SpaceCollective: The Purpose of Art

SpaceCollective: The Purpose of Art http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:07:19 +0000 http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art en New comment on: The Purpose of Art http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:07:19 +0000 syncopath 6146 <a href="http://spacecollective.org/NicodemusDemetrius">Nicodemus Demetrius</a> wrote: Great links everyone! I am a fan of Glenn Gould's interpretations, however I think it should be mentioned that the "modern classical" deduction that Gould contradicts the composers' intentions is itself a huge contradiction of those composer's interpretive intentions. Anecdotes abound in which classical performers and composers explicitly say that music should be performed in a unique, free, and improvisatory manner. Even Mozart says that his own solo parts should contain more notes than are written, dictated by the taste and genius of the performers. This would be anaethema by today's "classical" standards. Mozart prescribed that his music should be played that way, yet anyone playing extra notes in Mozart (beyond a mistaken slip) in Carnegie Hall would be scoffed to shame by critics, and would certainly struggle in making a career. I read once also that someone played Beethoven's "Appasionata" sonata for the composer, and he remarked, "Not how I would play it, but excellent." Musical style at that time was also very much colored by regional and national differences much more significantly than at present. Orchestral music has suffered much as well, especially in regards to <a href="http://www.standingstones.com/stringvib.html" target="_blank">vibrato</a>. How I would love to hear Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis" without string and especially vocal vibrato, yet my imagination will likely be the only stage performing that one... It is made to be played that way, it is implicitly obvious from the music, and moreover, I am pretty certain that at the time, vibrato was strictly forbidden in non-secular music. Gould was too extravagant for my taste at times, though. But sometimes simplicity and soul incarnate... http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art New comment on: The Purpose of Art http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:36:53 +0000 syncopath 6146 <a href="http://spacecollective.org/syncopath">syncopath</a> wrote: thanks for your remark shmlegshmlin. do you know where could i see the 32 short films? Gould is known as a unique interpreter that often did the opposite of what the composer have asked for. No doubt his style is a rigorous plunge into the music he had entangled himself with, a place where there is no audience no composer and hopefully no-one ... -) Gould did it his way .. and the magic i believe lies in the rare combination of daring to find your unique self expression together with keeping your mind open flexible and critically attentive to the Universe. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbLw2Mfa2NA" target="_blank">Here </a>you may have a rare humouristic glance at Gould introducing music to children. enjoy. http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art New comment on: The Purpose of Art http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:38:21 +0000 syncopath 6146 <a href="http://spacecollective.org/shmlegshmlin">shmlegshmlin</a> wrote: have you seen 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould? for me, the most fascinating segment was Gould vs. Gould, wherein Gould expounds his belief that true art can only exist in absence of (or at least obliviousness to) an audience. it's been a really influential idea on me. http://spacecollective.org/syncopath/6146/The-Purpose-of-Art