Re: GG: And Historical Performance

["Roderick A. Carder-Russell" <rodc@shore.net>]

On Mon, 5 Oct 1998, Robert C. Kunath wrote:

> 	Finally, while I quite agree that today's HIP musicologists hate Gould, I
> think the question is very open as to how Bach, Beethoven, Haydn, etc.
> would have reacted if they could have heard Gould play their music. 

	Indeed, the question *is* very open.  I believe, however, that we
can infer the reaction of at least J.S. Bach here.  As another member of
the list commented, Bach would quite possibly have wrote a "blank check,
happily", had the two ever met.  
	It is in the spirit of J.S. in particular to be very innovative
and creative.  Most of his works are "clavier" works, in the broadest and
most general sense.  I can see no reason why a composer that writes for
the "clavier" (in the broad sense), would have any objection to highly
varied interpretations of his work, if he himself was admitting an immense
amount of variety.
	However, the question still remains, are we debating HIP and the
correct interpretation of Bach, or are we trying to justify subjective
aesthetic opinion, of which there can be no objective truth?

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Roderick A. Carder-Russell
rodc@shore.net
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