Glenn Gould - Beethoven Piano Son.17 (The Tempest) 3°mvt

[crm4F240]

Glenn had to be in a hurry, his life was far too short unfortunately. Pity pity pity.

It's a bit fast, looks like the loss of a penny of Glenn himself ...;-)

[choiseofdeads]

Thing is, most of the pianists have to work really hard to play the piece like this.

But when it comes to Gould, he just gets relax while playing at this tempo. And He almost never practice.

[greppi93]

I dont give a fuck if Beethoven doesnt likes it, cause I think this is pure genius! Glenn ur simply the best

[Alex6keyboarddreameR]

The speed he's playing it ruins the piece in my opinion!!! All the beauty dissappears!

[TheCornguy]

@Alex6keyboarddreameR i think hes playing it how, if he made the song, he would perform it like this..idk its his interpretation, i like it haha

[TheRaretunes]

The fast tempo takes away the dramatic feeling of the composition, i don't like it this way.

[nonar1]

@0.28 I heard "2nd movement of Symphony No.9"

SHOCK!!

[mason99usa123]

Too fast 

[billinrio]

Way, way too fast.! The tempo marking is "allegretto".  If Beethoven had wanted it to be played the way Gould does here, he certainly would have marked it that way. See András Schiff's comments on this particular point during his remarkable lecture on this sonata at double-you double-you double-you dot audio.theguardian.tv/sys-audio­/Arts/Culture/2006/11/30/17_dm­in_op31-2.mp3

[JacobRudduck]

I feel sorry for people that can't understand the sheer brilliance of this interpretation.

[ralfjacobs]

@JacobRudduck then explain it dont just say "oh i get what he means"

without telling the rest of the world what you get.

i also think its to fast so maybe you can change my mind

[HerlockSholmes123]

@ralfjacobs It means you should stop listening to this nonsense and listen to some genius music by Bach instead. Bach >>>>>>>>>>>> Little Ludwig.

[ralfjacobs]

@HerlockSholmes123 hmm yes that realy explained what you said.....-_-

i think that you think whatever you say is true, even though the rest of the world might disagree.

these pieces are open for interpretation. i mean who are you to say hes wrong? it has nothing to do with what the composer wanted.

[HerlockSholmes123]

@ralfjacobs Yes, we all have different opinions. My opinion is that this sonata really sucks, and Gould is doing a great job making a crazy comedy out of the whole thing. And again, that's just my opinion. Yours is probably very different.

[EMPERORMIKI]

@HerlockSholmes123 actually Bach rates below Beethoven and slightly below Charles Ives. He is the 3rd greatest composer in history. Bach wrote "to the glory of god" at the beginning of most of his scores for christs sake ... what a dolt lol.

[HerlockSholmes123]

@EMPERORMIKI And Phillip Glass rates higher than everyone else. Don't forget that.

[EMPERORMIKI]

@HerlockSholmes123 Who is Philip Glass? jew?? In truth there is only one jew guy that has achieved anything worth mentioning musically and that is Schoenberg, a fine fine composer.

[HerlockSholmes123]

@EMPERORMIKI There's also Charles-Valentin Alkan. Don't forget that.

[EMPERORMIKI]

@HerlockSholmes123 since I have never heard of that composer before I will place him behind the composer I normally place last, Chopin. So the last 3 composers on the list are Copland, Chopin, and now this Alkan person (what kind of composer name is Alkan??). Music is very masculine and there is really no place for effeminate composers like Chopin IMHO ... in modern times I'm sure Chopin would have been one hell of a hairdresser.

[xylilyx]

@EMPERORMIKI you, my good man, are an idiot.

[Han00v]

хуйня

[ZpamMaster]

PRESTISSIMO!

[vintagehonda83]

he understood where the composers were coming from,accept in slower tempos he always went his own way which was usually quick as a bunny.

[billinrio]

Gould didn't like this piece. He didn't like the "Appaxionata" Sonata (no.23) either. He says so in the LP jacket notes he wrote for his recordings of them. He doesn´t explain why, since he disliked them so much, that he recorded them. Some people speculate that he was pressured into it by his recording contract with Columbia Records. To the person who says that Gould tended to play everything fast, listen to his lugubrious tempi in the Appaxionata recording.

