Achim Breiling <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>As I like very much the music of the Norwegian composer Fartein Valen
>(1887-1952, check out his symphonic output on the Simax label!) I picked
>up this disc in the Sony Glen Gould edition which features contemporary
>piano works, among these Valens 2nd piano sonata op. 38.  As I understand
>from the booklet Gould was not too fond of contemporary composers and
>indeed I would not come up with Glen Gould when thinking of contemporary
>(or 20th century) piano music performers.

Not really true; as anyone has heard his Hindemith or 2nd Viennese
School performances will attest.  The problem - as is usually the case
when one talks about Glenn G - is understanding how he defined contemporary
composers (basically: the new music of his childhood; & remember: Gould
remained convinced that R.Strauss was a major composer for the piano,
somewhat at odds with everyone else in the world).  Although by inclination
nonnationalistic, he also remained open to the recording - & occasional
performance - of music by Canadian-based composers.

If you hear GG's radio documentary on Casals, he explicitly criticises the
great cellist for not performing enough contemporary music.  Ironically,
though, Casals probably played as much contemporary music as Gould; only
his taste was as different to the general dogma as Gould's was....

All the best,
Robert Clements <[log in to unmask]>