well-Tempered Clavier as an alternative choice. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NR8YXC/ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NR8YXC/
• scholia 12y ago
  Since the Goldberg Variations were written for the harpsichord, I don't think any piano version could be considered definitive ;-)
• hluska 12y ago
  Forgive me for the late reply, but thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions and make such great recommendations! It's much appreciated.