[pacrijna]

@billinrio I know that he recorded the mozart piano sonatas BECAUSE he hated them. He wanted to show the world how bad they were. That's why he added a lot of his own notes and tempi.

Gould probably thought he was showing how terrible this piece really was. What he left behind is nothing less of a masterpiece in my opinion.

[Flutt3rshy]

@pacrijna I'm afraid that isn't quite true. I'm sorry, I mean no offence, but he didn't hate all of Mozart, he thought the early stuff was... well not great, but at least acceptable. He did quite hate the later stuff though. Even so, adding notes doesn't mean you hate something, maybe you just think you can improve it, nothing's perfect right?

As for this piece... I don't have any info on whether he disliked this or not, but his dislike of Beethoven is unfounded.

He was good at jokes though...

[mpakos18473]

@n10juan

I absolutely agree about Waldstein. In 20 years I 've heard countless recordings of it from the greatest and well known interpreters. Well, Dubravka Tomsic's interpretation , although not known, is the point to compare all the others - state of the art. Noone surpasses her in that sonata...

[steamednotfried]

best pianist in recorded history. He understands the music like a great composer and has the piano technique of a great pianist.

[waukee321]

On the other extreme listen to Gould's very slow interpretation of the CBS recording of the Appassionata Sonata. Stokowski was also a maverick in performing pieces "his way"

[mlliu2006]

Check out the wiki page on this sonata and take the first external link to hear a lecture by András Schiff. Mr. Gould plays this movement at a breakneck pace, 2.5 minutes shorter than Kempff's and 2 minutes shorter than Richter's. Schiff would not - I believe - approve of this pace.

[careyeOhkey]

too fast ..too fast . .da da too fast ..that's all I could think whislt listening for over a minute.. sheesh ..TOO FAST!

[sinceibeenlovingyou]

musical orgasm!

[pesmith1127]

I think I "shared" this before but...effin amazing by one of my fave pianists...kill me. Outstanding.

[bicsc7]

3:35  how romantic of Gould.

[heyaidkwhut]

Glenn tells quite a story here...

[Vesivian]

@heyaidkwhut EPIC sarcasm!

[heyaidkwhut]

@Vesivian Wasn't being sarcastic...hmmmm was you're comment sarcastic?

[Vesivian]

@heyaidkwhut No...

[atlantyss75]

n'importe quoi!

[SweezyKiD]

@atlantyss75 n'importe qui

[belman12345]

Gould should stick to Bach!

His touch is much too "non legato" for Beethoven. This piece is not meant to be played as if it were written for the Harpsichord.

[mu99ins]

Gould makes an argument here. I first listened to Richter play the Tempest. It was eloquent and riveting. With Gould, at first I rebelled against his quick tempo, but Gould sells it successfully. Not that Gould is more correct than anyone else. It just works. We wouldn't want all the renditions to be the same. I'm wondering, now, what Claudio Arrau does with the Tempest.

Who else?

[StratoForceLFC]

@mu99ins Kempff > all.

[gioveronesi]

@mu99ins check Maurizio Pollini

[n10juan]

simply best interpretation ever

[careyeOhkey]

@n10juan simply too fast!

[n10juan]

@careyeOhkey too fast in relation to what? Maybe to other interpretations? Me too, I play this sonata, and i do slower than Gould, but for my opinion this interpretation is great. THIS is a real tempest :)

[fadethetrade]

@n10juan Gould tends to perform all his pieces a little on the fast side.If he slowed this one down a trifle it would be perfect. His interpretation of the 3rd movement of the moonlight is stellar! Do you think ludwig would want it played this fast? And what about the first movement of the moonlight?

[n10juan]

@fadethetrade I just think each piano player can interpretate as he guess is better. Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven... we surely are talking about GENIUS, but why avoid to personalize a piece changing some note, or time, or velocity?

Mozart 24th concert played by Gould is really great, but surely Mozart would want it played differently.

For my (humile) opinion, Gould's and Barenboim's tempest are best interpretations, as best Waldstein is Dubravka Tomsic. :)

[n10juan]

@fadethetrade and (sorry for my english), a little thing more: try close eyes and imaginate a TEMPEST. I think Gould Tempest is more tempest than other tempests ;)

[Vesivian]

@n10juan EPIC sarcasm!

