Glenn Gould - Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major op. 110 (OFFICIAL)

[@muslit]

I've listened to hundreds of pianists play this sonata. I feel Gould's is the most successful rendition of the fugue and ending.

[@bobjones-bt9bh]

were the recording of the same clarity as others' I don't believe there would be a serious argument about it- this is the best

[@danielpoulin1886]

Gould gave only two concerts in 1964, one in Chicago on March 29, the other in Los Angeles on April 10. Both recitals opened with four parts of Bach's Art of the Fugue and featured two Sonatas from 20th century composers: Krenek's Third in Chicago and Hindemith's Third in L.A. And the main work on both occasions was Beethoven's Sonata No.31. Nobody knew then that it was to be Glenn Gould's very last public performances. Another tidbit of information: Gould's recording of Beethoven's last three Sonatas was done before the coming of stereo. Gould was planning to record all 32 Sonatas and Columbia would have liked him to re-record those three Sonatas. Gould refused. He had been very annoyed at the critics who almost unanimously pounced on the subject. The New York Times was very harsh, calling "...the performances immature and inexplicable". Gould never easily admitted mistakes and he said to some of his closest friends that "...since so many critics have taken exception to my conception of late Beethoven I cannot claim that it is the most convincing recording that I have made. However, I do feel that, if only as a personal manifesto, it is the most convinced". Simply put, case closed.

[@HathaYodel]

Thank you for this informative and very helpful comment

[@trs4437]

Thank you for that info.

[@bobjones-bt9bh]

F the NY Times. They panned him because he smashed their orthodoxy and made fun of their little club's fascination with doing gymnastics on the piano.

[@andrasdehn944]

Best Version of this Sonata that exists.

[@edospeaks5123]

it's a delight and privilege to listen to Mr Gould perform. It is an equally unique privilege to listen to him speak.

[@miket851]

I'm a musician, Bass, Guitar, Drums but my biggest regret is not learning the piano. What a thrill it must be to sit down and out of nowhere it seems you can produce magical sounds. If I could play like him I think I would live in my piano. By far my favorite player and I love you tube for this kind of thing above all else. Greatness.

[@michaelj1237]

go for it :)

[@zanexiao4488]

I can listen to Glenn Gould talk and play through the entire Ring Cycle and I would not be bored for a second

[@teresaalmeida1511]

Zane Xiao yyy

[@alessandrodellacorte1737]

That would have been a nice one to watch. it's a pity he only did it privately :)

[@rosemarysmyth739]

I love this recording, the way he humanizes it with his distinctive humming during the introduction. Thank you Mr Gould for allowing me listen to such wonderful piano playing!

[@eppiehemsley6556]

Yes Rosie I too love the way he "hummernizez" along with his playing. Our own Sandie Shaw used to sing without shoes so that she could hum as she sang. Very versatile young lady .

[@fredericchopin7538]

I love you, Gould.

[@marichristian1072]

Of all of Glenn Gould's recordings, this is the one that brings me the most joy.

[@nikt7883]

His Goldberg rocording is phenomenal to me.

[@hwan1081]

14:07-14:20 who else could ever play like that? They all play that part just accent+accent+accent and bigger+bigger+bigger. Only gould played that part both musically and romantically touching our hearts like a crystal jelly.

[@91archimedes]

I assume you mean 12:10-12-20

[@JCTjia]

It is like the piano is singing at 14:10-14:20. Unbelievable beautiful. First I thought it was Gould singing.

[@zuhairbakdoud1360]

By age 10, Gould could play Book I of Bach's ''Well-Tempered Clavier.'' WOW!!!”. What do you think of that!!!

[@pianosbloxworld4460]

@@zuhairbakdoud1360 I thought they said “memorized” not played. Wait what- My self esteem is crippled now

[@eppiehemsley6556]

I know my belly goes all jelly when I hear him play.

