Glenn Gould plays Bach Partita No. 6

[iwannaberock]

1:43 : Am I dreaming or the piano in't tune properly ? anyway, i love gould

[NoemiSaray]

MAESTRO!!!! UN VIRTUOSO TOTAL.

[heslop4]

Gould was not mediocre. I totally disagree with that!

He was really good and was bold enough to dare to interpret something and try to play it in a way in which he was comfortable.

What separates Gould from most is not only his impeccable technique, but his clarity. A lot of pianist play this very well but few come close to the clarity of Gould when it comes on to Bach!

[erikthev1king]

All hail the Glenn Gould....the true god of men!!!

[Ben0Bertels]

@Francis1930 pitty that you're not able to discuss with me. But ok, see you in hell.

[abo100ful]

Gould is Gold!!!!!!!!11

[pasajero9]

Perfect.

[oreas27]

I read somewhere, I can't remember but anyways his dad made that chair for him so he always used it even after the cushion wore off. And it was probably low cause his dad made it for him when he was younger maybe?

[joedotarch]

@oreas27 From Wikipedia: "This famous chair was designed so that Gould could sit very low at the keyboard, with the object of pulling down on the keys rather than striking them from above – a central technical idea of his teacher, Alberto Guerrero."

[AnaMTrenchiBottazzi]

Sorry I cannot agree with anyone.

[ReaIly]

He sits like that because his mother used to whimp him in the back when he made a mistake.

[joyleemorr]

@ReaIly

And where is THAT written?

joyleemorr

[youresomodest]

@ReaIly That's nonsense.

[ViolinJeroen]

he was and will be the ultimate musician in human history. He has stolen my heart for ever and inspired me in my own playing.

[BluesSkillz]

is he sitting inside the matrix?

[bromerboy]

this video where i buy ? i need see en mi tv this video complete

[chopper84a]

he does sit very low...clearly works for him though!

[grouchocatman]

I never thought Gould used the pedal on Bach, but I can clearly see the dampers going up (albeit very briefly) whenever the strings are shown. Can any pianists out there enlighten me on his use of the pedal?

[ThinkingGreyMusic]

It is god

[anaximenis1951]

@ThinkingGreyMusic

YES, INDEED...!!! GOD IS CALLING US THROUGH HIM........

[Darksephiroth901]

He can play whatever way he likes. HE can. 

[askylitdrivex]

two people died from the shockingly beautiful noise, hit their head on the mouse, and accidentally clicked the dislike button

[Twjdfa]

Parece que el primer tema se intercambia mas tarde se mezcla con otro haciendo un metamorfosis del primero un nuevo tema surge y nace mas dramatico un dolor tocadlo sentidlo es perfecto!!!!,pero cuando crees que acaba te impresiona con una nueva nota y se complica sin duda es un maematico infalible...une y deshune armonicamente....

[dialecticon]

He has one of the most beautiful techniques, his hands glide effortlessly, his articulation, his use of arm weight is masterly. Tatiana Nikolaeva, another great Bach interpreter, has a very different style, but one of great plasticity and effectiveness too. Studying Bach does good things to your technique.

[dialecticon]

He has one of the most beautiful techniques, his hands glide effortlessly, his articulation, his use of arm weight is masterly. Tatiana Nikolaeva, another great Bach interpreter, has a very different style, but one of great plasticity and effectiveness too.

[Stymfalide]

That man's Mozart is appalling... but his Bach is truly out of this world

[outsider950]

genius. R.I.P.

[Iamrunescapemember]

Wow, where was he playing?

Is that a room? I don´t see any door, it´s all white.

[chrish12345]

@Iamrunescapemember he on a cloud either that or 'the white room'

[alimaksoud1]

Gould is the Grand Master of Bach's piano pieces

May his soul rest in peace

[KABRIS1]

I think people that make comments that are rude and offensive should have their You Tube account revoked.

[thelisterinegame]

@KABRIS1 My peen + Your Ringpiece = Perfection realised on this earth.

