Fascinating. Gould struggles with middle period Beethoven but, with late Beethoven, he realises that he can relate to the great composer’s arcane compositional research and especially to his contrapuntal engagement with older styles (especially Bach) and hey presto Gould can play it marvellously! It has its eccentricities (of course) but it’s so intelligent and clear and revelatory. The impeccability of his fast playing is astounding!

I sometimes have the feeling that Gould is the only one who plays the "Prestissimo" as intended by Beethoven. When Beethoven writes "Prestissimo", he means it.

Good tidings Mr. Glenn Gould where ever you are.

Too fast !!!!!!

An interesting analysis but what a weird rushed, shallow performance. That was really disappointing

He should never have released this Performance

Fantastic! Forget about all the book learning and premeditated rules. In the end so often the latter group of players do not possess essential feelings and humanity boiling down to anemic.results. Gould is a giant who all musicians should revere! He was also a lovely person. Eric Shumsky

I'm more convinced than ever that Gould doesn't understand Beethoven at all.

one of the most rapid versions of this Sonata I'm aware of, even comparing to Richter who had serious speed. He must have had to fit the recording in within the time frame of the TV segment or something, after allotting for his speech. regardless, it's a really dramatic reading. Gould is the greatest ever because he was so transformative. Nobody is polling pianists' opinions of, say, Argerich, Cortot, or Rubenstein in the 2020s like they do still with Gould. I find with nearly everything he played, I will compare his version to other greats'. If I hear a version of a piece by a great, I will try to find Gould's version of it if it exists. His reading of any piece is *always* worth comparison whereas I cannot say that about a lot of others'.

This is so strange a performance, nothing like Schnabel's or Pollini's.

Sacrilege really, original for the sake of originality

GG, sometimes quirky, idiosyncratic….but always worth a careful listen. Formidable technique. Well-equipped to demonstrate his ideas and theories.

I am speechless!! I have never heard this recording and ashamed to admit that. No one has or probably ever will play this masterpiece with such glory, energy, perfection, and tenderness all in one moment of time. Grateful this is posted. Thank you so much!

grazie di nuovo

I love his performance, but it's like quantum physics that he is explaining. 🙂

As intellectually brilliant and genius as he is and as absolutely thorough his analysis of this piece is, I have serious doubt that Beethoven was thinking of all of that when composing this music. I’m sure he was aware of what he was doing harmonically of course and the departure from traditional form was obviously intentionally. But to dissect a piece of music that, at its essence, is founded in human emotion, tragedy, struggle, and doubt, is like depriving it of its inspiration and soul and leaving only the “mathematical principles” behind. However beautiful they may be to analyze and see, such a molecular breaking down of a profoundly human piece of music just feels horribly cold and devoid of feeling.

This is the fastest performance of this sonata I have ever heard, and because I have the urtext version, I know there is just no way this is what Beethoven had in mind ... however, to the extent that Beethoven in his later years looked back so much toward Bach, the clarity of the counterpoint in the voices here that Mr. Gould brings out is remarkable ... I will know what to listen better for in more reasonable tempi for this!

The explanation is excellent, but I think he takes the opening too quickly. Claudio Arrau always allowed space between the notes, Gould does not. The whole think sounds rushed.

15:45

I tempi sono sempre quelli non canonici

On this piece he articulates the various voices /melodies better than any other pianist I have heard. Very Impressive!!

I can just imagine Glenn and Ludwig having colorful conversations in Heaven

🎉😢 3:37

❤

I never understand why Gould is so praised - I find his interpretation of this masterwork cold and emotionless !

The most articulate musician I've ever heard and that's just in his speech

🔥🔥🔥🔥

I don't think he has ever heard of a metronome bad performance.

I think Pollini is much better, paying attention to much more details but still keeping the rhythm much better.

Wish somone would have asked him what the point of this ridiculous tempo is? Absolutley awful rushed interpretation and the thing is gould knew what he was doing . I.e. this was intentional iconoclastic playing . He never truly respected anyone other than bach.

11:47 .. aria .. Beethoven ..

Isn't it wonderful to have someone who knows what was going on in Beethoven's mind. What would we do without Gleen?

Glenn seems barely on top of the more difficult passages in this sonata. His usual clarity of the voices goes missing. Probably the early manifestation of the musculoskeletal problems that helped end his concert career. The way he stands up is hardly typical of a 32 year old.

Absolutely dreadful performance - the worst interpretation I've heard. He completely missed the beauty, intention and nuance of this extraordinary piece of music. But it's interesting that another recording he made of this is totally different. Curious. Did he get better or worse?

So sad someone can understand of the logic but can’t get and transmit beauty and pleasure of it because of that fast tempo, lack of singing tone and contrasts ..

grazie ancora

11:45 😇

He plays Beethoven like Bach. I don't like his interpretation of romantic composers.

nice to hear him using so much pedal.

Shut up and play yer piano already. Nobody understands what you are saying anyway, Glenn. Gould is God.

A planet of smart and talented people who are thoughtful. I want in.

The tonic, then comes the tonic followed by the diminished seventh, etc, etc, etc…LOL…

Too rushed, why?!

The Boss.

6:49 start

Sauf le respect qu'on doit à ce grand interprète, le premier mouvement est joué, à mon avis, beaucoup trop vite et de façon trop mécanique. Comparez à Claudio Arrau... Mieux dans le second qui se prête mieux à un interprétation un peu sèche. Définitivement Glenn Gould n'est pas un grand beethovénien.

Because they are hard of hearing. Marc

Ein unfassbares Wunder ist und bleibt er, selbst ein Superlative kommt ihm nicht gerecht. Sein früher Tod ist so wie er unfassbar, eines Tages werden wir ihn wiedersehen in einer Welt der Ewigkeit und hier gehört er hin in Gottes neue Welt...

9:41

🪑🎹 *Glenn Gould Plays Beethoven* 🎹🪑 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109 *(1820)* 00:00 *Remarks by Glenn Gould* 06:46 I. Vivace ma non troppo- Adagio espressivo 09:41 II. Prestissimo 11:46 III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung. Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo Glenn Gould, piano *Originally broadcast June 3, 1964 by the CBC*