Glenn Gould - Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D-major (OFFICIAL)

Glenn Gould talks about the influence and architecture of Bach’s music and his own philosophy of classical music. Afterwards he performs Johann Sebastian Bach’s „Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major BWV 1050“ playing on a harpsipiano.
00:00 Introduction
02:10 I Allegro
13:33 II Affettuoso
19:22 III Allegro

[@robbyburns5822]

"For Bach, it wasn't finality that mattered in music, it was simply the joyous essence of being" wow, just wow

[@elizabethlinsay9193]

"The joyous essence of being" through God. When I listen to Bach, I feel as if I am touching God's hands through Glen Gould's fingers.

[@jmaupin34]

💯 % accurate.

[@PedroCucuchucho]

Para alabanza de Dios y regocijo de los hombres.

[@zacariaspedraza1293]

@@PedroCucuchucho that's beautiful

[@stuntmusicgameshow311]

This is now my philosophy in life. I’m not here to die, but to live...where is my joyous essence...come joyous essence we must frolic together!

[@nadinelandry7092]

Glenn Gould ist out of this world. Magic.

[@mercoid]

This was the kind of content you could expect to see on television on a pretty regular basis at the time. Now look.

[@tokorothhh]

Degeneration. We should go back to the roots and find true beauty and god.

[@ericdovigi7927]

Yeah, this and Green Acres and the Jetsons on your three channels. Now look: you can watch it, as well as anything else Glenn Gould ever recorded, on KZbin, whenever you want.

[@josephadams2378]

@@ericdovigi7927 I think the point was that ordinary, everyday people were exposed to great music on a regular basis back then, not that it's less available now. I'm grateful that it is more available now, but still lament that so many people grow up without ever hearing it.

[@steveweiser2792]

@@ericdovigi7927 Heyy whats wrong with Green Acres? ..I would like both classical music and the Jetsons..or how about Zsa Zsa Gabor playing Liszt?

[@GStopcow]

now you can find it on youtube at your leisure, and construct the porgramming you want, Like Gould predicted we could eventually do.

[@HowardTse]

So, is it a harpsichord or a piano Gould: *Yes*

[@pianosbloxworld4460]

Also Gould: *What, it had to be either?*

[@claranimmer7349]

It may be a piano turned into a harpsicord. The one that Bach played was not available.

[@mohammadoghbaie2436]

Listening to him talk is as much enjoyable as listening to him playing the piano!

[@skykiss12]

coz he really knows what he's talking about.

[@albertopa58]

Such a brilliant artist. Agreed he was a joy to listen too. Such a shame he died before his time.

[@DavidSmith-ki2we]

@@albertopa58 definitely agree... Geniuses never seem to live long. I was kid when died n didn't know who he was back then but as a pianist myself, I love his music.

[@philg4116]

Gould was brilliant, but the fact that he had to be physically emasculated is totally understandable.

[@debrucey]

@@philg4116wtf does that mean?

[@marijane8665]

Gould’s performance is astounding! I could watch this daily and never tire of it. For those of you that want to focus on his humming/singing along or sweating at the end...what is wrong with you? Are you not listening to the genius that is Gould? You are missing the best part!! I’m not!

[@francoisdelmar3]

Sing it Sister! I totally agree! GG was the best...imho of course and 2 each his own...

[@oldzisty5451]

9:40 - 13:00 is easily my favorite moment in music. You think the melody is going to resolve - but it doesn't. Instead, Bach builds the tension over and over again, deconstructing the melody through different methods until it becomes like a fractal. When that section does finally resolve, the melody sounds totally different - more complete, more fulfilling. It's hard to describe, but it makes every part of my body vibrate every time I listen to it.

[@thereyougoagain1280]

I keep coming back to this performance for that in particular, Gould’s execution is perfect and the resolution of some 5 minutes of rising tension gives me chills every time.

[@ruyperini]

I wonder if Gould didn't have a piano, but a harpsichord to play. He would be very frustrated. Bach on the piano is much better than on the harpsichord.

[@soaringvulture]

@@ruyperini But he's using a prepared piano here, with the hammers modified to change the tone to something closer to a harpsichord. So apparently Gould thought that something other than a normal piano sound was appropriate for this work. I think it sounds great.

[@fmoll2509]

Я выпадаю из реальности, когда слушаю Гленна Гульда. Удивительный человек! Благодарю тебя, Гленн, за упоительные лекции и небесную музыку.

[@williammcdowell3718]

For me No 5 is a conversation between three instruments each with it's story to tell joyous and sorrowful, but ultimately joined together in harmony speaking with one voice.

