GG and Berstein's Brahms

[mmasaaki@kiwi.co.jp (Masaaki Muramatsu)]

Matthew White wrote:
>I am desperately trying to get a hold of the so-called "controversial"
>recording of Gould playing the Brahms D-minor concerto in 1962 w/ Leonard
>Bernstein. I have read so much about this performance, and it is,
>incidentally, one of my favorite pieces. If the writers know so much about
>it, a recording must exist somewhere. Why has SONY not released it??? If
>someone out there has it, let me know. 

Anne Gillespie wrote:
>You are referring to a notorious performance of the d minor broadcast.  Lennie
>B made a
>disclaimer speech before gg came out to play saying at first he was not going
>to conduct the
>work if gg insisted on playing "it at half tempo (slow motion).  

I also love the  Brahms D minor concerto performed by Gould and Bernstein.
Although Bernstein complained about Goulds broad tempi, (I think this is
the reason why this recording is called contravertial) his recording with
Christian Zimmerman takes longer time.

I also like Bernstein's "small disclaimer".  Although a serious message, I
find Bernsteins good faith as an artist in his speech and I think it is
very well distributed.  In the tape, you can also hear the relaxed
atmosphere and vivid reaction of the audiances, who were not unpleasant.  

I will try to put down the message from the tape (Tell me if there is any
mistake). 
I want to know how f-minors feel about this message. 


"Don't be frightened. Mr. Gould is here, will appear in a moment. I am not,
as you know in a habit of speaking on any concert except for Thursday night
previews, but a curious situation has arisen which merits I think a word or
two.  We are about to hear a rather, shall we say  an unorthodox
performance of the Brahms D minor concerto, a performance distinctry
different from anything either heard or even dreamet of about that matter
in its remarkably broad tempi and its frequent departures from Brahms
dynamic indications.  I cannot say I am in total agreement with Mr. Goulds
conception.  And this raises the interesting question. What am I doing
conducting it.  I am conducting it because Mr. Gould is so valid and
serious an artist that I must take seriously anything he conceives in good
faith.  And his conception is interesting enough so that I fell you shoud
hear it, too. But the age old question still remains, in a concerto who is
the boss, the soloist or the conductor?  The answer is of course sometimes
one sometimes the other depending on the people involved.  But almost
always the two manage to get together by persuasion, charm or even threats
to acheive a unified performance. I have only once before in my life had to
submit to a soloist totally new and incompatible concept and that was the
last time I accompanied Mr. Gould. But this time the discrepancies between
our views are so great that I feel I must make this small disclaimer.  So
why to repeat the question, am I conducting it? Why do I not make a minor
scandal to get a substitute soloist or let an assistant conducted?  Because
I am fascinating.  Glad to have the chance for a new look at this much
played work.  Because what's more there are moments in Mr. Gould's
performance that emerges astonishing freshness and conviction.  Thirdly,
because we can all learn something from this extrodinaly artist who is a
thinking performer. And finally because there is in music what Demitori
Mitropulous used to call the sportive elemnt, the factor of curiosity,
adventure, experiment. And I can assure you that it has been an adventure
this week colaborating with Mr. Gould on this Brahms concerto. And its in
this spirit of adventure that we now  present it to you.  "



Isnt it nice?


Masa-aki Muramatsu