WOW - I listened to Mr.. Gould as a boy - had albums of his records - and still I get a thrill as an 86 year old man - to hear this genius at the keyboard.
Agreed. It is good that these early recordings still exist. It would be good, though, if they could be remastered, assuming the resources exist: in both this and some other Toronto videos, the sound-registration of the orchestras is just appalling and fine musicians come off sounding pedestrian. The upper registers are badly muted and the overall sound muddy, to my ear at least. The piano, thankfully, comes through quite competently recorded.
Oh yes!!!! It is also one of my favorites because of the first movement spontaneity and the second movement intensity. The only performance I ever had heard in which the second movement takes longer time than the first movement. If I should choose one cycle as my favorite it would be the Arrau/ Haitink, but if I should make a favorite cycle with different pianist for each concerto it would be Gould in no. 1 , Kempff/Leitner in no2 , Fleischer in no.3 , Barenboim / Klemperer in no.4 and Fischer /Furtwangler in no 5 .
A few notes about Gould playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto no1. He first played it on December 3, 1947 in Hamilton (Ontario) and then in Toronto on January 23, 1951 both times with The Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Sir Ernest MacMillan. He did play one of Beethoven's Cadenzas to the first movement for these performances. (A recording of one of these concerts is available on the CBC label.)The video seen here was recorded in Montréal with a pick-up orchestra (mostly members of The Montréal Symphony) under Paul Scherman. The recording was intended for Radio-Canada (The French side of the CBC). It was Gould's first TV concert and he was not yet traveling with his own chair. It also marked the very first time he played his own cadenza to the first movement. Two days later (December 14) Gould was the guest soloist with the Montréal Symphony under Désiré Defauw in the same Concerto, a concert repeated the following day (December 15). The year was 1954, Gould was then 22. The first movement was the only one played for the TV concert. Also of interest: there were women in the string section, which was quite unusual since most major orchestras were male only in those years. Shortly after Gould's death in 1982 the CJRT Orchestra (Toronto) played Beethoven's Concerto no1 with a young pianist as soloist. The conductor was Paul Robinson; the pianist was Raymond Spasowski, a Toronto resident born in Macedonia who played Gould's cadenza. He had learned it using Gould's own personal score that I had borrowed from Glenn a few months earlier.
Incidentally, there is at least one other woman in the orchestra.... playing bass. I thought there were 2 violinists. Must have been rare I the 40s, for sure. Go Canada!
Charlotte Rose Mary Barrow was principal horn in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra 1939 - 45. She played the North American premiere of Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn, and strings.
Thank you once again, Daniel! I have watched this video many times and just now am reading the comments. I treasure your shared insights and think they could be the a basis for a book.
I could not restrain a burst of ecstasy on espying the title of this video. Frankly, I had thought I had drained down all that existed on the media of Gould’s live performances (what by me is given the appellation “Gould-Werken-Verzeichnis”), but no, indeed! Gould and Beethoven are something in this world…
I look for and listen to any recordings of Glenn Gould that I can find and the precious gem hidden within these amazing performances is always the cadenza! What a genius! Wish I’d paid attention to him much sooner...
Brilliant. How can anyone dislike this? To be sure, the orchestra was not the world class ensemble it could have been but they play it straight and honestly without interpretive mind games. Interpretive mind games were normally for Gould, especially in Beethoven and Mozart, composers he didn’t really like, but here his playing is brilliant and full of sparkle and impeccable virtuosity. And that cadenza! In the style of Bach and middle + late Beethoven. Fabulous.
There was a performance by GG of this work on January 24 1951 (when GG was 18 or 19) with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Sir Ernest MacMillan, This recording was probably one of the studio recordings that GG and Sir Ernest did during 1951 and following years.
Like many pianists, GG does the descending scale before the recap with two hands, whereas Beethoven wrote an almost impossible glissando for right hand octaves with the left pounding out a bass note. It is no accident that the camera cuts away just at that point.
Oui, sans doute la faute aux algorithmes yt. Des concerts nullissimes obtiennent d'excellents score. Eh puis il y a le mirage du 'tout nouveau tout beau', plus bien sûr le niveau de culture musicale qui s'est effondré...
it's a shame they didn't play the whole concerto. i don't think i've ever heard him play better. there's a live version with TSO when he was 18 or 19, but the sound is fairly poor. still worth a listen. made his U.S. debut the next month and recorded his first Goldbergs June of '55 so he was really on fire then.