[@jmaupin34]

That’s exactly how I interpret it 😊

[@not2tees]

The CBC indulged Glenn considerably, and we have to thank them for this!

[@dianaodell3502]

I’m madly in love with music, Bach and most of all my heart sings with and for Glenn Gould.

[@EttorealbertoGelli-vr6sz]

Beautifull words Diana!!!

[@Iamcwinge1234]

There are so many deceptive moments in that cadenza the real surprise is when the orchestra actually returns. Bach was a genius.

[@patriciap6519]

There will always be a critic, usually the root problem being ..... envy

[@mbart]

@@patriciap6519 I am afraid that you probably did not exactly understand what is said by lamc... I think he is talking about the surprises in the music, that the listeners do not expect. But maybe I am wrong

[@robinblick9375]

The resolution of the cadenza and return to the main theme is truly heroic. It out-Beethovens Beethoven's Fifth.

[@user-ok2ii9jt3z]

This is obviously one of the greatest concerti ever written, especially the magnificent cadenza in the First Movement which is just breath-taking. Thank you very much for sharing this priceless gem.

[@grindingthegearsofalltides4504]

How can Gould be this great, and down to earth? he never brags about his playing he rarely even mentiones his own genius its truly a delight because i hate people that brag all the time.

[@RMunchSondergaard]

True genius preoccupies and fills itself only with the object of the love. Never with itself.

[@aceofspace6843]

For years I've wanted to know what it would sound like to hear Gould play this. Look at his face during the cadenza, especially around 11:30. His mind is no longer on this planet. He's in another world. Perhaps he's simultaneously in heaven, with the composer himself in the audience.

[@soaringvulture]

Yes, I can hear Bach right there. Not in the audience but at the keyboard. Gould has allowed the composer to take over.

[@jbloodwo]

Sadily Gould when he gets that in sync with what he is playing could result in people misinterpreting Glenn Gould gifs as nsfw in teams chat

[@fazec0ld802]

@@jbloodwo💀💀 every piano that Glenn Gould took a seat at ended up needing a cigarette by the time he was gone

[@RalphFishervyr]

I love the deliberate tempo. He never had show that he had unsurpassable technique. Whilst others have to show how fast they can play Gould never had to worry about that.

[@joangarcia-alsina2932]

Bach's introduction to this concert literally says. "À une Traversiere, une violino principale, une violino e una Viola in Ripieno, Violoncello, Violone e Cembalo Concertato". This curious mixture of Frenchified Italian introduces us to the first cembalo concert in history, since until then this instrument had only been used as a companion bass. How smart is GG!: Very good introduction showing that if he played Bach so well it was because he knew very well what he played. To notice some mismatch at the beginning of the allegro by the ripieno violins, but all venial sins are justly pardoned when the rest are so excellent.

[@B.Pilgrim]

For Bach, it wasn't le petit mort, it was simply the joyous essence of being.

[@marichristian1072]

@Chad Grant: Yes! Completely orgasmic.

[@jj963963jj]

GG loves and ejoys every note of music, a legend and a genius.

[@MichaelBrueckner]

GG lived music and he added music to life. Great Canadian!

[@nicolassayada9982]

That gyroscopic movement that he’s doing while playing Bach! I have felt that playing Bach! I know exactly what that feels like, it’s gyroscopic! I love you Glenn Gould FOREVER!

[@philg4116]

He was great, but he had to be destroyed, and rightfully so.

[@nedrobinson7490]

Yes! It’s the koru; the unwinding; Fibonaci’s spiral; the fractal, spiraling expansion of the universe itself! Something higher of which we can not know but of which we all “know”, deeper than speech or even thought forms themselves. It is the essence of all that was, that is, and that ever will be 💛🙏🕉

[@exequielchuaqui5968]

@@nedrobinson7490 cállate hippie qlo

[@magdalenacalderon2197]

My father, a total melomaniac since age 3, used to tell an anecdote he'd read somewhere where Haydn was asked who was greater, Bach or Haendel. Haydn would've answered he could not dare make such a comparison being both monumentally great and him being just a humble composer. However he added "I can answer you as a Christian: "When God wants to communicate with humanity he chooses Haendel". "When he wants to experience pure bliss he listens to Bach". I personally agree with Haydn! My dearest father passed away 7 years ago and I have only recently been able to listen to classical music again without becoming a total emotional wreck.

[@beachcomber4141]

The joyous essence of being.....

