“Art is justified by the internal combustion it ignites in the human heart, not by shallow, outward public expression. It is a state of wonder and tranquility that is not an instantaneous release, but rather one that is built up gradually over a lifetime. ” – Glenn Gould
Glenn Gould, one of the greatest classical pianists of the 20th century, shocked the world when he announced that he was permanently retiring from performing at the age of 31. Denigrating the concert hall as a relative of Rome’s Colosseum and the audience as a “force of evil,” for the sake of artistic integrity and personal sanity, he devoted the rest of his musical life to studio recording.
Gould is well known for his brilliant and often provocative performances of classical masterpieces, especially his incomparable recordings of Bach. But he was also a prolific, articulate, and equally provocative critic. In essays such as “Perspectives on Recording,” he explained his philosophy of performance and the relationship between technology and music.
He described his experiments with unconventional recording techniques and made bold and often accurate predictions about how recording technology would change the way the average person interacts with music. And he directly rejected many of the stagnant conventions of modern classical performance.
In this episode, Thomas discusses Gould’s fascinating (and often amusing) views on music and technology and plays a number of his recordings. If you’ve never heard Gould play, you’re missing out. If so, this episode would be even more interesting.
Songs performed in this episode (all performed by Glenn Gould):
JS Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier, Volume I: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C Major No. 3 Fugue No. 3 No. 20 in A major Prelude No. 1 No. 21 in B flat major
Bach, Inventions in two and three parts: Invention No. 12 in A major, Sinfonia No. 1 in E flat major, Sinfonia No. 5 in F minor
Brahms, Intermezzo No. 2 in A major op. 118
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, IV. Allegro, Franz Liszt piano arrangement
Thomas Milas’ 2011 essay “Glenn Gould in the Studio” https://thomasmirus.com/2013/05/20/glenn-gould-in-the-studio
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