Johannes Brahms - Rhapsody in G minor Op.79 No.2 - GLENN GOULD

[earwasel2]

Glenn Gould is a very robotic pianist, meaning he plays everything as is, without much expression. Somehow, he used this approach to make excellent Bach recordings. However, interpretting Romantic music, such as Brahms, like this makes it sound very mechanical.

If I were to play this for my teacher the way Gould plays it here, my teacher would demand that I play it again, but play it correctly the second time.

[frimoussevigousse]

Le tempo ne permet pas d'apporter suffisamment d'agitation. Mais Gould donne à certains passages* un calme que certains interprètes oublient de donner à Brahms.

*1:30 et 2:45, entre autres

[rsundare]

Love this piece - and have heard so many renderings including Argerich. This one is pretty much the best, IMO. He exposes every nuance, and makes it sound simple. Wonderful! I cannot hear this version enough.

[TedinNY]

Sorry, but IMHO this is what happens when you just play the notes without understanding the music. Based on this, one would be justified in saying that Gould did not understand Brahms.

[EMPERORMIKI]

@TedinNY aside from just "playing the notes" of a score written by a dead composer what really can a performer do aside from regurgitating past practice I suppose to appease your expectations in terms of "understanding the music"?

[TedinNY]

@EMPERORMIKI

To answer requires more space than available here. Gould is playing it almost as if composed by Bach. Baroque not romantic.

I.M.O. this piece should stir the listener's passions. It's a RHAPSODY for crying out loud!

Were you stirred listening to this pleasant reading?

You may or may not like RICHTER's version. But listening to the difference will at least show what I mean.

[EMPERORMIKI]

@TedinNY again this moronic opinion that what Gould plays somehow becomes "Bach" or "Baroque" even if the music is by Brahms or Chopin ... funny thing is i don't see any of these assclowns accusing him of turning Berg into Bach.

Can you explain why you feel this way? No one ever has and when asked usually spew off a bunch of BS about how things "sound" and not much more than that.

Personally I find this recording to be very stirring ... esp. how he brings out lines that no one else does

[TedinNY]

@EMPERORMIKI

I took the time and trouble to reply to your comment. Taste is individual. One can "like" or "dislike" something and this not up for discussion.

I gave you an example of a different interpretation by way of clarification that should have been self-explanatory. The difference in style is enormous.

However, now that you have chosen to debase this exchange with insults. I will no longer answer you since you have proved to be unworthy of my attention, Emperor or not.

[EMPERORMIKI]

@TedinNY oh thats why you can't answer ... kk I get it.

When you understand that there is no definitive way to play any music you will see how silly your claim.

All you're saying is that Goulds interpretation is different than what is considered a standard approach to Brahms ... but what does that have to do with Bach?

I can answer that I think--some monkey whos been told that Gould can only play Bach flung around some crap that he plays everything like bach and monkey see monkey do

[Marsell2000]

terrible! like a 2-year-old playing. this piece needs movement!

[angustherule]

THIS SHIT IS THE MAD NOTES SON!!!

[Monxiful]

Gould es el más grande interpretando a Bach... pero lo siento, con Brahms no acierta.

[DanKreiger]

gould hated the romantics

[minasgekos]

@DanKreiger hated? now that's exaggerated... He loved Wagner, wasn't Richard a romantic?

[DanKreiger]

@minasgekos - ur right, hate is a strong word. however, i have read many times that he really did not like chopin. he also spoke out against schumann, liszt, brahms, and romantic music in general, but hate is maybe too strong; he was highly critical of mozart as well, but mozart was not a romantic composer. gould was all about precision, and he had very strong/controversial opinions, despite his genius. im in a rush though, so i gotta run, i'll check more later, i used to remember this stuff :)

[minasgekos]

@DanKreiger Gould had strong opinions, that's true. That was his nature, and his genius earned him the right to be that way. But that certainly doesn't mean he didn't enjoy playing the composers you mention. And as far as I know he recorded works of most of them.

[DanKreiger]

@minasgekos i agree with you - years ago i read his biography by one of his closest friends for 25 yrs...peter ostwald - anyways - everything you said is right... gould was also conflicted, just like the composers...but he had a general adversion towards romanticism and mozart's later works in particular - he's a complex guy i suppose - some people suggest that the qualities of brahms'/beethoven's music that gould objected about were qualities that could be witnessed in gould's own personality

[pianogrll]

It sounds like he's playing to a metronome. Check out Martha Argerich's interpretation for a beautiful interpretation of this piece.

[justice0006]

Should have more shaping. But I can admit, G. Gould is loyal to the manuscript. The beginning can have more music. Like a slight crescendo?

[deviantrake]

You should listen to the version by Julius Katchen, also on my homepage, it's my personal favourite.