[KABRIS1]

@thelisterinegame Thanks for taking a serious forum and using it as a launching pad for your low down humor. Best of luck to you anyway. Cheers

[thelisterinegame]

@KABRIS1

YouTube comments are "a serious forum"?

As if your original post was of any worth.

But nonetheless, many thanks for your response - you win, definitely.

Best of luck to you anyway. Cheers

[Pilusa2006]

I can't understand Bach on the piano. It was not meant to be like that.

[pila406]

:O!!!!

Godlike! of-course it is, after all it is Glenn Gould - the King of Bach's performers.

[chopin7tristesse]

at 0:35. the fourth damper looks to be a bit off positioned perhaps not effectively damping one string. could be off timing for the other two strings as well.

[megagnathos]

@chopin7tristesse Gould might have wanted it that way. Don't want it too perfect you know.

[chopin7tristesse]

yeah, that must be the piano available in the TV studio.

[crogersrx]

Glen Gould actually was very picky about his piano. He found one piano which he favored for the rest of his life. It was an ~1946 Steinway CD (Concert Artist D) #318 serial #317194. It was "done" with its concert career and was being sent back to Steinway for refurb when he found it and bought it. It was quite beat up looking, but according to him, it was perfect. Reed the book "Romance on Three Legs" about his search for this piano. It's fascinating.

[chopin7tristesse]

thanks for the interesting story. I ordered a copy of the book. Where is the piano now?

[crogersrx]

@chopin7tristesse I think that the book details the National Library of Ottowa purchased the Glenn Gould's Steinway D and now keeps it as part of its cultural treasures, along with that rickety "pygmie chair" that he always totted with him to use at any performance.

If you like the "Romance on Three Legs" you should get a copy of "Grand Obsession" by Perry Knize (not sure of the spelling there). You'll learn alot about what makes a piano a great piano. It's a fantastic book.

[chopin7tristesse]

@crogersrx how do you compare Grand Obsession to The Piano Shop on the Left Bank?

[charmingemily]

what's a partita and what's a toccata?

thanks

[aomf58]

Partita is another name for suite, historically used by German composers in 17-18c, it meant a collection of European dance inspired compositions (allemande, courante, bourre, sarabnda, gigue etc.). Toccatta meant a very virtuoso piece written for keyboard. Both names are derived from Italian. Bach's Partitas sometimes are called German Suites (by analogy with his French and Italian suites).

[samoged]

A Partita is a little party one has with one's bestest friends.A Toccata (from touch) is a music event designed to display some aspect of "touching" the instrument-- usually presents as a "difficult piece to play and also often to listen to.

[jewish1972]

sounds great, but i prefer this on harps.

[TheWhiteRabbit1990]

What the hell. Wheres his singing I can't hear it.

[javierleonenriquez]

jajajajaj the unique playing of Glenn Gould was his singing. i love when he plays bach

[TomPField]

1.48 ish you can hear him

[megagnathos]

@TheWhiteRabbit1990 they had him quite down in some of his recordings.

[nunoushi1]

I absolutely love Gould's interpretation of Bach. He really understands and feels it, unlike those who play his music as a bunch of meaningless notes!

[cesmemael]

This music is way beyond "emotional" to me.  I absolutely LOVE it, and Gould makes every melody sing so incredibly beautiful.

[serjwill]

I love u Bach, I love u Glenn Gould!

[puffo3500]

Simply Wonderful!!!!!!!!!

[MasqueradingTeabag]

"Bach is an emotional composer"? What on earth does that even mean? And why is it everyone here seems to deem dynamics as the key factor of emotional expressivity? Philistines the lot of you.

[javierleonenriquez]

emotional doesn´t mean romantic. i think that with "emotional" people try to say "moving". But bach´s music is not about heart´s feelings. it´s about soul´s feelings. Much deeper, stronger and Universal

[pepitho]

@javierleonenriquez Bach's music is the Universe pillars

[pbpeex]

@javierleonenriquez

I'm with you guys

[twooffour]

@javierleonenriquez °_°

[rajahua]

@javierleonenriquez

not always )

[javierleonenriquez]

@rajahua of course not always:)

[JMHEROE]

@javierleonenriquez exactly sr. this is universal music. But unfortunately there are few individuals capable of understandig that this is the music of silence. Created to exist even with no ears to listen to it.