@@marichristian1072 Hey ... ! I didn't say that ! This performance of the First Concerto by Gould is absolutely stunning, full of intelligence and enthusiasm, a genious at work ... (except the cadenza) But his Hammerklaivier is a disaster.
@@Fritz_Maisenbacher Fritz, I was referring to the Hammerkavier. I agree 100% with your evaluation of his performance of the first movement of Beethoven's First Piano Concerto. I just wish the complete work was presented. The final movement is just as remarkable as the first.
Glenn Gould’s candenza is tonal. And I don’t think hints too much at anything modern. Sounding more like something in the mold of Bach with canon-like devices and chromatic explorations. But, if I had to quibble, it would be about how his choice of style in the cadenza doesn’t match with this concerto. Which has the spirit of youth; looking back somewhat to Mozart.
I love Glenn Gould!!!!... though behold, a Fail at 1:39 bassoon :D, other than that this is one of my favorite recordings of this concerto, if anyone is interested, I have played this movement myself a couple of years ago with the Prague Philharmonia where I played my own cadenza, anyone is welcome to visit my channel!!
@@georgescompositions8872 You are right about that, but his “out of conventions” thing sometimes fits a composer’s character and even creates “new conventions.” IMO, not in this case, though.
Glenn's cadenza is the most marvelous.
a gift to humanity. The cadenza sings and brings joy to my soul❤.
10:50 the Cadenza! I freakin' love Glenn Gould.
Meraviglia
Glenn Gould is an alien. The the mystery of his performing skill defies description. Apparently he saw other worlds, seeing them through the mundane.
I come here over and over again for the cadenza!
WOW - I listened to Mr.. Gould as a boy - had albums of his records - and still I get a thrill as an 86 year old man - to hear this genius at the keyboard.
Brilliant rendition by young Glenn Gould! His own cadenza is exactly his own term as well, Sort of Bach style. Such a genius!
Yes, completely reflecting his expertise in Bach. Polyphonic Beethoven LOL!
I was looking down, heard the cadenza, and thought, wow, there's Bach!
Agreed. It is good that these early recordings still exist. It would be good, though, if they could be remastered, assuming the resources exist: in both this and some other Toronto videos, the sound-registration of the orchestras is just appalling and fine musicians come off sounding pedestrian. The upper registers are badly muted and the overall sound muddy, to my ear at least. The piano, thankfully, comes through quite competently recorded.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Восторг и изумление... Как можно быть таким совершенным?...
Cadenza is at 10:50 if anyone is wondering!
Tremendous performance and his cadenza has not been matched in my lifetime and I can confidentially say it won't be in the rest of it. Brilliant!!
not too many play their own anymore.
Some say he wasn't the greatest, I disagree. If there is someone better, bring them on!
Genioimortalzadisrutarl auedrezlootrzodcotrsras
Glenn we miss You too much!
The Cadenzas are unequaled. The recorded version of this Concerto remains my favourite by a country mile. Amazing stuff.
It's my favourite too. The cadenza puts a smile on my face.
The cadenza in the 3rd movement is remarkable, too.
@@marichristian1072 Yes. Absolutely.
Oh yes!!!! It is also one of my favorites because of the first movement spontaneity and the second movement intensity. The only performance I ever had heard in which the second movement takes longer time than the first movement. If I should choose one cycle as my favorite it would be the Arrau/ Haitink, but if I should make a favorite cycle with different pianist for each concerto it would be Gould in no. 1 , Kempff/Leitner in no2 , Fleischer in no.3 , Barenboim / Klemperer in no.4 and Fischer /Furtwangler in no 5 .
