Brendel

[Fred Stubbings <velfred@earthlink.net>]

About the Brendel comments on Glenn Gould.  Where did this interview take place?  I read the interviews in "Reflections from the Keyboard" of David Duval with Alfred Brendel and didn't find any mention of Gould and much about Bach either.  Much of the interview was a bore as far as I was concerned.  I don't know where Brendel even gets his ideas about what composers and pianists are thinking about etc. back in the 17th and 18th century. ( Maybe he is older than he says).  All these remarks about what the composer was thinking or what the pianist was thinking remind me of some of the articles you read about artists that paint.  I always think it's better to just look at the painting and if it doesn't do anything for you without all the commentary then something is lacking.

 

 I really think that the comments that Brendel made about Gould were out of line.  Brendel is probably a fine pianist. (I haven't purchased any of his recordings).  Still he must have some jealousy or something to make those kinds of remarks about someone as respected as Gould.  Brendel should hope that he is as well remembered for his artistry.  His writings, and there are many, have never inspired me to finish anything that he has written past the first couple of paragraphs.

 

When looking for a recording of a composers work I look at what the pianists in this time period are recording and which pianists specialize in which composers.  This is a time period where good recordings are being made.  In starting up a CD collection it is sometimes difficult to know who is recording the best of a specific composer.  I have to rely on opinions and trial and error.  It does seem strange for Brendel to state that because a pianist does not prefer or record a certain composer that he is not a good or great pianist.

--- Fred Stubbings

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