[@lolamagnanini6653]

His speech is always so intense essential and evocative like his playing

[@scottryanjohnson5145]

You are so completely right. He has such a brilliant mind and his ability to articulate such complex ideas in such a comprehensible and compelling manner, is truly as extraordinary as was his ability to do that at the keyboard. There is no one else like him; sadly it seems, there will not ever be someone else like him....and the playing of most players today just comes up so short, even the very famous and successful mainstream pianists.

[@guilhermejjj4439]

The best video of youtube

[@АртемийСталобыть]

A genius. When you begin to listen to this over-slow beginning, you're like:" what a f...he is doing'?! Gonna switch this off now!''. But something keeps you from switching it off and after couple of minutes:'' well, ok...it may be acceptable". In the end you are completely convinced by him as always))

[@TonusFabri2024]

Gould's 1960's recording introduced me to the last three sonatas, and I still judge other performances by comparison to him. . . and try to emulate him in my own playing!

[@robert982]

His Beethoven concerto no 4, 2 mvmt, is unmatched.

[@mwhite6522]

His album of the last three Beethoven sonatas was only his second album recorded for Columbia. At the time it was considered very daring for such a young pianist to record late Beethoven piano works, and the press beat him up pretty badly for it. Gould ignores tempo indications in the variations of Op. 109 as well as playing the first movement faster and more rubato than most people were used to hearing it (he plays the movement like as if it were a long cadenza or improvisation), which many critics considered outrageous and disrespectful of the music itself. I think they're incredible and undeniably original recordings.

[@bobjones-bt9bh]

@@mwhite6522 you can like what Gould is saying or dislike it but nobody can dispute that at least he was saying something.

[@johnsocrates4496]

Incomparable magnificence!

[@matt-chan3489]

14:07 His LH is unbelievably eloquent in this part.

[@r.i.p.volodya]

ABSOUTELY WONDERFUL - SUBLIME music-making! 🎼🎵🎶

[@lolamagnanini6653]

This sonata is a mixture of joy and pain.abyss and elevation.mysteric gould who perfectly represent this contradiction

[@Ren-pn6pk]

Sometimes that's how life feels.

[@eskilwadsholt4289]

Absolutely stunning!

[@WinrichNaujoks]

Can you imagine a TV programme like this in our times? I wonder though how many viewers a programme like this would have had back then...

[@2104T34]

Glenn Gould helped me see this sonata in a new light I’ve heard it before but it wasn’t one of my favorites Was Beethoven deaf when he composed this? How is it possible to come up with something that emotional when one can’t hear?Thank you for the video

[@mishasawangwan6652]

NET MATE the vibrations ..stand next to an acoustic piano while someone is playing it, you’ll feel it. that being said, who knows how deaf he really was when he wrote this.. and i’m sure by the time he was at total loss of hearing, the level of mastery he was at made composition almost a sixth sense ..

[@maulcs]

@@mishasawangwan6652 He also had a piece of metal he'd bite on connected to the piano to use bone conduction

[@mishasawangwan6652]

maulCS yo i don’t know if your comment is sincere or not but i’ll assume it is: and as such, i can believe your statement because, myself, at the dentist when they use this ultrasonic cleaner thing on one my teeth i can quite physically ‘hear’ the intense vibrations directly in my ear (i fact it feels like my entire skull is vibrating). anyway i don’t know anatomy nor dentistry so forgive me if i use the wrong terminology.. but you get the point. cheers :)

[@marichristian1072]

@@LuluBodhi Yes. Exactly!

[@drvonkrankmeister8094]

@@LuluBodhi I'm pretty sure that's how Glenn learned scores while away from the piano, too. Amazing, that capacity.

[@edwinfirmage3775]

I wonder whether human history isn’t just a matrix in which Beethoven could exist and Glenn Gould could play him on television.

[@Memo-pg1fb]

Those days are gone and will never come back! We’ll never ever see another T.V program like that for free again!!! Nowadays is everything MONEY 💵 and MONEY 💰!!!

[@youngsun0808]

Fuga 7:40

[@samanthayork3125]

I've no real love of beethoven, but this piece is fantastic!! thank you glenn

[@davidjoseph3403]

Nice little micro lecture. Illuminating.