A few notes about Gould playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto no1. He first played it on December 3, 1947 in Hamilton (Ontario) and then in Toronto on January 23, 1951 both times with The Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Sir Ernest MacMillan. He did play one of Beethoven's Cadenzas to the first movement for these performances. (A recording of one of these concerts is available on the CBC label.)The video seen here was recorded in Montréal with a pick-up orchestra (mostly members of The Montréal Symphony) under Paul Scherman. The recording was intended for Radio-Canada (The French side of the CBC). It was Gould's first TV concert and he was not yet traveling with his own chair. It also marked the very first time he played his own cadenza to the first movement. Two days later (December 14) Gould was the guest soloist with the Montréal Symphony under Désiré Defauw in the same Concerto, a concert repeated the following day (December 15). The year was 1954, Gould was then 22. The first movement was the only one played for the TV concert. Also of interest: there were women in the string section, which was quite unusual since most major orchestras were male only in those years. Shortly after Gould's death in 1982 the CJRT Orchestra (Toronto) played Beethoven's Concerto no1 with a young pianist as soloist. The conductor was Paul Robinson; the pianist was Raymond Spasowski, a Toronto resident born in Macedonia who played Gould's cadenza. He had learned it using Gould's own personal score that I had borrowed from Glenn a few months earlier.
Thank you for sharing this.....YOU borrowed the score from Gould personally? Wow.
Incidentally, there is at least one other woman in the orchestra.... playing bass. I thought there were 2 violinists. Must have been rare I the 40s, for sure. Go Canada!
Charlotte Rose
Mary Barrow was principal horn in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra 1939 - 45. She played the North American premiere of Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn, and strings.
Strange to see the trombone section sitting there, as they don’t play in this piece! They even seem to have a brief chat at one point.
Thank you once again, Daniel! I have watched this video many times and just now am reading the comments. I treasure your shared insights and think they could be the a basis for a book.
Immense thanks for sharing this big treasure trove of our favorite GG. Interesting cadenza, i must say. RIP, you Giant Maestro.
Legendary pianist!
Лучший! Самый лучший в мире и в истории человечества ❤Обожаю его и его искусство
Thank goodness this film was preserved. I wonder if it can be restored to prolong its life.
Absolutely wonderful to see the young Glenn Gould giving a perfect rendition (and footage I'd not seen before, too!)
I could not restrain a burst of ecstasy on espying the title of this video. Frankly, I had thought I had drained down all that existed on the media of Gould’s live performances (what by me is given the appellation “Gould-Werken-Verzeichnis”), but no, indeed! Gould and Beethoven are something in this world…
I look for and listen to any recordings of Glenn Gould that I can find and the precious gem hidden within these amazing performances is always the cadenza! What a genius! Wish I’d paid attention to him much sooner...
hi Glenn, love your playing so much!
Brilliant. How can anyone dislike this? To be sure, the orchestra was not the world class ensemble it could have been but they play it straight and honestly without interpretive mind games. Interpretive mind games were normally for Gould, especially in Beethoven and Mozart, composers he didn’t really like, but here his playing is brilliant and full of sparkle and impeccable virtuosity. And that cadenza! In the style of Bach and middle + late Beethoven. Fabulous.
Gould adores Beethoven, unless I am fatally mistaken (?)
Magnificent!
Precious footage.
Twenty-two year old genius.
Was it in 1954?
@@diegootero4234 Yes
Ах, какая палитра. Блеск! Какой окрас звука. Браво Гленн!!!
splendid!
An amazing artist.
Soul in music Glenn Gould
There was a performance by GG of this work on January 24 1951 (when GG was 18 or 19) with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Sir Ernest MacMillan,
This recording was probably one of the studio recordings that GG and Sir Ernest did during 1951 and following years.
IL giovane Gould è sorprendente
Absolutely fabulous. I heard Wilhelm Kempf in Dublin in 1967 and Rubenstein in London in 1968, all three fabulous musicians.
Why did the damn camera pan away just as he was about to do the glissando!! (8:00) That has to be visually one of the most impressive parts !
Great Cadenza!
Mesmerising!!
Like many pianists, GG does the descending scale before the recap with two hands, whereas Beethoven wrote an almost impossible glissando for right hand octaves with the left pounding out a bass note. It is no accident that the camera cuts away just at that point.
Sprightly tempo!
A écouter et découvrir la cadence est incroyable, celle que Bach écrirait au 20 me siècle. Quel génie!!! 1445 visiteurs c'est une honte!!!
Oui, sans doute la faute aux algorithmes yt. Des concerts nullissimes obtiennent d'excellents score. Eh puis il y a le mirage du 'tout nouveau tout beau', plus bien sûr le niveau de culture musicale qui s'est effondré...
Завораживает ❤❤❤
Genius😘
one of the only times you wont see him playing while sitting on his famous low stool.
