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In the Forum: Musical Discussions
In the Thread: Performance of a week.
Post Subject: '55 Gould Vs. '81 GouldPosted by Lbjefferies7 on: 7/26/2009
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It appears that I need both. I have had quite a relationship with these pieces. I go back and forth between them. I think that this is purely because of the differences between young and old Gould. For me, they need eachother, in a way. I think some of the things in '55 were indicative of Gould still finding what he really wanted to do.
I am very much more inlined to like the '81 because of its clear purpose of creating a rhythmic design to the Goldberg Variations. It's more logical...more structured.
However, the '55 performance is Bach in the eyes of romanticism. Kind of like Richter did with The Well-Tempered Clavier, but much less intensity. It seems kind of like I.M. Pei's Pyramid at the Louvre only in reverse. '81 is just the Pyramid. Maybe more like the Getty Center.
I've recently been quite fascinated by the unorthodox piano regulation in his performances of the Two and Three Part Inventions (1963). I have never encountered a pianist using (really using!) too-strong repetition springs, not enough drop, and perhaps tweeked back checks. He certainly changed between '55 and '81, but he was always a musical genius.
Interesting that he apparently took 5 years to find his piano. I have been surrounded by pianos for about 20 years and have found exactly two exceptional pianos. Two out of about 2300. I can't wait untill that next one comes.
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