[kepler101]

that piano has a amazing bass sound.

[KevinR3i]

You must to Respect bach before You could be like him.

[TsurugiOni]

Well yah, it's not fair to compare Chopin and Bach because they wrote for 2 different instruments. What I meant is that Chopin could use dynamics because he had a piano, and so his music took advantage of the evolution of the keyboard. Bach lacks the emotional depth of Chopin (because he couldn't take advantage of dynamics) but is an absolute genius because he can make a solo sound like a one man symphony. Extremely intricant. My bad on the other comment, was kinda bull headed sounding.

[RedWasabii]

No just no.. Bach is one of the most emotional composers out there, even more so than Chopin. It seems your saying that Bach lacks the emotional depth because of the lack of dynamics. For the most part, pieces composed by Bach have a volume that gradually inflates in and out like a ballon. It wasn't because he couldn't take advantage of dynamics; it was simply because he usually chose not to. There are some pieces which follow a forte/piano pattern like the D major prelude from the cello suite.

[vantrifan]

yes it is still unfair to compare the men. They lived in very different times and had different intensions when writing and very different thoughts about how music should sound. Both wrote some of the most beautiful music know to man and that is all the comparision we need to make.

[thejugglenaut91]

bach is really emotional! What are you talking about? Have you heard the gouldberg variations? How does that not sound like a symphony?

[TsurugiOni]

Bach is emotional, but it's in a different way. Maybe it's cuz Romantic music is more like modern than Baroque / Classical, and so it tends to hit me more. It's hard to explain, I absolutely love them both. If I had to pick pieces to be "themes" to different aspects of my life, I'd (personally) pick Chopin 9/10 times. Bach's pieces usually remind me of High Royal Court commissions, while Chopin just seems to hit the human spirit (i know.. subjective..) Goldberg Variations. love.

[kibbson]

To each his own.

But I assure to listen to Bach's Allemande from the French Suite in Eb. Very romantic harmonies within, i think you will like it.

[twiltot]

yea I 100 percent  agree with you..

[Bach54321]

first off your term, "piano solo" is wrong because his music was written for a harpsichord. Next why compare Chopin to Bach, They are 2 completely different periods almost 100 years apart. Lets compare John Dowland solo lute works to Francisco Tarrega's solo guitar works. 2 different instruments, 2 different periods, doesnt't work

[Yellottwe]

Chopin studied Bach's music and yes there are some similarites.

[jblacktree]

Wasn't this the thinking on Bach half a century ago--or more--and didn't Gould and Pablo Cassals and many others teach even tin ears that Bach is everything? In a composer's extreme detachment and serenity lies the greatest and most everlasting emotional listener involvement.

[kepler101]

chopin's favorite composer was bach, and chopin would play only bach before concerts to prepare himself.

[TsurugiOni]

Oh Bach is absolutely amazing, on part with Chopin but in different ways. It's hard to describe, but it's basically just the Romantic quality that makes me love Chopin so much. Like, if I had a music video to my life I would play Chopin rather than Bach in most occasions. But Bach absolutely stuns me in his counterpoint, infinite melodies, originality, etc. But I wouldn't have a candlelight dinner to most of his stuff. I appreciate them both in two different ways.

[indunamike]

Agreed: Only an absolute moron would fuss about his mannerism. This guy is as close to God as anyone can get, except maybe Maxart!

[Irshkboy]

I agree hes a genius, but the greatest? I think Bach was probably the greatest musical genius.

[davecotuit]

yes, bach was!!!

[iViolin1990]

with no doubt!

[vantrifan]

The three "Bs" lol Bach, Beethoven and Brahms =) Mozart, Schubert and Chopin are great canidates too and Wagner, Rossini, Verdi, and Puccini have amazing operas. And then the works of Debbusy and Lizst come to mind too. In fact I think it would be selfish to rate anyone as the greatest because it would make people listen less to the amazing work of other composers.

[jblacktree]

Yeah, that's a great wise comment from somebody born yesterday.

