Customer Reviews

Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: French Suites, Overture

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gould's style in Bach makes no compromises. His fingering is mainly detached and non-legato, there is no use of the sustaining pedal, a tempo once set is adhered to rigidly without rubato, the volume of tone is rarely varied within any given piece, and he occasionally adopts speeds that are unusually fast or unusually slow. I find it pointless to compare him with other interpreters in Bach - we should know what to expect by now and whether we like Bach done like this or not. Myself, I find Gould's Bach compulsive. Bach is the most `absolute' musician of all the great masters, and his infinite eloquence can make itself heard without any overtly `expressive' idiom, although he can deploy that to some effect too when he sees fit. Gould displays to us the composer's `abstract' profile more or less exclusively, and just as the composer's unique greatness shines out unaccountably in this view, so does the greatness of this interpreter. What Gould has in spades is individuality. It's possible to point out the obvious such as his unique clarity and evenness of fingerwork, just as it's possible to offer platitudinous comment on the distinction of the composer's counterpoint. All that is true but superficial. The real greatness of both is much harder to define, but for me it makes a spellbinding combination.

The last two French suites were recorded in early 1971, before Gould's piano suffered damage in transit. The other four date from 1972 and 1973 after the mishap, and the liner note has some interesting comments on the matter from Gould himself. It seems that the instrument's action became heavier consequent on the repairs, and Gould chose to avoid fast tempi rather than let the heavier touch force him into a more legato delivery. The difference is very perceptible to the listener. The tone in suites 1-4 is less rich than in 5 and 6, and the earlier suites feature no rocketing speeds such as Gould takes in the courante of #6. One matter that intrigues me is which parts of the French Overture were done before the accident and which after - honesty compels me to say that so far I haven't been able to tell.

The recording is perfectly adequate if perhaps a bit over-bright - I found I got a more agreeable tone by using a slightly lower volume-setting than I normally listen to. The liner-note is interesting if slightly silly in some ways - we are given a solemn analysis of Gould's supposed interest in various composers as evinced by what he chose to record, and the text is reinforced with a parade of bar-charts. I take Gould's Bach-style as read and I don't wish to act as an advocate for it. For me it's just a matter of whether he performs well or badly within the given parameters of his approach, and I have never yet heard a Bach rendering from him that would come in the latter category. The total playing-time only just tops what could have been accommodated on a single disc, but as this enables us to hear the French Overture as well as the suites I have no problem with it. I have no problem with anything here at all.

Though I am a Glenn Gould fan, I actually prefer the French Suites performed by Gavrilov. Gould's performance is very much worth getting, for a different view of the piece. But the real find on these discs is the so-called overture in the French Style. It is actually more like a partita. For BWV 831 alone, this disc is worthwhile.

Glen Gould's recordings are always a little bit "special"(!!) - good or bad they are always worth a listen and MOST of the time are stunning, thoughtful, profound and genuinely inspirational with a sublime beauty and obsessive musicality that stays with you for life (no mean feat!!!) requiring many, MANY return listenings. I am a BIG fan of GG but know the shortcomings (including unecessary jarring articulation, occasional sheer confusion in the listeners' ear, misrepresented(?!) contrapunctual thinking, humming etc etc we know it all.....) BUT I have to say that the recording of the Overture in the French Style BWV 831 is probably the most profound, spine-tingling, stunning, addictive, "quasi improvisando" enigmatic, rhapsodic piece of solo instrument playing in the available CD catalogue. If there was a Mona Lisa for piano (or indeed any other instrument-playing THIS IS IT!! Can't say more here. You've got to hear it. Dessert Island Disc No. 1!!!!!!!!! BeijingFox@hotmail.com

If you aren't swayed by traditional performance caveats, Gould does not disappoint. He does not seek to offer a showy rendition of Bach's French Suites, but rather an interpretive collaboration between the composer and Gould. As you replay the work, like many other Gould recordings, you hear something new on each listening, and are drawn more deeply into the soul of the style that Gould hears. The closing 'Overture in the French Style' (Partita) seems to highlight and provide a satisfying closure to the album.

Noone played Bach like Gould. Everyone knows this. However, even within an ouevre marked by unique interpretations, these French Suites are an especially confronting set. The Gould brashness is there as always in parts, but there is also deep contemplation and an even deeper sadness. The Sarabandes are each played with a dolefulness that is underscored by a calm steadiness in the bass, the result of which is disturbing to any of the expectations someone might bring to a listening of the pieces. This is Bach in the utter coldness of the nuclear age. A hard listen, but well worth the effort.

Like most of Glenn Gould's music, he certainly thinks outside the box when he prepares a recording. That being said, his Bach recordings tend to be more "traditional" than his recordings of other composers do.

The French suites have the typical Gould flair... his utmost in technical and metrical precision, a fantastic attention to detail in regards to rubato and counterpoint, and crystal clear sound in the fingers. It's not his most revolutionary recording, but it's Gould playing Bach, and really, how can you go wrong?

This recording is like a great movie... you never know what is coming around the corner!

A previous reviewer suggested that the French Overture alone is worth the price of the recording, or something to that effect. It's an interesting comment because you are, in a way, being charged for an additional CD. Before Sony Classical took over CBS Records, the complete French Suites played by Glenn Gould appeared on a single CD. They now appear on two CDs with the French Overture thrown in to fill out the second disc. If you are thinking of buying this recording, be warned that Sony is hoping to pull the wool over your eyes with this rather transparent maneuver.

For what it's worth, Glenn Gould's performance is terrific.

Gould fanatics: BWV 831 "Overture In The French Manner" is now available on the remastered Toccatas 2 - 70th Anniversary Edition.

There is a separate remastered Gould disc of the French Suites. Thus no need to pick this up just for the "French Manner" if you already have Gould's French suites.

Gould is in my opinion not as convincing on this set as he is on most of his other Bach work. I prefer Schiff's recording and Gavrilov is equal to Gould in emotion, although not in vigor.

When I listen to my favourite Gould albums I can't imagine that any other approach would be as satisfying. Unfortunately, this is not one of those albums, and as I listen to Gould the iterpretations of MacGreggor, Richter, and Pires often run through my head as a reminder of what could have been. I enjoy the warmth of the MacGreggor recording, but I must say that the last suite on the disc won't play any more since the disc is exceptionally long (over 79 minutes) and appears to be easily damaged (some owners of my CD player - NAD C540 - have complained that its error correction is not the best, so this may be part of the problem). Pires recording of the second French suite is very enjoyable, as are the Richter recordings on Philips. In my mind any of these 3 are better than the Gould ... although this recording is better than Hewitt and Schiff. The French Overture is probably the best of the disc. While it is very good, I personally think that Sviatoslav Richter's recording (one of Philips' Authorised Recordings) is to be prefered. Richter captures a sense of anticipation and lyricism in the opening overture that is simply incomprable. Gould's recording is probably better than that of Angela Hewitt (flashes of inspiration, but the interpretations struck me as cold and distant), and I can honestly say that I don't really see the genius of Turek's Bach interpretationsh, and that goes for the overture, too.