[@marijane8665]

I’ve watched this video countless times and just realized what brings me back over and over....it’s the cadenza in the first movement! You can listen to other magnificent performances but the cadenza goes unmatched in my opinion. Gould is just my hero!

[@rickdynes]

Find the Igor Kipnis recording of #5 on KZbin...He makes quite the argument that the candenza should be more dramatically focused, driving and alert to opportunities to increase intensity... which is an argument one could make (rightly or wrongly) in choosing Charles Rosen's Beethoven opus 109 over Gould's

[@marijane8665]

@@rickdynes Thank you, Rick! I’ll definitely check out your suggestions. Mj

[@ronaldwoodaman5028]

Richter's performance is of comparable virtuosity. Every other recording I have heard of cadenza shows broad variation in tempo and pausing for effect. Richter believed that Baroque music was played with far more disciplined tempos. You could be beat a metronome to this piece - right through cadenza! Gould is far closer in interpretation to what Richter does than other performances on the web.

[@MissyHolland]

It was recently called "the first rock god solo" and I think that's accurate.

[@galahadthreepwood9394]

That’s what is so good about the Wendy Carlos version. Really bearings out the amazing counterpoint and the cadenza.

[@klauskarbaumer6302]

Whatever he plays by Bach, no matter how long, Gould plays it from memory. That's unsurpassed genius.

[@soaringvulture]

As I recall, it's even more terrifying than that. Gould studied the paper sheet music until he had memorized it. Only then did he play it on the piano. I don't think that human beings can do this. But Gould could.

[@dmadrisan]

@@soaringvulture It was also Karl Gieseking's way of learning a partition. See the book "Gieseking Leimer Piano Technique"

[@soaringvulture]

@@dmadrisan I'm surprised that this is a known method of learning a piece. And it's Walter Gieseking, who was a great pianist.

[@fazec0ld802]

@@soaringvultureUnbelievable, right? Gould’s idea of studying a piece was “read the score and play it mentally until you’re able to sit down and nail the entire thing.” How I imagine Beethoven’s mind must have operated once his hearing went.

[@albertopa58]

Absolutely brilliant in both his playing and his intellect.

[@bobjones-bt9bh]

he burst onto the scene, already a legend...other all-time greats said they wouldn't play Bach because of him. A shooting star, burnt so bright...RIP

[@enriquebarajas6758]

I searched "brandenburg concerto no. 5 not too fast" and youtube offers Glenn Gould!! Wonderful not too fast, not flashy interpretation!!

[@charlotterose6724]

He does a slower one, on piano. Better sound quality. Hard to find sometimes, but it's here on youtube.

[@jpknijff]

Look for Furtwängler also, different esthetic obviously, but still, more musicality in his little finger than...

[@skykiss12]

For Bach it wasn't finality that really mattered in Music, not really, it was simply the joyous essence of being---------a CHILD OF GOD.

[@lvbdevinelove2329]

I love every word that comes out Glenn Gould. Before he even plays, I’m already in a trance .

[@williamlyne4120]

Glenn Gould expelled himself in Bach's music and gave us incomparable art of himself in 49 years.

[@vvanderer]

excelled, even %^)

[@jmaupin34]

Omg Gould playing my favorite Bach piece 😭😭

[@charlotterose6724]

There is a recording of him playing the Brandenburg on a piano....taken from a radio performance, I think.

[@charlotterose6724]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pITIk5uod9CJl68 Found it. The first movement is much slower.

[@jmaupin34]

@@charlotterose6724 thank you for sharing that! 😊 it’s wonderful ❤️❤️

[@mcbgmteddy5150]

One of the great pianists in the history of this country, always loved his music, his interpretation is so unique, genius.

[@jb47vintage]

IMO one of the great pianists in the history of this planet. What he does to Beethoven's Emperor concerto is celestial.

[@junglekuratz]

This was an amazing performance by Glenn Gould and all by memory. This man was a musical genius.

[@marijane8665]

Yes, indeed.

[@ThisTrainIsLost]

I’ve always had the suspicion that Gould didn’t simply play Bach, he was channeling Bach.

[@ateliermailart3371]

As Gould explain, Bach purpose was “the joyest essence of being” 🌞

[@philg4116]

Gould was exceptional in that he could channel Bach through his doodlebug, that is until he lost it in a turkey carving accident.

[@ateliermailart3371]

@@philg4116 could you explain to me what is this turkey carving accident? Please? I am not aware of, thank you 👍

[@davidpetter6756]

You are absolutely right.

