There are a lot of great performances of this sonata on RUclips videos, but Gould does his thing here, and makes this great music come alive as only he could. God, I so love his playing, and I so love Haydn!
This is a great performance, as are most of Gould's Haydn recordings and performances. It is like blowing the dust off of an old manuscript which has been sitting around unopened for two centuries and allowing us to hear the actual notes, in a contrapuntal framework, a revelatory presentation. Often standard performances of Haydn and Mozart obscure the important left-hand material, but both of these composers emerged from an era of polyphony, we need to hear that. We rarely do, and Gould deserves our gratitude for revealing the proper context of these works.
@@phoebelinden9602 I agree with this comment- sometimes all you need is some humor and crisp sonorities- I look to Bach (French Suites, English Suites, Partitas) Mozart, Haydn and early Beethoven for these crisp sonorities by Glenn.
A music theory prof of mine would say of the musical jokes of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven: that the jokes of Haydn were very clever and witty, those of Mozart were like "*slap* har dee har harrr!" and that Beethoven's jokes simply "aren't that funny."
He has his opinion. For me, Beethoven knows how to be really funny when he wants to. Try the last movement (Rondo: Grazioso) of his piano sonata No. 2 with Richard Goode for a nice example.
@@Yaradkafin Also try also the 8th Symphony with 2nd "Malzel" metronome movement and the 4th movement with its unpredictable off beat timpani (tuned in octaves) strokes.
Here Gould shows why he was from a different world when it came to putting himself into the music. I love all Haydn's piano works by just about any decent performer. But this performance just jumps out, like the Wisconsin Badgers Jump around. Bravo for the nth time.
Haydn is one of my favourite composer, and Gould is one of my favourite pianists as well. But I find this interpretation mechanical and almost "midi" sounding like. Sure it's clean and crispy, but it lacks emotion and depth.
@Mark Ansoncartwright Well, it depends. He (Gould) was a quirk guy and pianist so some of his interpretations are mind blowing and some aren't. I Don't like his Mozart, Haydn, and most of Beethoven (except for the 32 Variations on a theme in C minor). His Chopin was ludicrous, but his Brahms was out of this world. Everyone likes his Bach I Do, but not all of it. I used to love GG more years ago. Sure he was extremely original as a pianist and as a person too. I remember that when I was in my teens I used to play Bach in a Gould way. Very staccato, very odd in phrasing and dynamic. My teacher wasn't happy, She said to me "You can't play JSB like that, you should play like this...". She was right in a sort of way.
@Mark Ansoncartwright There’s some truth to that. I first heard him on a variety record playing the prelude and fugue in c minor from WTC I. I thought he sounded like an alien or machine but I was hooked. I’d never heard of him and looked him up in the set of encyclopedias at school. Love his recordings of Haydn
Only two pianists have such clarity in the left hard. Gould and Sokolov. Here is an example of Sokolov's similar technique. ruclips.net/video/iwwCWeRjZak/видео.html
In terms of dexterity and clarity the playing is flawless, however in terms of expressiveness (2nd mvt) this is oddly detached and colourless. Having been critical of this performance I am otherwise usually mesmerised by Gould's unique genius, especially with Bach.
There are things I like about this performance, other things I don't care for. But Gould was certainly one of a kind. His style is a bit, excessively mechanical. I don't get his 2nd movement much at all. It's like taking a real romance and making it for dolls not people. Anyway.
when it is mechanical excellence and precision, all can be overlooked, for bringing out every individual note, and revealing the whole texture of the piece.
Caricatures are supposed to be humorous, and so was much of Haydn's music, so this is rather fitting, isn't it? Or perhaps I misunderstood the intent of your comment.
Contrast with this horror a piece of Schubert by Horowitz, the musicality of which Gould could not aspire to in a milliion years - ruclips.net/video/FxhbAGwEYGQ/видео.html
@@roscrates Gould was a modernist-romantic player of great eccentricity. For this reason, one can kind find these this type of performance, as well as more "romantic" performances in his discography. Try his recordings of Brahms' Op.117 or Sibelius..even his strange take on Chopin's Op.58 has a strangely effective slow movement...his Bach of course explores the full range from modernist to neoclassical or neo- romantic. Sometimes things are so bizarre that we can have a "postmodern" experience. This range is why Gould is still talked about.. Horowitz also could be a highly interventionist interpreter: his 1982 reading of Chopin's Polonaise Fantasy is easily as offensive as what Gould does here haha!
but Gould was precise, easily heard, rhythmically excellent, and tonally gorgeous! In other words, above the skill level of any other pianist. Of any era.
@@ProfDrislane True; but Horowitz was all about showmanship, not musical excellence. Gould held music to the highest standards, bringing new ideas beyond the average performing artist. No schlocky pedalling to death of a piece, only bright, clean music.
There are a lot of great performances of this sonata on RUclips videos, but Gould does his thing here, and makes this great music come alive as only he could. God, I so love his playing, and I so love Haydn!
One of the greatest Haydn interpreters. He captures Haydn's wit and warmth.
This is a great performance, as are most of Gould's Haydn recordings and performances. It is like blowing the dust off of an old manuscript which has been sitting around unopened for two centuries and allowing us to hear the actual notes, in a contrapuntal framework, a revelatory presentation. Often standard performances of Haydn and Mozart obscure the important left-hand material, but both of these composers emerged from an era of polyphony, we need to hear that. We rarely do, and Gould deserves our gratitude for revealing the proper context of these works.
agreed
Speaking of :left-hand material" ...just what is going on in the picture with his left hand?!
I had forgotten he wore gloves.
The first movement is sooo good
0:00 1st movement
5:31 2nd movement
11:03 3rd movement
unimaginable perfection.
Великий Гульд.Слов нет.GROSSARTIG!