[mukeshcuster]

my favourite of goulds interpretations, i feel the hairs rise on my neck, im in the tempest storm!!

[llllllllllllllllI]

too fast. not one of gould's best.

[Kin162]

Faut baisser le métronome là... Beaucoup trop rapide, main gauche trop forte, manque de nuances, et d'émotions (absence en fait j'ai envie de dire). Ca en devient brouillon. Le début est affreux.

Oui, maîtrise technique, mais faut pas prendre pour du génie ce qui n'est que de l'absence d'interprétation. Ca passait niquel sur du Bach, pour qui presque les notes se suffisent à elle-même, mais sur du classique ou du romantique c'est une autre paire de manches.

Tempête oui, mais ça laisse froid.

[OSCARA320]

@Kin162 Glenn Gould a eu bcp de critiques car il jouer le piano dune maniere tres particuliere, il mettait plus de force que la majorite des pianistes, mais bon pour moi cest pas mal du tout :P

[Mendelevium146]

slow down, you move too fast, gotta make the morning last...

[clau6873]

Beautiful .... speechless !!!

[vonholtzendorff]

The discussion seems to be mostly about the performers. I would just like to reiterate the fact that Beethoven is awesome.

When I'm feeling depressed about the 'accomplishments' of our species, like war, destruction of the environment, and general douche-baggery, I think: well, we did have Beethoven. And then I feel proud to be human.

[steamednotfried]

Indeed, Gould certainly is the greatest pianist in recorded history. That is audio recorded history. I bet Beethoven was a greater pianist. He probably didn't have the technical control of Gould, but it's about what you do with the control. A skilled craftsman can make a better house out of sticks then an unskilled craftsman can out of bricks and mortar.

[MyYumar]

подлинное исполнение!!! самое близкое к бетховенскому, я думаю

[meesbroersen]

it scared me at the beginning.. but later i knew it.. THIS IS A REAL TEMPEST! great work, sir Gould.

[malditocalvo]

horrible y sin la menor expresión.

[giobia88]

@malditocalvo

excuse me for my english (it isn't so good ) but I am not agree with you

[thehal698]

@giobia88 All Classical sheet music is supposed to be played the way it is written, but all the greats play them a little differently. The pianist I prefer listening to most is Tvzi Erez, but the tradionalists don't seem to like what he does. All I'm saying is that Glenn Gould was excellent at what he did. You can appreciate him for his style or not. No one is going to be right for all of us unless Beethoven himself sits down at the piano and starts playing his own music.

[ArturoOrigel]

@malditocalvo

Creo que no tienes ni idea de quién carajos es Glenn Gould para empezar.

Ahora si que de tu comentario: "Horrible expresión menor"

[thehal698]

All the greats have their intrepetation. Glenn Gould was a monster on the piano, and he did prefer Bach. Too fast? For whom? I could list fifteen different great pianists to reference this, and they ALL play it differently. Only Ludwig knows for sure. For the rest of us, it's guessing and opinions, "everybody's got one".

[cellestialX]

Would have preferred more changes in the volume. Like the clarity, but sounds rushed.

[dubiffdududubiff]

Il a raison de la jouer comme ça... c'est une tempête... pas une brise printanière...

[tonycosworth]

@dubiffdududubiff Je suis d'accord sur le principe (même si LVB n'est pas responsable de la qualification Tempête);

mais pas sur le résultat (accentuations sur le 3° temps, notamment au début, phrasés...)

A part ça, il fait du gould comme d'habitude, le but étant de faire différemment des autres comme il le disait lui-même.

D'un autre côté, sa version a qqchose de rafraîchissant...

[hermanshermits124124]

DAMNIT THIS IS NOT ALLEGRETTO!!!!

[Tomik1313]

fast not fast doesnt matter, for me he was genious, so much passion and feelings, I absolutely adore him

[xanglat]

Mille MERCIS pour cet apport idyllique !!!

Splendide !

A dream !!!

[007captainobvious]

He plays it like he plays a Bach fugue or invention. My favorite recording - even though Gould was such a nut!

[scurrin]

This song makes me wish that I had grown feathers instead of hands and feet so that I could fly, or dust my house the natural way. Like old times, you know?