[@chopin0727]

自分にとって神の領域です

[@bobwebster835]

has anyone noticed the similarity between 10:15 and "Albinoni"'s Adagio?

[@guilhermejjj4439]

yes

[@ubkwerhe5469]

3:10

[@vk2nf]

Interesting little arpeggiated chords in several spots in the Arioso, not in Beethoven’s score, but possibly performance practice in Gould’s time - not jarring, but just saying

[@vk2nf]

….also, in the fugue inversion at bar 168 Beethoven instructs ‘etwas langsamer’ - a little slower - but Gould jumps headlong into a spirited presto much faster than the ‘tempo promo’ Beethoven directs at bar 174. Interesting comparison with say Andras Schiff who says just play what Beethoven put in the score without taking any liberties etc

[@Erzengel491]

Aaand that's why we don't take Glenn Gould seriously on so many issues, as entertaining as he can be. Trying to assassinate K491 is one thing, but parodying Beethoven from a Bachian point of view is so pointless. Bach is indestructible mate, there's no need to attempt to destroy his successors, you did your best with your own idol. Kinda embarrassing I'd say

[@LuluBodhi]

Your comment is embarrassing.

[@Erzengel491]

Haha, do go on.

[@bobjones-bt9bh]

methinks you do not grasp what beethoven was reaching for in these late works. everyone always comes back to bach in the end

[@Erzengel491]

@@bobjones-bt9bh Right, so you’ve managed to suggest, in a condescending tone that I find laughable and fascinating in equal measure, that I haven’t a clue about late Beethoven, works that I have listened to and that have obsessed me more than all others. It seems to me not so much controversial as a statement of the obvious to point out that Gould, while nothing short of a genius in some areas, was less reliable in other works and with other composers he didn’t rate or outright despised. The same of course applying to his views and essays on such music, which should indeed be taken with a pinch of salt, though they are never less than entertaining. It ought, "methinks', to be perfectly possible to have a sense of nuance about these matters - just as one doesn’t have to choose between Bach and Beethoven, unarguably two of the greatest masters of all time. Instead, in the space of a few short words, you’ve managed to come across as arrogant, supercilious and spuriously patronizing, all while completely missing the point. Really, have a generous round of applause 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@bobjones-bt9bh]

@@Erzengel491 In retrospect, "your comment is embarrassing" was succinct enough but I felt the need to add my own contribution to that, sufficient as it was. I don't think there is any arguabiity with regard to Bach & Beethoven being the greatest two of all-time, because they are. Gould is not trying to assassinate anything here, nor did he in any way actually despise Beethoven or try to "destroy" him. As I said, you neither grasp what Beethoven was reaching for here, your "obsession" not withstanding, nor understand Gould's perspective on it. Gould, after all, played several pieces for Beethoven's 200-year anniversary and showed up to do the Emperor on less than a day's notice and put down one of the signature versions of it. You impute malice to what are merely excessively left-brained observations by Gould.

[@drmgg]

Vocabulary is as stunning as the music

[@_PROCLUS]

3:06

[@marijane8665]

I am 72 yrs. old, a classical music lover since music appreciation class in high school, and even had a couple 33 1/3 albums of Gould performing Bach but NEVER loved him as I do today after watching countless utube videos of his performances in the late 50’s and 60’s. You miss something when you don’t actually see him performing the music. I can’t get enough and am afraid no one has come along since to replace him... I am also huge Beethoven lover and putting these two geniuses together is “heaven” on earth to me!

[@JCTjia]

I totally agree with you. I listen to GG every single day.

[@nicolasgalileo7209]

Couldn't agree with you more sir!

[@fmoll2509]

I love to listen and to look at him. No one but him. Really beloved Glenn 🥰.

[@kenbranaugh8251]

Has anyone heard the phrase " soul immersion" in reference to Gould's music. ?

[@sm0065]

I remember there was a comment saying if the fugue from hammerklavier sonata was a celebration of the piano as an instrument, this fugue is celebration of life.

