[MikeyMouse]

I recently bought a pair of line arrays from Selah Audio. So, I have been digging into my CD collection to hear some of my favorite music that I haven't heard for a while.  One such CD was Glenn Gould's 1955 Goldberg Variations. 

Gould was such a phenomenal pianist with great articulation.  His playing was never muddy.  It's a joy hearing every nuance he made on the keyboard (if you can ignore his humming).

-Mikey

[richidoo]

Good stuff! The 1981 version is also exceptional, I like it even better. It was one of the earliest digital recordings, in 14 bit, I think, but the sound is great.

There is a German Sony compilation of all Glenn Gould's solo piano Bach recordings available now, for about $60. Contains everything, French & English Suites, both Goldbergs, 2&3 part, Italian, partitas, Tocatas, all original Columbia recordings issued on Sony, all legit, and made in a German pressing lab Until this set, you would have paid >$500 for all of this stuff. Just came out.
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=93398

Also, the new computer transcription of the 1955 recording played on Yamaha Disklavier is available now too. It is supposed to be awesome. Not heard that yet. Gould is not an audiophile thing for me, just great music. I like to think I am listening to HIM, but it would be cool to hear the computer give it a try. No humming! hehehe
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=168886

I like Gould. I wish he recorded the Shubert sonatas.
Rich

[Russell Dawkins]

http://www.sonymusicstore.com/store/catalog/MerchandiseDetails.jsp?upc=074645268521

Some think that this live recording is the most enjoyable, myself included.
It is interesting to hear Glenn Gould make little mistakes and also to hear the positive effect the audience had on his playing.

[MikeyMouse]

Hi Rich,

Thanks for the link!  Although I have most of his recordings in this set on LP, I think I will get this set so that I can I play them on my CD player.  I have the computer generated Goldberg.  I feel a little funny hearing his Goldberg without his humming and chair squeaking. 

-Mikey

[MikeyMouse]

Having said how great he was, not all Gould's recordings are enjoyable.  I have some of his recordings of the Mozart piano sonatas and I have to say those are the most disgusting interpretation of Mozart music that I've heard.  I think he made fun of Mozart on purpose.

-Mikey

[kyyuan]

I, too, enjoy Gould's Goldberg Variations.

And, speaking of great articulation, Nojima Plays Liszt is a wonderful amalgam of artist's technique, composition, and clean recording.

http://www.referencerecordings.com/

Ken

[richidoo]

I think he made fun of Mozart on purpose.

That's funny, I wouldn't be surprised. He is rumored to have been somewhat of an anarchist. I would like to hear that myself, as I am not much of a Mozart fan either.

[Bob Attiyeh]

Dear Mikey and Rich,

I couldn't agree with you more about the majesty of the two Glenn Gould Goldberg recordings.  For those of you diehards, I can also recommend the early and recent Andras Schiff recordings.  The first is youthful and meaningful, the most recent one, a live concert, I believe, is rich and exquisite.  I was lucky enough to hear Andras Schiff play the cycle live in Walt Disney Concert Hall two years ago.  Jeffrey Kahane treated us to a Goldberg Variations live at the Jazz Bakery in Culver City, which was great fun. 

Another artist with a completely different take on the Goldbergs is Rosalyn Tureck.  I believe she recorded three cycles, and I have two, both of which are magnificent (pristine and fairly dry, probably closer to Bach's intent) and very different from one another.

Happily, we are recording Orion Weiss playing Bach's French Overture, a rarely performed and recorded work of variations, early in September.  With any luck the album will be available by the end of the year.  In the meantime, I'm looking forward to the recording sessions!

Bob

P.S. I forgot to mention Murray Perahia's Goldberg cycle, which is another masterpiece in its own right.  Mikey, see what trouble new equipment can cause? Kudos to you.

Bob

Bob Attiyeh
Yarlung Records
www.yarlungrecords.com

[KCI-JohnP]

Glenn Gould's 1955 Goldberg Variations.

Is that the cd Borders has been advertising lately? I had that in my hand this weekend but put it back at the last minute though I really want it. Guess I'll have to pick it back up.

John

[MikeyMouse]

Hi Bob,

I agree.  Rosalyn Tureck was a terrific Bach player.  I don't have her Goldberg recording, but I have her Bach Partita recordings on Philips and they are wonderful.