[@jmaupin34]

I could spend the rest of my life listening to 9:03 to 12:59 over and over 😌🥰

[@dgcfpcd]

that solo is amazing

[@antoniavignera2339]

Ascoltare il concerto n.5 di Bach eseguito così si rimane affascinati e si desidererebbe non finisse mai !!!

[@hercalexopoulos3647]

if you have complex problems u hate this man, but if you are just a bit smart you become obsessed with him. Every frame of a video, every picture, every word given from this genius to us mortals is a blessing!

[@DrTWG]

You're easily pleased it would seem . That kind of thinking is pathological imho .

[@dariopinto1284]

9:24, harpsipiano solo.

[@marijane8665]

From this point all the way to the end of movement (13:00 or so) is just breathtaking ...and all from memory! I don’t want to see the rest of the orchestra or even Gould’s face. I just want to see his fingers!

[@ephemeraforever4580]

Hot damn! That cadenza. 9:54. Makes me want to leap into the air!

[@gaborkovacs]

the best cadenza of this masterpiece ever performed - simply unbeatable. wish the sound quality was a bit better those days...

[@windowsmizu416]

Recording quality was good back then, hear a vinyl from the 60's. Gould deserves audio and video restorations alike!

[@danielpirani2228]

I held my breath while he was playing it.... mesmerizing

[@GStopcow]

I love how one can listen to Gould singing to himself...

[@galeritaelenora]

He's singing to me!

[@fmoll2509]

Yes, Glenn, I agree with you - It's a joyus essence of being! 🥰 Hallelujah!

[@pepevaladez8096]

Playing Bach is before and after Maestro Gould ! He is a watershed ! Marvelous ! Thanks a lot for sharing this jewel !

[@Ham_1982]

Gould captured the essence of Bach musical wonders

[@ingemayodon5128]

Für mich ist Glenn Gould der beste Bach Interpret auf dem Klavier, der jemals gelebt hat und leben wird. Er ist einfach sagenhaft. Vielen Dank.

[@fmoll2509]

Золотые слова! 💛

[@kouroshz]

The words are as exquisite as the music!

[@iamstillthinking]

The restrained tempo is what sets the good pianist from the excellent. Crystal clear and every note is perfectly synchronized. Too many recordings I hear are muddied with excessively hastened playing.

[@irodama]

i always love adore his trills, he plays them like no one else.

[@ChamMansour]

One feels like his ornaments, as well, are part of the notation, so meticulously blended into the music as they are! I never listen to any of Bach’s piano interpreters other that Gould.

[@hercalexopoulos3647]

it's unbelievable how a genius like him didn't ever understood that ... he was a fenomenal genius

[@Eric-jo8uh]

Thank heavens we have recordings!👍👍👏👏

[@beckr11]

With this performance, one could call this the "Hammer of the Gods".

[@user-gs7td2wi4p]

Это фантастически эмоциональный гений! Сам себе дережирует! А как передаёт нам музыку великих ! Обожаю. Бриллиант в мире мастеров!

[@anahitalboyajyan3703]

👍👍👍

[@simonaperez1475]

ДИрИжирует

[@renatedelucia4985]

Both, Glenn Gould and also Jacqueline Du Pre died too early. They had been great musical interpreters, very special ! 😷

[@Jimwiz48]

And Ginette Neveu and Michael Rabin to name a few.

[@pwhornat]

"...the joyous essence of being."

[@simonbeech7430]

The solo in the first movement is really amazing. I've watched it so many times and it's always beautiful to watch. I only just realised this time that his head nods towards the end are to bring the orchestra in at the right time.

[@Platypus2583]

Bach plus Gould. Magnificent.

[@davereich8719]

Son of a gun. It's true what they say... He really can make a piano sound like a harpsichord!

[@claranimmer7349]

This makes me feel so happy. What a genius he was!

[@user-em6gu1sg5o]

Великий музыкант, который нетолько играет великого Баха , но и проговаривает каждую ноту Гения.👍👍👍

[@simonbeech7430]

Pure brilliance. A very great man.

[@luisconceicao1]

The most beautiful interpretation of all time. Thanks Gould and the ones who make this recording possible. Regards

[@Jantsenpr777]

You should listen to Perahia's.

[@lolamagnanini6653]

Bach and gould.heart and soul

[@MultiProximus]

First of all , Listening to this performance I perceive a correlation of the whole music as an specific entity of Bach himself. Greatest and expanding harmonic in a galaxy of myriad of galaxies that are in the universe. His music is sublime achieved the highest peak of human consciousness. Bach remains non-dual composer ever in this world .