[@simonpayne5408]

This man's explanations expand my musical consciousness and enrich my understanding. Thanks for posting.

[@elfugitivomusica]

Seems like he, Glenn, was an exquisite KZbinr in advance. He worked for us, his future viewers. Double gratitude to you, maestro.

[@fmoll2509]

Именно! Он старался именно для нас! Гленн Гульд - первый ютубер. В ответ и благодарность ему я стала делать shorts с его музыкой, фото и видео. Гленна Гульда в ютубе должно быть много, и о нем должны знать как можно больше пользователей. Жизнь продолжается! 🔥

[@pR-ms4cr]

god is here amongst us

[@giocosovelasco]

Alright, no one has to say it. Don't even think about it.

[@fmoll2509]

Воистину!

[@fmoll2509]

​@@giocosovelasco Alright. I just hear and feel it 😁.

[@JohannaCTjia]

The more I watch and hear the pianists of today, the more I appreciate Glenn Gould.

[@gregormenga2166]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXzXeGCvfpmsl8k

[@andrewhopkins3358]

buddy they hardly exist ... the pianists of today... the artists of today hardly exist

[@veljabgd2032]

So true!!!

[@edospeaks5123]

Every time I hear the initial part of this sonata, I have to stop whatever I do, and reflect, as if I had a sudden consciousness I had reached the edge of my life.

[@gene3344]

In 2 days, it will be 38th anniversary of his untimely departure. How I wish I could have seen & heard him in person! This performance is refreshingly subjective/personal, deeply spiritual & absolutely compelling. Thank you for posting!

[@karinturrettini5094]

Nobody but Glenn Gould! All musician deep lovers know. Read read read and practice. About to leave for Toronto.

[@fmoll2509]

Какое счастье, что у нас есть эти видео! Послушать комментарии Гленна, а потом смотреть, как он творит Музыку - тонкий драматический спектакль, и мы участники таинства.. Гленн Гульд, ты прекрасен!

[@doublenickel1000]

I'm astonished by Glenn's articulateness. You'd think he'd memorized his lines or was reading from a teleprompter in his intro to the piece, but no, it's completely off the cuff. Unbelievable, especially by today's standards. How far we've fallen.

[@jasperb7980]

Considering Glenn Gould was pretty darn insane that he even planned his TV appearances to the point that his interviewers reactions were also scripted... it's not so astonishing after all. I'd expect nothing less from a man with such strong neurotic character traits than a perfectly articulated introduction speech. Wether he memorised them is also not clear

[@davidjohn3914]

Brilliant articulation of late Beethoven’s soul both verbally and musically. Many professional pianists could play inaccurately but can anyone think of one who could approach this?

[@davidjohn3914]

Oops I meant “…. it accurately….”

[@broscosmoline]

as @jasper b suggests iin his comment on this thread, very little of gould's commentary in these CBC broadcasts was ad-libbed. I'm sure he composed and memorized his commentary, but wrote it in such a way as to make it seem breezy and conversational - at least, to himself,.

[@davidjoseph3403]

​@@jasperb7980 yep. Dude is in his head bad. But in a good way? Lol.

[@raytonhuang9230]

To me, Glenn Gould is one of the greatest pianists who ever lived.

[@dthomases1]

True, why debate it?

[@andrasdehn944]

You are absoultely right

[@Tonal.Harmony]

Also a scholar. Ill say I'm not a fan of some of his interpretations, but I definitely have respect for him. If one is at the top, he has the right to interpret as he enjoys. I love his talks!

[@dionisiocalcaterra92]

Es un espíritu humano increíble en nuestros días.

[@krazdomino4882]

Exactly

[@fmoll2509]

6:06

[@hurricane_hazel]

I love this part.

[@ZKLofiTone]

finally someone who saw it!!!!

[@ubiestinsula]

Spectacular! The Eye of God is audible and visible (!) in the final portion of this fugue. Glenn had it all. The most highly-evolved pianist of our time. Another reason to love Canada!