[powerkor]

HE WAS SO RIPPED on this

[Isaacooper28]

I have to say that at this speed it seems to sound more bright, and less tempestuous, but each artist to their own interpretation, and i certainly didn't mind listening to it.

[SweAdrian]

Too fast.

[benjamingrossmann]

Hi ! This is AWESOME !!! Can you let me know the exact informations about that movie "Practice" ? I'd really like to buy it... Thanks by avdance !

[piamkl]

i think this is in fact the speed of this piece. playing this fast you can really express yourself. the tempest name i think it goes perfect. it starts with a few raindrops falling, and evolves, turning into a real tempest. calmness and dispair. at the end, the tempest goes away. this is the speed indeed

[hermanshermits124124]

@piamkl its not the tempo of the piece

[plzhealme]

I don't like the interpretation, but I am shocked at his accuracy and clearness at this tempo.

[MyExGirlf]

Correction - nevermind, it IS the third movement. My bad.

[MyExGirlf]

This is actually the first movement.

Anyway, this is a very eccentric performance - typical Gould. I like it.

[tasteism]

It's fast but without anything that means 'music'. Maybe it belongs in the category piano athletics.

[hermanshermits124124]

@tasteism `i agree

[deerodchan]

glenn gould with 28 views for his beethoven interpretation.

haha at least people know he aitn good with beethoven.

[davidjb100]

Even though it's too fast, it's undeniable perfect. The clarity can't be beat.

[jadedkiwi23]

Holy crap that's so freaking fast! Such a great piece.

[EMPERORMIKI]

This sonata was named Tempest by Anton Schindler--a shady guy who made up many anecdotal lies about Beethoven (Beethoven knows this liar personally).

No one should take anything Schindler said seriously.

He was a con man.

[StratoForceLFC]

Gould should've stayed off the crackpipe.

[StratoForceLFC]

Gould needs to stay off the crackpipe.

[MoonSideMKDS]

lmao as soon as i heard the way it's being played i fucking knew it was gould.

[marce11o]

YES. Gould is THE BEST  :)

[AltarOfTriumph]

I enjoyed this until it said, 'greatest pianist ever'... how do you define how great a pianist is then?.... foolish assumption.

[Pourqouis]

Awful interpretation!

[iguarni]

GLENN GOULD IN THE LEGEND!!!!

[supraxshadow]

You can feel Beethoven being slapped side to side by society and convention.

[ham101ma]

GLEN GOULD !

[CharlyChoi]

His expression of Tempest is Amazing. I can Just feel real TEMPEST through his articulation and speed. It is so amazing that he actually took theme of fury, owe, and fast movement of REAL TEMPEST and substitute in Beethoven's Masterpiece !!!

[Temptezt]

maybe it is not about feeling the tempest, maybe Beethoven didn't even had any tempest vision for this piece. During Beethovens life this piece never was named Tempest, happend somewhere after he died. Maybe Beethoven didn't had the stormy idea for this sonata. So I hope now you would emphasize less on the hole tempest feel, it sounds kinda shortsighted to me.

[metalmagicians]

@Temptezt You should learn some grammar before you attempt a critique. It seems kind of short sighted to me.

[bachkwt]

why does everyone say that gould destroys pieces by making it fast , when are you people going to relise that his technique is the thing that makes him play things fast

[ignaciagirl]

I think Gould brings forth the desperate passion of this movement. I also enjoy it at a slower pace, but knowing what I do of Beethoven, I would almost wonder if he would appreciate this interpretation more

[besmonkil]

Cocozin: Le felicito; el suyo es el mejor comentario que he leído en mucho tiempo, sobre cualquier clase de música, en Youtube.

Me hace tener esperanzas sobre el futuro de la especie humana.

Besmonkil

[cocozin]

Gracias!

[cocozin]

What the heck is wrong with these idiots comparing Kempff to everyone on every piano video? Kempff's got a personal army of idiots or something?

There's no right or wrong way to play a piece.

There's the way you like it played, there's the way you don't.

In that case, you move on to the next video; instead of coming here with nonsense.

Seems like you just want to sound critical, smart and experienced by comparing 2 performances.

News: you sound rather childish.

