Glenn Gould's Siberian Thaw: The man whose music gave many Russians hope again.

Good evening, ATS!

I discovered this interesting article earlier in the day, about how art/artists can subvert totalitarian regimes:

www.firstthings.com...

In the article is the touching story of piano virtuoso Glenn Gould. He visited post-revolutionary Russia on a diplomatic mission and performed a concert that, years later, several people remembered and counted as one of the more meaningful experiences of their life. Here is an excerpt from the article:

In 1957, a 24-year-old Canadian virtuoso pianist named Glenn Gould visited the Soviet Union on an official mission of cultural exchange. Gould’s presence made such an impact among the Russians who heard him play that, fifty years later, Feyginberg is able to interview people for whom the encounter with Gould is still one of the most significant events of their life. A theatre director named Roman Viktyuk describes a packed house in Leningrad, waiting for Gould to arrive: "The place was full of people. Everyone here was expecting a miracle." That expectation was already subversive¯miracles weren’t supposed to be necessary after the Revolution. Vladimir Tropp, a pianist, adds: "Gould was the first to reveal this world to us. The Berlin Wall existed in music as well, and perhaps Gould was one of those who were breaking that wall." Another fan confesses that "we started to live by each recording of Gould." The Russians who heard him play began to love Gould more than the Revolution.

I do believe that music has a power that can break down walls.

His music is indeed lush and beautifully evocative. Take a rest my friends and give it a listen. I hope you enjoy, and have a great night.

He was really good. For all his playing talent though he was equally deficient socially. A real mental case.

a reply to: zosimov

FREEBIRD!!!

Just kidding.

Gould was convinced that the institution of the public concert was not only an anachronism, but also a "force of evil", leading to his retirement from concert performance. He argued that public performance devolved into a sort of competition, with a non-empathetic audience (musically and otherwise) mostly attendant to the possibility of the performer erring or not meeting critical expectation. This doctrine he set forth, only half in jest, in "GPAADAK", the Gould Plan for the Abolition of Applause and Demonstrations of All Kinds.
wikipedia

I can see how the live concert, ability for the Soviets to see a person performing, was important, as opposed to merely hearing a recording.

In many ways I can understand Gould's giving up on concert performance for recording.

Gould had a pronounced aversion to what he termed a "hedonistic" approach to the piano repertoire, performance, and music generally. For Gould, "hedonism" in this sense denoted a superficial theatricality, something to which he felt Mozart, for example, became increasingly susceptible later in his career. He associated this drift towards hedonism with the emergence of a cult of showmanship and gratuitous virtuosity on the concert platform in the 19th century and later. The institution of the public concert, he felt, degenerated into the "blood sport" with which he struggled, and which he ultimately rejected.

I met these girls in a bar on the outskirts of Tacoma, and shot some darts with one of them. The lyricist had explained the serious social issues being addressed in their songs. I shouldn't have to apologize for using "girls" because their music is known as Grrrrrl Grunge.

I picked this particular video because it does show scenes of what's known as moshing. I'm not a concert goer usually, but when they were going to play in Seattle, I caught a ride and went in. A really big place with lots and lots of people.

I worked my way up close to the stage so as to wave to them. I didn't know what a mosh pit was. I found out rather quickly when they started to play. After the frightening experience of retrieving my glasses and hat from the floor, I worked my way back to the rear of the venue with my back to the wall, wondering, "Are these people responding to the issues or to something else?"

I very much prefer darts and beer and discussion to moshing.

originally posted by: pthena
a reply to: zosimov

FREEBIRD!!!

Just kidding.

LOL, thanks for the laugh!

Gould was convinced that the institution of the public concert was not only an anachronism, but also a "force of evil", leading to his retirement from concert performance. He argued that public performance devolved into a sort of competition, with a non-empathetic audience (musically and otherwise) mostly attendant to the possibility of the performer erring or not meeting critical expectation. This doctrine he set forth, only half in jest, in "GPAADAK", the Gould Plan for the Abolition of Applause and Demonstrations of All Kinds.
wikipedia

I can see how the live concert, ability for the Soviets to see a person performing, was important, as opposed to merely hearing a recording.

In many ways I can understand Gould's giving up on concert performance for recording.

Gould had a pronounced aversion to what he termed a "hedonistic" approach to the piano repertoire, performance, and music generally. For Gould, "hedonism" in this sense denoted a superficial theatricality, something to which he felt Mozart, for example, became increasingly susceptible later in his career. He associated this drift towards hedonism with the emergence of a cult of showmanship and gratuitous virtuosity on the concert platform in the 19th century and later. The institution of the public concert, he felt, degenerated into the "blood sport" with which he struggled, and which he ultimately rejected.

Well this is so interesting, and representative of the hearbreaking space in between all of us. That a concert could bear so much meaning for the audience and so be burdensome for the performer is incredible, don't you think?

Yes, there is very little difference between a mosh pit and "blood sport"

Thanks again for the added info/insight. You should get credit for co-authoring the thread!

To answer your final question, my guess is the latter.. "something else".

Now I'm wondering whether music is intellectually perceived, or if its mainly emotive (even the most intelligently written lyrics or mathematical compositions).