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Good morning Nessie and F-minor Yes, Glenn Gould certainly disapproved of competitiveness in general, and musical competitions in particular. I think that this list last discussed this subject at the end of October 2001 - the thread then was "GG and competition and showing off" - and if anyone is interested, my own comments then can be found here: http://www.glenngould.org/mail/archives/f_minor/msg07133.html and I haven't changed my mind about agreeing with him! But it seems the young pianist Lim Dong Hyek didnt refuse his ( third) prize because of an abstract dislike of competition in general. I presume, since he entered the competition, that he did in fact approve of the idea and wanted to win (although it is of course possible that like the young GG in the Kiwanis Musical Festival, he had pre-existing doubts about the whole thing). He simply felt he had played better than the player who won second prize and therefore deserved a higher result.. And that seems to illustrate one of the points I made in my earlier post on the subject, that artistic eforts are not appropriate subjects for formal competition because the decisions must necessarily depend on personal opinion and taste ; the achievements are not "measurable" in any meaningful way, especially when the entrants all demonstrate a high level of skill, as they do in, say, international piano competitions. Nessie Russell has pointed out that young musicians will use competitions as a way to jump-start their careers .... but what of the "losers" who may, given time, turn out to be wonderful artists too? Is it beyond the realms of possibility that we could devise a way for young musicians to have the chance of showcasing their talents without the element of 'competition? Any ideas, anyone? Kate ---------- Nessie Russell <nessierussell@YAHOO.CA> wrote: Glenn Gould won top prize at the first Kiwanis Music Festival in Toronto. He was only a child. I don't think he ever competed in any of the major piano competitions. Correct me if I am wrong. I know he was opposed to competition. The latest Glenn Gould magazine has an good article about his feelings. |