[schnisha95]

well, if you're trying to say that kempff is a bad pianist, then i disagree....

[cocozin]

Not at all!

I admire Kempff as the wonderful pianist he is.

All my post was about how I think everyone's got their very personal style and should not be compared like this.

What I said is that he's got a personal army of idiots.

Simply because nearly every piano video I watch on youtube, there's someone comparing Kempff with said video.

Nothing against him, as you can see.

Actually, against many fans of him who behave like annoying children.

[schnisha95]

oh, then sorry for the misunderstanding. :)

[pistouille1]

2'30 less than KEMPF

Gold olympic medal

but music?

[kiitoob]

that's also because he is not playing the whole sonata...

[pistouille1]

You mean "he is not tired?"

[marknern]

This recording is one of the definitive recordings of the piece. Gould's ability to bring out the counterpoint is what sets it apart. The somewhat faster tempo is probably Beethoven's intent.

As for the title "Tempest", it was given by Schindler, who asked Beethoven "What does it mean?", to which B reportedly replied "Read Shakespeare's Tempest". However, that is likely fabrication on Schindler's part.

[khaosande]

Beethoven never gave to this sonata the name "Tempest"... This denomination has been invented by some critic...

[cocozin]

It's why it's called "The Tempest", not "The Rain".

I prefer this piece played a little faster and rough like this.

[Aff01000001]

Because the strong parts resemble more a tempest (or storm) than a rain (wich is calm)

[churchlandsmuso4life]

I wonder how Beethoven had this piece in mind being played as the best Allegretto version of this is by far Kempff's. Gould though makes this piece a tempest. But one should not compare Kempff's and Gould's interpretation as they say something completeley different. The comparison between rain and storm is adequate here, thanks for outlining this before

[mendelshawn]

you obviously have no idea who glenn gould was to say what you said. it proves your musical ignorance, but thanks for your outline.

[enterthischannel]

too fast it's ugly

[rochelimit55555]

agrees

[mpakos18473]

Very interesting but is out of the spirit which Beethoven want it.

If Beethoven want this tempo he would write 'presto' , not 'alegretto'.

[mendelshawn]

learn how to speak english b4 u pretend to have a brain

[mpakos18473]

1) English is not my native language, so some mistakes can be excused.

2) Moreover, is not good use of English from your side to write abbrevatios like "u" or b4.

3) Politeness never hurts and as it seems it is not of your characteristics.

[heyaidkwhut]

@mpakos18473

1) Eat

2) shit

3) die

[gratthard]

i like song

[petie32]

Gould is to Beethoven what Fisher is to chess. Brilliant and unhooked.

[fieldspec]

this interpretation is amaizing. every note has its weight and it's like the raindrops in the tempest.

But I don't like every Beethoven piece interpreted by Gould

[honchunfung]

this is too rushing. but he did have some better recordings for the tempest. i have one on my ipod and i used to hear it when i sleep.

[kiitoob]

i do agree it's fast,but it's also very crear,and very accurate and fluent,so it's nice to listen to it.

[itsahurricane]

@kiitoob Agree!

[baroquewilly]

@kiitoob dunno, gould's choice of tempo either unlocks a piece or ruins it. (For some reason bach gives him more licence than beethoven) This sounds to me like a chipmonk on helium kempff has a lovely version of this great movement on u-tube, watch it and be reminded of your favourie uncle

[MadMadMadTom]

Well I think he ruins the late Beethoven sonatas, and some of his Bacj is strange - but this (Tempest last movement) is just superb. Straight, clear, strict, unsentimental, a sustained brisk tempo. It captures perfectly the spirit of the piece. Wonderful.

[severusloaf]

I don't think this tempo works for this movement. I like his bach interpretations better.

[pianosig]

it by far is not the fastest version of this movement. i heard someone at 2005 Van Cliburn competition playing it even faster, which i thought was indeed too fast and the pianist didn't pass prelim round.

considering his clear articulation at such speed, it is actually a very good interpretation, to me at least.

[onthegrandpiano]

님 베토벤 한곡이라도 해봤나요? 해석에 따라서 다른거지, 피아노 나오면 악상 프레이징 다무시하고 무조곤 조용히 치고 포르테면 무조곤 쾅쾅 치는건 아니잖아요?..하긴 굴드가 좀 빠르긴 하죠...그래도 한음 한음 완벽하게 표현했는데. 빠르게도 못치면서 다 뭉개고 악상깨는 누구보다는 백번 낮다고 생각함.