[@eppiehemsley6556]

Apart from the plonker President!

[@txt9710]

@@eppiehemsley6556 prime minister...

[@zuhairbakdoud1360]

Yes! You are right: Gould WAS a musical giant. Music was his language. Furthermore, l heard that Gould could speak on two telephones at the same time.

[@ivanosrin2126]

genius -- what a tragic short life .

[@edospeaks5123]

I don't where I was, neither do I know for how long. All I know is that Mr Gould started to play the last movement of the OP. 110

[@lancesteel4594]

Genius pianist and brilliant speaker, spellbinding.

[@ronl7131]

Great and historic vid..inimitable GG for all to enjoy and learn from.

[@ΕΛΙΣΑΒΕΤΧΑΤΖΗΑΛΕΞΙΑΔΗ]

We have by his recordings only a small piece of the capacity of his brilliant music mind and we are thankful for this.....

[@kamalkadi1329]

Un sommet de l'art cette musique avec cette sublime interprétation d'un pianiste exceptionnel !!!

[@JamesJoyce12]

Gould with one hand is proby greater than 99.9% of pianists with two hands

[@fmoll2509]

100 %))

[@CleverMonkeyor]

7:55 to 8:11 always brings a smile to my face. Gould has such an inspiring soul.

[@trollingwarrobots4176]

名前とアイコンがマッチしないの草

[@CleverMonkeyor]

かく 同意　 それが友人とのジョク

[@hurricane_hazel]

a pure heart

[@ericb7937]

I've listened to Gould's other versions and this is my favourite one

[@bobjones-bt9bh]

mine too. his 58 Stockholm version is very orthodox. this one he really interprets and it is ridiculously beautiful

[@srv7464]

It's a story that shows just how great Beethoven is.‼

[@williamsackelariou1860]

And how great GG is

[@nadinelandry7092]

Beethoven and Glenn Gould : what else ?🥰

[@fmoll2509]

Возвращаюсь к этой записи снова и снова, и нахожу новые для себя прекрасные моменты. Этот старомодный и как будто расстроенный рояль звучит божественно, и как будто временами плачет слезами чистой, печальной музыки. Это изумительно, неповторимо.. Это Искусство фуги Бетховена. Благодарю тебя, Гленнушка! ❤

[@ellaekaterina7414]

Как хорошо вы сказали! Очень хорошо!

[@lolamagnanini6653]

Gravity and solemnity.but with hope.the real beethoven and the spiritual glenn

[@hurricane_hazel]

3:12 Beautiful hands 5:49 Beautiful singing 8:00 Beautiful smile 8:47 Possessed arm movement. I love you, Glenn.

[@ralphkramden1741]

@8:47 possessed arm Hahahahahahsha! Love it!

[@williamsackelariou1860]

So well said

[@RO-zo8mp]

Beethovenの生きた心臓を、目の前に見せられたような名演奏。

[@dionisiocalcaterra92]

Qué grande es este hombre. Por qué no hay gente así hoy en día dominando el discurso de nuestros media?

[@ЛюдмилаСветова-и9и]

ДУША СТРАДАДАЕТ,СЕРДЦЕ ГЕНИЯ,БОЖЕСТВЕННЫЙ СЛУХ!!!

[@guilhermejjj4439]

If a woman sits next to me and listen to this with sensibility, I mary her.

[@EugeniaPreston-x2s]

I did, but I am almost 70.

[@LoraFrantz]

😂😂😂 самый подходящий возраст для брака и наслаждения музыкой Гульда)))🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@fmoll2509]

Слушаю и думаю о несчастном Бетховене, его болезнях, исследованиях ДНК, всей путанице и домыслах о его происхождении. Какая разница? Бетховен был, есть и будет. Также и Гленн Гульд был, есть и будет. Они неразлучны. И мы вместе композитор+исполнитель+слушатель = гармония ❤

[@ulisesserrano4341]

this video is pure gold

[@zuhairbakdoud1360]

Sad melody but extremely deep.

[@Hudsonmarques]

Gould, the best performance of several pieces.