The world of his own.
I wish he had played more of Haydn's sonatas, especially the minor-key pieces.
Gould said that he wanted to record all of the Haydn sonatas. He liked only a few of the Mozart sonatas.
Great and clean, nothing wrong at all. I hear all sounds crisp and clean😂😂😂👊
Yes! Not every musical piece needs or wants "emotional depth" -- some music is a lark. Gould reigns.
@@phoebelinden9602 I agree with this comment- sometimes all you need is some humor and crisp sonorities- I look to Bach (French Suites, English Suites, Partitas) Mozart, Haydn and early Beethoven for these crisp sonorities by Glenn.
Magical
A witty and engaging interpretation.
A music theory prof of mine would say of the musical jokes of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven: that the jokes of Haydn were very clever and witty, those of Mozart were like "*slap* har dee har harrr!" and that Beethoven's jokes simply "aren't that funny."
Well, he's not wrong. But Mozart and especially Beethoven were going for something different than jokes.
He has his opinion. For me, Beethoven knows how to be really funny when he wants to. Try the last movement (Rondo: Grazioso) of his piano sonata No. 2 with Richard Goode for a nice example.
@@Yaradkafin Also try also the 8th Symphony with 2nd "Malzel" metronome movement and the 4th movement with its unpredictable off beat timpani (tuned in octaves) strokes.
Here Gould shows why he was from a different world when it came to putting himself into the music. I love all Haydn's piano works by just about any decent performer. But this performance just jumps out, like the Wisconsin Badgers Jump around. Bravo for the nth time.
グールドらしい演奏ですね
Спасибо большое! С любовью из России!!
Гленн, единственный и неповторимый
Unique.
How does Gould get this level of articulation with those wool gloves on?!
Lovely
grazie
Holy shit, and all without moving a single finger
Haydn is one of my favourite composer, and Gould is one of my favourite pianists as well. But I find this interpretation mechanical and almost "midi" sounding like. Sure it's clean and crispy, but it lacks emotion and depth.
@Mark Ansoncartwright
Well, it depends. He (Gould) was a quirk guy and pianist so some of his interpretations are mind blowing and some aren't. I Don't like his Mozart, Haydn, and most of Beethoven (except for the 32 Variations on a theme in C minor). His Chopin was ludicrous, but his Brahms was out of this world. Everyone likes his Bach
I Do, but not all of it. I used to love GG more years ago. Sure he was extremely original as a pianist and as a person too. I remember that when I was in my teens I used to play Bach in a Gould way. Very staccato, very odd in phrasing and dynamic. My teacher wasn't happy, She said to me "You can't play JSB like that, you should play like this...". She was right in a sort of way.
P.s. sorry for the long comment.
P.p.s. Brendel is one of my favourite.
@Mark Ansoncartwright There’s some truth to that. I first heard him on a variety record playing the prelude and fugue in c minor from WTC I. I thought he sounded like an alien or machine but I was hooked. I’d never heard of him and looked him up in the set of encyclopedias at school. Love his recordings of Haydn
I once played Bach with staccatos and typical Glenn attitude and my piano teacher was like “oh you’ve been listening to Glenn Gould haven’t you”
Only two pianists have such clarity in the left hard. Gould and Sokolov. Here is an example of Sokolov's similar technique. ruclips.net/video/iwwCWeRjZak/видео.html
5:21
In terms of dexterity and clarity the playing is flawless, however in terms of expressiveness (2nd mvt) this is oddly detached and colourless. Having been critical of this performance I am otherwise usually mesmerised by Gould's unique genius, especially with Bach.
The analytical approach works for me in the 1st and 3rd movement. I don’t care for the 2nd. I miss expression and flow.
There are things I like about this performance, other things I don't care for. But Gould was certainly one of a kind. His style is a bit, excessively mechanical. I don't get his 2nd movement much at all. It's like taking a real romance and making it for dolls not people. Anyway.
i don t think is the playing of Gould to mechanical is the sonata made in this style Haydn and Gould is above Haydn
when it is mechanical excellence and precision, all can be overlooked, for bringing out every individual note, and revealing the whole texture of the piece.
But what i have seen one video when Gould go ,for to register one composition, with her chair on hands like one poor young; he was on NYC.
I like more the Haydn of RIchter
an exemplary lesson in how to turn the piano into an instrument of torture!
What a joke... He plays a caricature of Haydn.
Caricatures are supposed to be humorous, and so was much of Haydn's music, so this is rather fitting, isn't it? Or perhaps I misunderstood the intent of your comment.
@@null3707 Amateurs...
ugly, heavy handed, mechanical and metronomic
Contrast with this horror a piece of Schubert by Horowitz, the musicality of which Gould could not aspire to in a milliion years - ruclips.net/video/FxhbAGwEYGQ/видео.html
@@roscrates Gould was a modernist-romantic player of great eccentricity. For this reason, one can kind find these this type of performance, as well as more "romantic" performances in his discography. Try his recordings of Brahms' Op.117 or Sibelius..even his strange take on Chopin's Op.58 has a strangely effective slow movement...his Bach of course explores the full range from modernist to neoclassical or neo- romantic. Sometimes things are so bizarre that we can have a "postmodern" experience. This range is why Gould is still talked about.. Horowitz also could be a highly interventionist interpreter: his 1982 reading of Chopin's Polonaise Fantasy is easily as offensive as what Gould does here haha!
but Gould was precise, easily heard, rhythmically excellent, and tonally gorgeous! In other words, above the skill level of any other pianist. Of any era.
@@ProfDrislane True; but Horowitz was all about showmanship, not musical excellence. Gould held music to the highest standards, bringing new ideas beyond the average performing artist. No schlocky pedalling to death of a piece, only bright, clean music.