[GlennGouldGG]

Who gives a fuck about his position ??!! This is the most invigorating cretive and innovative genius the world has ever known.

[nwshane]

Besides Bach himself. :P lol

[selloutasaurus]

excellent video!thanks for posting.i'll ck out your channel 2see if you have any of Gould playing Mendelsson or Schumann.5*&Fav.

[samoged]

Glenn,you must sit higher on the stool;this position could kill you

[Burningduby]

I can't believe you would be so halfwitted to criticise Glenn Gould. He was a legend and for you to even say that demonstrates that you don't even know what your talking about.

Of all concert pianists, Gould was the most successful at disregarding the specific instructions of a composer and still his performances were totally and utterly convincing. The last thing one ought to comment on is his posture.

[samoged]

yes,is he or is it: was he,a legend?

How come the guy who basically called him a monkey(peymaania)gets no comment from you?

Also your response in the second paragraph is not relevant to my observation about his terrible posture which is apparently what peymaania was alluding to in his/her comment(posture of an ape,whose brain I'd like to eat whilst he(Gould)plays the piano.

[Burningduby]

man i don't even know who glenn gould is....

HOWEVER my partner is a undergraduate 4th year studying piano at the sydney conservatorium..

" basically i think he's position looks fucked as well, My gf thinks he was a legend blah blah blah ...and i think there are to many downsides to fornicating with a Classical musician. but hey ,have a nice day

[samoged]

First lessons in piano include posture and attitude to instrument;this exhibited posture has nothing to what might be considered correct or regular posture for a pianist.

I personally prefer artists to avoid exaggerrated or caricaturistic manner which includes huming long in a monotonous drone:this can distract from the composers intension or aesthetic

[joewm1972]

I wanted to add that his mannerisms at the keyboard are much more tolerable than some virtuosi who appear to be experiencing convulsions while performing. I believe many of these to be manufactured in order to achieve a visual effect for the audience. That said, when full concentration is reached during performance, one tends to lose awareness of one's physical appearance.

[samoged]

Glen Gould was by repute affected by drugs when recording much of his work;it helped him orient in a northerly direction

[miirabilis]

The music is all that counts to me, and his eccentricities seem minor in comparison to his immense musicality. Some viewers who may have been abused by their own critics early in life may grow to have a posture fetish.

[iolleus]

lol I love how you say his name as if he could see this. got abilities to talk to dead geniuses?

[samoged]

well when dealing with this music one is surrounded by a world of musicians who dwell in eternalness

[joewm1972]

I can't believe you're criticizing his position at the keyboard. He's arguably the greatest interpreter of Bach's keyboard works the world has ever seen.

[samoged]

Ironically meant to underline the incongruity of the many contradictions of this pianists physical relationship with the instrument meanwhile producing a great sound;arguably is the correct word.Wendy Carlos really is good too and also plays these works on instruments for which they were not intended

[CSPlayerDamon]

@joewm1972 As if there is anyone else who is capable of playing Bach at that degree...

[XxbambambxX]

@joewm1972 I think you can't say he's the best...I think its individual.. Me for example, I prefer Martha but criticizing his position is absolutely ridiculous :D Because technical hes soooooooooooooo f**king brilliant there's nothing left to say :D

[Republicrat74]

@joewm1972 Gould's ecentrcity was/is legendary and in spite of it all, including how he preferred to sit at the piano, what is truly important is his unique interpretation of the music....the emotional reaction it evokes from the listener.

[crogersrx]

@samoged Gould was very eccentric. That battered old Steinway and that chopped up folding chair were his constant companions. Virtually all his recordings later in his career were on that particular piano and sitting on that crazy looking "pygmie chair" that his father adapted for him from a folding card-table chair, which adjustments for getting the exact height he wanted. He was unique.

[mankuzo52]

GENIOOOO!!!!

[shubus]

And no humming!

[audreyhsux5727]

@shubus but i like his humming! ;(

[bobandrayfan1]

The word "Amazing" doesn't even sum it up!

Brilliant in every way.

[doctorali]

He is great, his performance is outstanding