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The New Coffee Room

  1. TNCR
  2. General Discussion
  3. 60 years ago today........

60 years ago today........

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  • taiwan_girlT Offline
    taiwan_girlT Offline
    taiwan_girl
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2024-04-09/how-piano-virtuoso-glenn-gould-revolutionized-the-music-industry-by-ending-his-concert-career-in-los-angeles

    On the evening of April 10, 1964 — that is, 60 years ago Wednesday — the Canadian virtuoso Glenn Gould stepped away from the piano at the end of his concert at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles and revolutionized the recording industry.

    There was no announcement at that landmark moment in L.A.; only the ensuing circumstance would tell the story. For the Wilshire Ebell recital marked the end of the 31-year-old star’s performing career. He would never play another note in public.

    He was the first — and possibly the only — classical musician to shun public performances entirely. Henceforth, his entire output would be heard only via records and videos.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • George KG Offline
      George KG Offline
      George K
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Interesting, eh?

      I've seen some videos of him "tweaking" his recordings. I believe changing, in a subtle way, dynamics, and splicing one performance into another.

      Pop performers have been doing that forever...

      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

      Doctor PhibesD 1 Reply Last reply
      • George KG George K

        Interesting, eh?

        I've seen some videos of him "tweaking" his recordings. I believe changing, in a subtle way, dynamics, and splicing one performance into another.

        Pop performers have been doing that forever...

        Doctor PhibesD Online
        Doctor PhibesD Online
        Doctor Phibes
        wrote on last edited by Doctor Phibes
        #3

        @George-K said in 60 years ago today........:

        Interesting, eh?

        I've seen some videos of him "tweaking" his recordings. I believe changing, in a subtle way, dynamics, and splicing one performance into another.

        Pop performers have been doing that forever...

        I read somewhere that Alfred Brendel (and presumably lots of others) spliced his recordings up so that they're a combination of a huge number of takes.

        I think I prefer the classic jazz approach where the band plays as a band - play the head, play the solos, close - all in one take. If they make a bad mistake, do the whole thing again.

        I'm an old fart, but I like music that can be played live, and the recording reflects a live performance, or is a live performance.

        I was only joking

        1 Reply Last reply
        • HoraceH Offline
          HoraceH Offline
          Horace
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Gould played some notoriously awful pianos for his recordings. Whatever "perfection" he was trying to achieve, wasn't very perfect in a lot of ways.

          Education is extremely important.

          1 Reply Last reply
          • RenaudaR Offline
            RenaudaR Offline
            Renauda
            wrote on last edited by Renauda
            #5

            @Horace

            Gould only played his piano that was set up to his personal spec. Not sure how many he owned but they were all prepped identically.

            The King’s University just a few blocks from where I live obtained one of Gould’s instruments. When I owned my P 135 my tuner, Bruce, had the contract to tune and maintain the University’s Music Dept. pianos. The Chairman told Bruce that he was not regulate or change anything with the Gould instrument other than keep it in tune. Bruce said the action was so heavy that in his opinion, it was next to unresponsive. Even the Department Chair thought it was unplayable and not much better than a child worn old upright of the sort found in church basements..

            Elbows up!

            1 Reply Last reply
            • LuFins DadL Offline
              LuFins DadL Offline
              LuFins Dad
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              Heard a story from Frank Mohr (Horowitz’s tech) once. His first concert tuning was an afternoon recital for Gould. He went, tuned the piano, and fount the keys to be horribly dirty, so he cleaned them. Gould came out for the recital and had a conniption over the keys being cleaned as he preferred the sticky feel. So Mohr asked if he could try something, ran backstage, got a can of hairspray,, and sprayed the keys. Gould liked it so much that he always demanded that after.

              The Brad

              RenaudaR 1 Reply Last reply
              • LuFins DadL LuFins Dad

                Heard a story from Frank Mohr (Horowitz’s tech) once. His first concert tuning was an afternoon recital for Gould. He went, tuned the piano, and fount the keys to be horribly dirty, so he cleaned them. Gould came out for the recital and had a conniption over the keys being cleaned as he preferred the sticky feel. So Mohr asked if he could try something, ran backstage, got a can of hairspray,, and sprayed the keys. Gould liked it so much that he always demanded that after.

                RenaudaR Offline
                RenaudaR Offline
                Renauda
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                @LuFins-Dad

                Gould….

                Elbows up!

                1 Reply Last reply
                • George KG Offline
                  George KG Offline
                  George K
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Link to video

                  "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                  The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                  RenaudaR 1 Reply Last reply
                  • George KG George K

                    Link to video

                    RenaudaR Offline
                    RenaudaR Offline
                    Renauda
                    wrote on last edited by Renauda
                    #9

                    @George-K

                    “It works…”

                    Loved it! Best morning coffee I’ve had in ages. Makes me want to rethink Gould’s approach to Romantic classics.

                    Will definitely watch again. Thanks for posting

                    Elbows up!

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • George KG Offline
                      George KG Offline
                      George K
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      Gould was crazy, idiosyncratic, annoying, arrogant...and fun.

                      Everyone knows about the famous Brahms 1 introduction with Bernstein. But I really enjoyed listening to Gould's thinking explained. Also, the attention that Gould payed to the inner voices.

                      The presenter, Ben Laude, is seen a LOT at the Tonebase YouTube channel. He's an accomplished pianist, and his conversations with Garrick Ohlson, Hamelin and others are great.

                      Something as "mundane" as the 1st movement of Moonlight...

                      Link to video

                      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • HoraceH Offline
                        HoraceH Offline
                        Horace
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        Bernstein has some choice words for Gould's playing, in other Tonebase videos. "I don't hear Mozart, I hear Gould." Maybe posted here before.

                        Education is extremely important.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • HoraceH Offline
                          HoraceH Offline
                          Horace
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          I read Bernstein's book With Your Own Two Hands. His students are lucky to have had him.

                          Education is extremely important.

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