[cjsdn1717]

그래서 굴드가 음악평론가들한테 평가가 극과 극으로 나뉘는걸 모르나? 그리고 너가 말한 빠르게도 못치면서 다 뭉개고 악상깨는 애가 누구를 의미하는지도 모르겠고.. 그리고 쪽팔린다 병신아 한글이나 제대로 써라 낮다냐? ㅉㅉ.. 병신들 답도 안나온다.. 그렇게 곡해석이라는 이름 하에 다 제멋대로 칠거면 콩나물 대가리 그려진 오선지만 놓고 치지 뭐하러 악보놓고 치나

[Ricky17Y]

smart video with the photos

that's stormy

[quintos34]

Sounds really great to me. Best version I ever heard.. All this talk about what Beethoven did or didn't want, 'right or wrong tempi', puhh

Either you like this interpretation or you don't, simple.

[kiitoob]

i agree!!

[huutueml]

I love it. Thank you for posting.

[DanSandwich]

While most of you disagree with the fast tempo and Violent Dynamics, Did any of you stop to think that the word 'Tempest' means a violent windstorm, esp. one with rain, hail, or snow.

[Marklar0]

The title "Tempest" was not given to this piece by beethoven himself...and was drawn from a possible inspiration of shakespeare's play of the same name, rather than a storm

(I do like gould's interpretation though)

[phillykid162]

Although it worked with K310, it doesn't work with this piece. I prefer more traditional (slower) interpretations.

[rob2011r]

This piece works perfectly at this tempo. The reason you prefer the slower interpretation is because you heard the slower one first and now you this that it's 'supposed to be played slower.'

[stephent14]

It does not work perfectly at this tempo, and has nothing to do with whether someone heard "the slower one" first. Beethoven marked the movement Allegretto, which means moderately fast--generally between Andante and Allegro. He is playing it Presto (faster than Allegro), which is not even in the ballpark of Beethoven's indication.

[stephent14]

This piece does not work perfectly at this tempo, and it has nothing to do with whether someone heard "the slower version" first. Beethoven marked the movement Allegretto, which means moderately fast--generally between Andante and Allegro. He is playing it Presto, which is not even in the ballpark with Beethoven's own indication.

[stephent14]

sorry for the double post. :)

[Norbeone]

Yes, he marked it Allegretto, which is the approximate tempo that the vast majority of performers perform it at. Therefore Gould admirably decided to give us something different. Whether you think it works or not is entirely your own, entitled, opinion; but you can be sure that Gould himself felt it worked (for him), and that's what matters.

[penguinbreath]

Mr. Gould's interpretation works for me. Beethoven's sonatas when played too fast, often sound muddy. This is not the case here.

[Aff01000001]

So true! Gould's the only one I heard wich is capable of such. VERY unique.

[fourfives89]

@stephent14 Just because Beethoven marked it t a slower tempo, does not mean it doesn't work just as well at a higher one.

[zinutile]

As usual, Glenn Gould plays fast just to play fast. He does this with about any score, playing it anywhere from 20-50% too fast just to show off his great technique. I'm starting to hate his interpretations right now. He should completely abandon the romantic repertoire and keep on playing bach where he excels. BORING BORING BORING interpretation.

[DanSandwich]

Well I think Glenn was the greatest pianist who ever lived! Any slower and this piece would sound just like someone practicing it at their home. It would be even more boring for him to play Bach all his life! A little variation WOULD be needed...

[EM0M0F0]

you know hes dead right? lmao........

[DanSandwich]

of course I do lol....

[EM0M0F0]

that was meant for the other guy :)

[jero13595]

INteresting!

[kiitoob]

it does make sense to play it fast,stormy way...tempest...

[ecossaizie]

beautiful,

[AnarchicRage]

Splendido! Grazie infinite... ;-)

[singsinsing]

heh, in some video I said Gould's interpretation of Tempest is the best one I've ever heard, well, it seems I have some other Gould recording then :]. well, this is nice too.

[vindikation]

Thanks!