Bob Dubois ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>Thomas Holm wrote:
>
>>Tomorrow Sunday 26:e it's Bach day in the European classical radio
>>stations.  They are going to send music and programs about Bach all
>>day long.  It's going to be interesting.
>
>It was really interesting, except one thing: the Goldberg Variationen
>were performed by Glenn Gould.  He's playing very well, I have to agree,
>but it's very irritating he always singing the pieces.  When I hear him
>play, I always turn off the radio for a while, I think he's the perfect
>example of showing now respect at all for the composer!

Tut, tut Bob, insufficient research!  Gould was well aware of his
crooning and that (some) people found it annoying.  He tried to stop, but
concentrating on that prevented him from playing well.  I'll live with the
singing and I'm sure GG implied no lack of respect at all.

Icidentally, he's not the only crooner: Toscanini did it, Beecham would
shout and yell at the orchestra, Pollini sings, I even noticed oncem
listening via headphones to his Schubert D960, that Clifford Curzon was
guilty.

Barbirolli was a grunter par excellence without realising it.  During a
playback of his legendary ELgar Cello Concerto with Jacqueline du Pre, he
suddenly demanded to know who was sining off key on the recording.  He took
some considerable persuasion that it was his own voice..

Deryk Barker
[log in to unmask]