Search - Mozart, Gould :: Mozart: The Piano Sonatas, Vol. II 2 (2 CD Box Set) (CBS)

Horrible

dolcissima2780 | Pennsylvania, USA | 04/16/2003

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This is the most ridiculous recording I have ever heard. I want my money back! Gould ruins each piece (even the few he plays well) with humming in the background. As picky as record producers are, I am surprised they even wasted the money to reissue this recording on Masterworks. The humming makes it unbearable to listen to. Some of his interpretations are fine, but he completely destroys the D minor Fantasia. I could play it better! Great music, horrible recording!"

Idiosyncratic Treasure

R. Lichter | Black Point, CA USA | 07/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Has there ever been a pianist as controversial as Glenn Gould? Reviewers, amateur and professional alike, make the assumption that they know how the music ought to be played. Frankly, I don't know which is the more presumtuous, Gould, in playing an Andante movement Allego molto, or reviewers, in making this assumption. Moreover, the philosophical underpinnings of reviewers' judgements are typically unexamined, or obscure at best. Gould represents one extreme of piano playing; he does indeed often hold himself above the composer and do just what he feels like doing. However, at the other extreme we find another kind of egocentricity, pianists who regard their interpretation as "authentic"; who bring their considerable intelligence and scholarship to bear on scores and manuscripts and autographs and historical books, rendering a performance (in their view) as close as possible to the composer's intentions. Oddly, some of these peformances are a quite as idiosyncratic of Mr Gould's. I've always been uncomfortable with reviewers and pianists who presume there is an ultimate interpretation, and that deviation from this is wrong. Rather, I think, the musician's job is revelatory, and this Mr Gould accomplishes in spades. He could not have accomplished this without both an extraordinary technique and a playful, if intense, spirit of experimentation. An auditioner familiar with "traditional" interpretations of these sonatas approaching this one with a judgemental mind may well be appalled. But someone free of the shackles of preconception will find doors and vistas open he never dreamed of. Would I include this CD set in a time capsule to another galaxy as representative of Mozart? Not without a companion set, perhaps by Walter Klien. How much richer and truer a message from planet Earth these two are than either alone."

This isn't Mozart. It's glenn gould

M. Huang | Orange County , CA USA | 07/27/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This recording is not recommended for anyone not familiar with Mozart's. People unfamiliar with these pieces should go with recordings by Andras' Schiff, Daniel Barenboim, or Mitsuko Uchida. Glenn Gould's teacher must be turning in his grave listening to this recording. Of course Glenn never really liked Mozart. One could say that he hated his music. On the other hand Mozart's music is so beautiful, that it sounds good even when the player absolutely kills it. The funny thing is that some of the things glenn does to these pieces actually sounds pretty good. The Introduction to K.331 is absoulutely beautiful. I would definately recommend this recording to people who are familiar with Mozart and want an alternative view. Be prepared for super fast fast movements in some pieces, super slow in other movements, and, in my opinion, Glenn gould's ammusing vocal acommpaniment. In the end, though, Mozart beautiful muisc wins despite Glenn goulds Valiant but futile effort to bespoil these beautiful works."