[@dionisiocalcaterra92]

Algún día mucha gente reconocerá que Gould es uno de los mejores intérpretes que ha habido de Beethoven.

[@neilmedina6096]

I completely agree. I worship his Beethoven.

[@galinaprozorova7903]

И не только Бетховена.

[@drvonkrankmeister8094]

smile at 8:00

[@raymondtogtman1047]

He looks like he is in ecstasy.

[@lolamagnanini6653]

He hypnotizes my heart

[@mpw621]

Glen is like one with the music.

[@douglasdickerson5184]

Great performance.

[@KathleenMcCann-z1u]

Mesmerized by Gould.

[@user-os1wj1hi5b]

2:01

[@carmenscialla4855]

Pure artistic bliss!

[@ghirardellichocolate201]

You see the feel is different. Took me some time to realize. When you are the player there are no cuts, so probably you want to bring the listener to that level.

[@churoo4280]

gould must be youtuber pianist, if he can come back to us

[@lolamagnanini6653]

Glorious sonata.so courageous so transcendental

[@pasqualeciaccio9353]

Immenso. Pura musica eseguita

[@zuhairbakdoud1360]

What else would Gould think of but a fugue…. To Gould all music should be in fugue form.

[@WarinPartita6]

WOW​

[@sergio6357]

진짜 개잘친다... 굴드가최고야

[@dulceparra8014]

Grandioso!

[@txt9710]

Weep ye heathens !

[@claudioparrella183]

il tempo rallentato impreziosisce la sonata

[@mariacasemyr]

He is so beautiful to watch 😍

[@chislehurstbat]

and to listen to. I think I am a bit in love with him and definitely with his music. As silly as this may sound.

[@JohannaCTjia]

That is not silly.

[@marichristian1072]

This performance of the final movement of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No 31, just grabs your heart. I also plead guilty to Glenn adoration.

[@billmetc]

Ads in the middle of a movement in a classical music piece. Come on, KZbin, have some respect for us.

[@not2tees]

The movers and shakers look at you as a consumer and no consumer deserves an even break. Hardly bothering to veil the contempt these days.

[@luigiesposito3732]

Non ho parole!

[@PatriciaNassar]

❤❤❤❤ espectacular

[@НебесныйТихоход-э6й]

Потрясащие музыка и игра!!

[@charlotterose6724]

For reference, here is the official album version: Gould never ceases to recreate! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXqtdGOso6yphLM

[@galinaprozorova7903]

Разговор с богом. Гениально! Браво Гленн!!!

[@samueltenka1079]

@Glenn Gould, thanks for (re)-posting this beautiful interpretation of my favorite movement of a Beethoven Piano Sonata! I'm hoping to use this recording for a small class (though it is low-fidelity, the phrasing is gorgeous). Though my usage might be covered under Fair Use, I'd want to make sure with y'all first. Would it be okay to present the full length of movement and to record and publically post a synchronized analysis? Thanks!

[@ТигранХачатрян-в5у]

Потрясающе !!!

[@guilhermejjj4439]

If a woman seats next to me and listen to thise, I fall in love!

[@Pogouldangeliwitz]

If a woman "seats" next to me and listen to "thise", I won't even notice she's there.

[@EugeniaPreston-x2s]

She won't notice you either, don't worry.

[@bobjones-bt9bh]

have listened to probably 10 recordings of this by various of the greatest of all time. Gould is simply stunning in his use of his left hand and his rubato. Only Grimaud IMO compares for the adagio passages. Richter has a haunting sound from his performance in the 60s but Gould simply walks all over everybody in the fugue. Like it's not even close. Gould had a reservoir of technical ability that seemed without limit and his ability to speak and play these pieces as if wholly internalized is without peer. Arguably the greatest pianist ever...I'd only really entertain a debate vs Horowitz and it'd have to be split along the composers they had the most affinity toward. When I hear a performance by Gould, I inevitably start comparing other all-time greats' to his and just keep coming back to Gould.

[@truBador2]

Go Glenn!