Just scanned the posts on Gould's humming. I guess the only
noncontrovesial thing you can say about Gould is that he is controversial.

Who are the greatest noisemakers? Gould, Serkin (yes I have heard him
humming), Toscanini, Barbirolli too--you can hear him in places in Madama
Butterfly. Casals groaned rather than hummed. His groaning was the only
thing that caught my roommate's dog's attention back in '64 (Beethoven,
ARchduke Trio, Casals-Istomin-Schneider). Any other important candidates?
A few have been mentioned in previous posts, I know...

Oh, and I'll weigh in by saying I don't think it shows disrespect at all,
but rather involvement. Definitely not trying to call one's attention to
oneself. No one with a musical ear, leastways the performer, could call it
beautiful.

Chris Bonds