[@teresaalmeida1511]

Etrit b

[@valarinan7723]

lol

[@Robin-bk2lm]

Western.

[@silversurfer512]

Brilliant. Another world heritage documentary. Thank you for sharing this.

[@fmoll2509]

"Невротическое фортепьяно, вообразившее себя клавикордом!" - это восхитительно. Образность речи Гленна +100 к представлению. Непревзойденный Гленнушка Гульд, блаженный наш! Я только что прослушала этот концерт с Карлом Рихтером и быстренько вернулась к Гульду. Без вариантов. Лучший❤.

[@-the-light]

Unbelievably beautiful.

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

One of our most famous Canadians 🍁🌲🐌🦫🛶

[@fmoll2509]

Вы пробовали ездить на работу на велосипеде? А под теплым летним дождем? А под 5 бранденбургский концерт? Очень рекомендую. Simply the joyeus essence of being! Этот концерт - жемчужина. Все музыканты великолепны, а Гленнушка Гульд главный герой. После Баха, конечно. Благодарю! 🥰.

[@davidfraser2946]

For all the GG-plays-too-fast people, he plays this at quite a restrained pace compared to other recordings on youtube. (Not saying he doesn't interpret things too fast from time to time. But he's not just about playing everything crazy fast.)

[@JohannaCTjia]

When you hear this glorious music.... I only want to listen. Great musicians. All of them.

[@drpangloss6725]

Can one imagine life without Bach, Glen Gould or Karl Richter….???

[@legendbach]

This is by far the best recording I've ever heard of this concerto. Superb!

[@samroth4118]

@Craig Johnson Nah best is Karl Munchinger in this concerto

[@douglasdickerson5184]

Amazing

[@hughnortham8411]

What a huge improvement is the Steinway continuo over the harpsichord. Gould does the same with a performance of the cantata BWV 54, also on KZbin.

[@torontoBluejays87]

This is incredible!

[@xantochroi]

absolutely beautiful this is majestic above modern day people level of comprehension

[@silverbrahmapaolino9528]

L' avrei ascoltato per ore, perchè Gould era anche un grandissimo oratore

[@blackcoffee7903]

19:21 until the end. He gives it everything he's got...

[@justindawson5930]

This is a really freakin great performance, one of the best I’ve ever seen ❤️

[@brigittetischer402]

Its the same for me 👏🙏

[@CARLOSTORRES-yp2ub]

Awesome, nice.❤

[@blackcoffee7903]

This is astounding.

[@apb64]

Это можно слушать бесконечно!..

[@user-ec2iz2tt5x]

Was Brandenburg Concerto such exciting tune like this? Incredible.

[@irenel.3913]

Yes! All six of them!

[@onewhogetsbread9975]

Especially the 2nd movement of Brandenburg concerto 3

[@Alessandro_da_Rimini]

super cadenza here in the best version with harpsipiano

[@perfectblue8443]

I defy any other piano performers of our time to talk with such brilliance and relevance.

[@rosemarysmyth739]

He brings such beautiful sounds from the piano!!

[@raquelmartina400]

Bravo, bravisimo!!!!!

[@juanpablocelis5785]

Cuando escuchas esta sublime interpretación, olvidas que está tocada en un harpsipiano ¿podríamos decir que se trata de un triple concierto? Violin, Flauta, clavecin y continuo.

[@fredericchopin7538]

Wonderful!

[@user-vo1gx6xm8r]

Легендарный Глен Гульд ! Обожаю !

[@7Katherine1]

This is wonderful.

[@DoctorLexus-4President]

Unbelievable. Wow!!!

[@Rosangela161]

Another wonderful performance! Thank you.

[@antoninogianquinto7473]

What a piano he chose to make the potion! A very sofisticated ingredient

[@anitaong88]

A beautiful ensemble, love it!!

[@cs2kn]

I been waiting the end of this talk for a lot of years, it feels just too good to finally watch it. (:

[@mercoid]

Cristian Barrientos Montoya ...I never thought I’d see it. I am grateful.

[@stelun56]

A question for those purists who harp on about restricting all renditions of Baroque music to the harpsichord. What would Bach have chosen to express his genius if he had been given the choice to utilise the pianoforte?

[@DangerRussDayZ6533]

He certainly would have used a pianoforte, but for some reason his works just sounds so good on a harpsichord.

[@anahitalboyajyan3703]

GENIUS 🎹🎹🎹🎶🎶🎶👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@valeriastar5142]

Such a wonderful performance!!!