Glen was Glen, and for that we are all in a better place
Glen was Glenn.
grazie di nuovo
جميل ممتاز جدا عزف رائع
🔝🎹🔝
grazie
Просто блеск! Гений!
He turned the Concerto into his recital :)
it's a shame they didn't play the whole concerto. i don't think i've ever heard him play better. there's a live version with TSO when he was 18 or 19,
but the sound is fairly poor. still worth a listen. made his U.S. debut the next month and recorded his first Goldbergs June of '55 so he was really
on fire then.
There is a studio version beautifully recorded, search for it. First or second search result
The phrasing on the third movement amazing
@@bornforbanning agreed! love that version.
That cadenza though
The cadenza sounds a bit like the development section of one Beethoven's late sonatas, or the fugue from the Hammerklavier...
But Gould had never the nerve to play correctly the Hammerklavier.
@@Fritz_Maisenbacher I agree Fritz. The performance is a mess.
@@marichristian1072
Hey ... ! I didn't say that !
This performance of the First Concerto by Gould is absolutely stunning, full of intelligence and enthusiasm, a genious at work ... (except the cadenza)
But his Hammerklaivier is a disaster.
@@Fritz_Maisenbacher Fritz, I was referring to the Hammerkavier. I agree 100% with your evaluation of his performance of the first movement of Beethoven's First Piano Concerto. I just wish the complete work was presented. The final movement is just as remarkable as the first.
What a shame the rest isn't there. Now up to 3683 views, but this is still astonishingly low...
I am thankful we got this.
Does anyone know where to find recordings of the other movements?
There's a CD set of Gould playing all of the Beethoven Piano Concertos. I bought mine on Amazon quite reasonably priced.
진짜잘친다 gould완전조아
Oooh, he plays without his piano chair 😅 great playing.
Glenn Gould’s candenza is tonal. And I don’t think hints too much at anything modern. Sounding more like something in the mold of Bach with canon-like devices and chromatic explorations. But, if I had to quibble, it would be about how his choice of style in the cadenza doesn’t match with this concerto. Which has the spirit of youth; looking back somewhat to Mozart.
What incredible nerve. He writes a cadenza that is sometimes atonal. What would Beethoven think? It doesn't matter. Beethoven is dead.
Jacob Opper b
Lmfao
... not to mention deaf!
@Max M Considering such works as "Die Grosse Fuge" and the fugue in Op. 106, he may have smiled.
Beethoven is extremely alive! here we are listening to his thoughts and feelings, amazing!!!!!
Who is the director?
Who's conducting?
Listen to David Fray playing this Really worthy!
Are there videos of the next two movements?
No. In fact, they only played a single movement for the television program.
He's not in his CHAIR!
I think this was BC! Before he took his chair with him wherever he went!
Omg.
Where's the chair?
Was it in 1954?
6:40.7:15.чудесно!
I love Glenn Gould!!!!... though behold, a Fail at 1:39 bassoon :D, other than that this is one of my favorite recordings of this concerto, if anyone is interested, I have played this movement myself a couple of years ago with the Prague Philharmonia where I played my own cadenza, anyone is welcome to visit my channel!!
I wish he had played Beethovens cadenza. That would have been great.
BEETHOVEN’S BROADWOOD
Knew Gouldian finches
Measured their cinches
Not in long, strapping miles
But in English inches.
Did you notice that he didn't have the chair yet!!!
4:16
Yeyuno de salud de los niños relató jesusica
Ajvoo
He wasn’t performing on his chair! 🧐
He was new to all the fame then, and was not yet traveling with his dear companion of a 14-inch high stool 👽
This cadenza was wrote by Bach, or what? hahaha
nella cadenza si ascolta Bach e Wagner
Seymour Bernstein gave this a thumbs down!
10:00 , 10:50
no folding chair
Cadenza is interesting, but totally out of character to be integrated into Beethoven’s work lol.
You ever know Glenn Gould to follow conventions?
@@georgescompositions8872 You are right about that, but his “out of conventions” thing sometimes fits a composer’s character and even creates “new conventions.” IMO, not in this case, though.
@@danal81 I do agree with you, its not a Beethoven fugue.
Bachtoveen
Glenn Gould est génial ! mais pas l' orchestre ! son horrible !
Possibly just the recording? In 1954, TV hadn't advanced very far yet.
카덴짜보소