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RE: [F_minor] Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata



Agreed (marching to the beat of ones own drum when it comes to musical interpretations), but somewhere I read that in fact Glenn believed the Moonlight Sonata to be one of Beethoven's strongest Sonatas; compared to, say the Appassionata and assorted other B. Sonatas, he was in fact quite fond of it; that says something as he otherwise had a somewhat dysfunctional relationship with Beethoven.

Cheers,
C.

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-----Original Message-----
From: f_minor-bounces@email.rutgers.edu [mailto:f_minor-bounces@email.rutgers.edu] On Behalf Of Matthew Harding
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 1:09 PM
To: Houpt, Fred
Cc: f_minor@email.rutgers.edu
Subject: Re: [F_minor] Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata

Sometimes Fred, you've got to march to the beat of your own drum... or  
in this case, drive to the sound of your own music :-).

(I'm picturing Glenn driving his black Lincoln Continental  
"Longfellow" and being pulled over by the traffic cops...!).

For someone who has listened to approximately 150 Moonlights, (and  
even attempted to bash it out myself when I was younger), Glenn's  
interpretation (and that's what it is) makes me think of someone who  
knew the piece so organically and completely, that he could play it 10  
times faster, or 100 times slower, depending on how he was feeling.  
It's not the tempo that should persuade, it's the overall piece that  
should shine through. Glenn's interpretation, no matter how  
unorthodox, still "works" for me... it is Beethoven and Gould shining  
in a light not often seen.

BTW, he loved Beethoven, but didn't necessarily find this piece to be  
his favourite. Even so, I still find his interpretation tells me  
something.

(Flame-proof suit zipped up... :-).

Best regards,
Matthew



On 20-Jun-08, at 1:44 PM, Houpt, Fred wrote:

> Last night I listened to Glenn play the Moonlight.  On two occasions  
> he
> had to be pulled over by the traffic cops for speeding in a zone rated
> for moderation.  On the third occasion he jumped to Warp Factor 3 and
> the radar guys just scratched their heads.
>
> Honestly folks, Glenn just obliterated any sense of wonder and mystery
> in this piece and I have no idea what he was thinking.  He just
> assassinated the inner calm and grace that lies in the first two
> movements.  He opted in the first movement to display a moonlit lake
> that was in a hurry to get it over with and go back to sleep.  The
> second movement was like a horse on a steady loping fast-walk through
> the marshes.  The third movement defies all description. It was like  
> he
> was in a Mozart-kill-this-music mood and he just ripped through it
> faster than a human should try to.
>
> Is it just me or did he destroy this piece? I know he loved Beethoven
> and so I am mystified by his playing.
>
> Comments?
>
> Regards,
>
> Fred Houpt
> Toronto
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