I like Andras Schiff too.  I have not heard Schiff playing the Goldberg Variations.  His playing of the French and the English Suites are very enjoyable.  I highly recommend them.

Bob, do you think that Yarlung will record David Fung playing a full length of work from one composer like Liszt, Bach or Chopin?

-Mikey

[Bob Attiyeh]

Dear Mikey,

You mean an album of only one composer? Yes, probably.  We're talking about a Beethoven disc right now, including two very early and two very late sonatas. They're magic in David's hands.  I am also woking on a potential Four Hands album with two pianists in New York.  Too early to be sure.   

In the meantime, I have an invitation for any of you in the Los Angeles area:

As you who have read any of my other threads thread know, I am very much looking forward to working with Steve Hoffman on several upcoming albums. Many of you have written nice things about our two recordings for David Fung, and I thought it would be fun to include some of David's fans in an upcoming live recording session for him. We are inviting a few audiophile friends to join us in Los Angeles on the evening of August 31st.

We are not going to start and stop and treat the concert portion like a recording session, so we will be able to enjoy the performance as if it were a concert.

Some of you were able to join us in 2006 when I produced the debut album for Janaki String Trio. This year, I am very much looking forward to working again with David. Australian pianist David Fung has just returned from a series of concerts in the Netherlands, and returns to Europe for more concerts in Scotland and Belgium in a few weeks. I produced David's first two albums in 2005 and 2006.

Yarlung Artists is a 501(c)3 public charity. We support young classical musicians as they begin their international concert careers by creating debut albums and by helping to facilitate management with the finest agents in New York and Europe.

If you are interested, please email me privately, with "David Fung" in the subject line. I will then send directions and further information. Depending on how many people want to participate, you will be sitting on stage with us, not in the hall itself, and I need to know exactly how many chairs to arrange.


I hope to see some of you soon!

Sincerely,

Bob Attiyeh

P.S. 
For those of you coming to our live recording session on Friday, I wanted to post the anticipated repertoire for the concert:

If you already own David's recordings you will be familiar with the Rachmaninov, Ravel and Scarlatti. Live these are different pieces, of course. David's version of La Valse is his transcription from the full orchestral score. The Four Hands version wasn't complete enough for him!

We'll take a short break in the middle to retune.

Looking forward to seeing you Friday!

D. Scarlatti: Two Sonatas in D minor, KP 32/L 423 and K 141/L 422
Mozart: Rondo in F Major, K. 494
Rachmaninov: Six Preludes, Op. 32/8-13
Messiaen: Ile de Feu 1
Beethoven: Six Bagatelles, Op. 126
Ravel: La Valse

[Tyson]

I like Gould, but I love Hewitt.  Gould is certainly unique and interesting in his 2 very different recordings, but Hewitt has a vertical dimension to her interpretation that I've not heard anywhere else.  I love that her recording sounds a little under powered on first listen.  But on closer listening there is some seriously inspired music making going on.  Same qualities inform all of her Bach recordings, actually.

[KCI-JohnP]

Bob Attiyeh,

Wow, now that is cool!! Wish I was out your way, I'd be there for sure!

John

[Dokter_doug]

I think he made fun of Mozart on purpose.

That's funny, I wouldn't be surprised. He is rumored to have been somewhat of an anarchist. I would like to hear that myself, as I am not much of a Mozart fan either.

My understanding is that Gould loathed Mozart. And although I enjoy Mozart sonatas and piano concertos I seem to get "much happier" listening to Haydn. Emanuel Ax and Mark Andre Hamelin have released some terrific versions of Haydn piano sonatas. If anyone has listened to the Ax versions a question...do you think he has "Romanticised" his interpretations too much?

Doug

[Randy]

Mozart - Music for Piano, 4 Hands, Tal and Groethuysen. These artists have issued three CDs of this glorious music to rave reviews. Here is a link to Vol. 2. I see Vol. 1 at Arkivmusic also, but not Vol. 3. You can probably get all three via Amazon. I had to get them directly from a source in the UK last year, MDT, since Sony, in its infinite wisdom has not seen fit until recently to distribute them in the USA and then, apparently, only Vol. 1. If you think you don't like Mozart, try one of these or better yet, all three.


http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=134820

[Randy]

Here's a link to Vol. 1 of Mozart's Music for Piano, 4 Hands.
Cheers.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=134821