Appassionata
Wed, Sep 21 2011, 4:23PM
I have a Spotify list of the Appassionata, and Glenn Gould plays the first set in 15:00 whereas Serebriakov plays it in 8:25. That is almost half the time.
The average seems to be around 10:00.
Gould was not a Beethoven lover, but where would he have found reason to play it so slow?
Wed, Oct 5 2011, 1:32AM
#2
RE: Appassionata
If Gould didn't like something he'd attempt to show you why in a recording, instead of just avoiding it. He was a bit of a prat in that respect.
Sat, Nov 5 2011, 9:54PM
#3
RE: Appassionata
Over a year ago I heard the Serebriakov version on Spotify and really liked it so bought the CD. Having heard the first two movements again tonight I wondered why I did but then I heard the third movement - THAT's why I bought it!! A glorious furious mess of music - not only exciting but from what I can gather free of errors. I urge all to hear it and compare with, say, Kempff.
We can (and possibly have) to respect a spirit and an artist of the calibre of Gould, even when he goes too far or astray, but, we have the right to simply discard what we seem (or it is) "far-fetched".
There is an abundance of marvellous Apassionata that vary in tempi, dynamics, virtuosity, brilliance, etc.; so?.. Simply, enjoy the great pianists, even with their mistakes, caprices, eccentricities and so on. When the authority speaks, we simply listen...(and we get what might fit in our perception).
Parla