Re: GG listeners

[neil@thump.org (Neil)]

On Tue, 26 Jan 1999 00:21:17 -0000, you wrote:

>Although I don't
>like to compare Gould (undoubtedly a genius) to such a, frankly, poor
>pianist as Helfgott I was wondering whether Gould's eccentricities and the
>resulting publicity had/have a similar influence on the non-musicians and
>caused his popularity among them.

Helfgott's success was in opening classical music to a new audience. I remember
seeing people in the shops buying Rach 3 (alas his travesty of a recording not a
good one). But that's nice that films and stories such as his open up new worlds
for people.

> I hope someone will tell me I am wrong to
>suggest so, but I find it curious that other geniuses such as Claudio Arrau
>(to name but one example) has never acheived a similar 'cult' following,
>despite great respect from musicians. 

Arrau would not count in my genius list.  A great alternative to sleeping pills
though.

I remember my flatmate's comments about hearing a CD I was playing. He wondered
who was playing and what the music was because something caught his ear - a form
of communication was taking place which was new to him - and yes it was GG's
Goldbergs.

Great geniuses such as GG and Sokolov have an magical ability to transmit their
feelings about music, a joy for life, and a cerebral ecstasy. Why is Tolstoy a
genius - because reading Anna for example brings floods of one's own inner
experiences to the surface. 

(sokolov played in london on monday. I've never witnessed such silence,
anticipation or collective breath holding at a piano recital before. he was
electrifyingly intense. Cheers & Bravos after early Beethoven, then standing
ovation - 55 min concert !!! Quite an event...)

Music stirs up moods and emotions. Non musicans maybe don't have the ability to
grasp exactly what is happening to them but the underlying forces are
communicative. 

What makes a great actor ? Same answer I think.

I'm cogitating on this whole business because I think its one way to try and
analyse and/or define genius.

Neil
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