Gould on Mozart and making some subtle points on composing, by the way

[sandalwood]

As the title says:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JauII1jCG6Q

[whitebark]

Interesting video!  Glen Gould sounds quite witty as he trashes Mozart's later music.  Unfortunately,  the video has scared me from using sequences ever again 

Jay

[Michel.R.E]

"Glenn Gould - how the pianist became a pompous self-important ignoramus."

[Patrick O'Keefe]

I think that's a pretty clever video.  Gould playing the part of two pompous pedagogues, claiming to show Mozart's use  banal compositional techniques while demonstrating Mozart's avoidance of banality, and showing how effective simple sequences can be. 

I think Gould does over do it a bit at times in that he sounds pretty convincing in his criticism but I'm (almost) certain it's all tongue-in-cheek.

[Jerry Engelbach]

 Gould's exaggeration of tempos reminds me of Leonard Bernstein, but with an overlayer of insecurity.
 
Some of Gould's slow tempos are excruciating, but his fast tempos are breathtaking.
 
His written music criticism is often pompous, some of which is convoluted beyond coherence.
 
But I enjoyed his take down of Mozart's late concertos, true or not. Of course, how does he explain the last great trilogy of symphonies, 39, 40, 41?

[sandalwood]

He does trash the 40th IIRC.

[Jerry Engelbach]

He does trash the 40th IIRC.

Ah, that's a shame. I find 40 one of the most original works of that era, and one of only two symphonies by Mozart in a minor key.
 
Still the musical world would have been a poorer place without Glenn Gould.
 
Cheers,
Jer

[sandalwood]

 Still the musical world would have been a poorer place without Glenn Gould.
 

Agree...on both the beauty of 40th and Gould.

By the way, I keep stumbling on Mozart dislikers (is that a word): was watching an interview with Joan Tower, the composer. She finds Mozart far too perfect to like.

[Jerry Engelbach]

By the way, I keep stumbling on Mozart dislikers (is that a word): was watching an interview with Joan Tower, the composer. She finds Mozart far too perfect to like.

Reha,
 
I think it is indeed a word. But I can't believe anyone would apply to Mozart.
 
Obviously, Joan Tower was being tongue in cheek.
 
Cheers,
Jer

[sandalwood]

This is allegedly the source where young Mozart -the variety Gould liked- seems to have received his musical training and wisdom. His name is only mentioned towards the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii6VtnUVsok&t=4s

I understand today more and more people are taking an interest in the partimento method.

[Jerry Engelbach]

Thanks much, Reha.
 
That was a very informative lecture.
 
Although I learned how to read and play figured bass at one time (now only with great hesitancy), I knew nothing about partimento.
 
Cheers,
Jer