Re: GG: Humming

["jv" <bardolph@home.com>]

A certain Mike Flemmer wrote the following fascinating reply to my previous
post complaining about GG's humming, but he doesn't seem to have sent it to
the f_minor list; I am taking the liberty of copying it here as it is most
instructive and thoughtful:

"When I first started listening to GG I felt the exact same way.  In
fact,most
people probably have a negative reaction to the humming on
first hearing.  But, if you'll hear me out- I'll explain how I came to
listen to GG from a completely different perspective. It took awhile to
learn about GG's life to figure this guy out.  I read some books, watched
some videos, etc...and slowly realized all my initial preconceptions were
totally invalid.  Finally, I came up with a new perspective not only about
GG
but about the recording industry and the 'art' of making music.

"My humble theory of GG's humming:

"First, GG says he couldn't help it.  What? I asked.  Couldn't help it?  How
could a perfectionistic genius say he couldn't help it?   I used to think he
obviously hummed along like anyone else would.  Like you and me might
hum along.  Well, here's why he couldn't help it:  GG was not like you and
me.
Far from it.

"GG literally grew up at the piano, sitting on his mothers lap. As a very
small
child, day in and day out, his mother teaches GG to play piano in a very
demanding, perfectionistic way.  Wrong notes are 'bad' and must be fixed
immediately before continuing!  On top of the harsh piano lessons his mother
sings to GG as she plays piano and insists that GG sing while playing too.
Keep in mind, this all starts when GG is a very young child.  In fact, GG
learned to read music before he could read words!

"Now, as GG grows up at the piano practicing 8+ hours a day, it is ingrained
deep into his subconscious mind that the only way  to play piano properly-
is to sing while you play.  Perfectly natural to GG. In fact, the only
natural
way. It is certainly not a requirement that anyone learning piano must also
sing
while playing, however- singing while learning piano is often thought to
help 'ear
training' and to help the student learn the music better, and learn if from
an
'inside' perspective and not from a cold 'outside' perspective.  And with
GG,
the piano was a family 'member' and there were very strong emotions of
family
approval deeply attached to that 'member'.  And of course, deep love of
music,
as music was a daily family activity.

"While GG is growing up as a child singing and humming while playing he also
just happens to turn out to be an extraordinary pianist, a child prodigy.
At this early stage, when family and close friends understood this child was
a prodigy, the parents did something remarkable- they took extra caution
to keep the boy SHIELDED from any kind of media exploitation.  And far
away from recording companies (which we wish now there were early
recordings of GG as a boy).  As a boy of extraordinary talent, he maybe
performed in public once or twice a year.  When around age 21 when GG
finally debuted in New York, the audience witnessed a mature pianist
of the highest order.  This is a superb testament to the excellent guidance
of
GG's parents and teachers.  Much praise is always due them for helping to
avoid creating another 'mass market' product, and instead help create a
true original pianist, far different from the standard cookie cutter model.

"Now, after growing up all of your life being taught to do something one way
and having the support of your family all that time, and THEN suddenly being
told from the outside world that you were doing it all wrong and you should
stop, and all you were doing was humming, GG did what I think was correct
response:  he didn't care what others thought.   Remember GG lived at the
piano, he ate at the piano, he probably slept at the piano sometimes, his
family childhood life revolved around the piano.

"And, that is why GG hums.  He didn't want to force stop a habit he
learned almost from infancy.  This would require valuable concentration
from the task at hand.  For GG to stop humming, that would be like
asking me or you to stop blinking our eyes.  Call it a dysfunctional
childhood up-bringing if you want.

"And I ask you, when Bach himself said that when you create a melody,
it "should sing", what in the heck is wrong if someone wants to hum the
music of Bach?  Please do.  And not only that, get up and dance if you
want.  Sing, hum, dance.. that's why they are called dance movements:
Gigues, Correntes, Sarabandes, Menuets, Arias (Arias for goodness sakes!)
and even sometimes a Burlesca was thrown in for good measure. (5th
work in the 3rd Keyboard Partita).  Bach was more down to earth
than we think of him. The Bach's were famous for daily family fun around
the keyboard of singing and playing music.

"So not only can Bach be played in the 'serious-music-high-art-recital'
format,
but also in the 'sit-around-the-piano-and-enjoy-it-casually' format.  That's
the
format GG fit best, even if he was the greatest pianist alive.  And, that's
why GG didn't fit into the commercial format.  He was the world's greatest
'sit-around-the-piano-sing-along-play-along' pianist. In fact, that was
his greatest pleasure- playing Bach and Beethoven in friends homes
around the piano, with someone playing violin, singing, or whatever.
GG hated playing concerts.  He loved sitting-around-the-piano type fun
more than anything else.  He had such fun in fact, he often improvised
music on the spot in any composer style you asked for.  Or, he could take
a well know piece and play it in another composers style.  Now, that was
fun.  Why record companies never record live CASUAL classical party
music is a huge mystery.  Yes, live classical music in the home with the
kids
singing out of tune, the dog barking, glasses clinking, etc...  Most chamber
music was written for home entertainment anyway!  They didn't have stereos
back then!  This was the thing to do after dinner!  Paintings of famous
composers like Schubert, etc... show the composer at the piano in someone's
home with about two dozen friends all around.

"So, when I hear GG humming,  I now hear a performer who uniquely and
unbelievably overcome very strict commercial 'rules'.  GG was not going to
stop humming, recording contract or not.  No way on this planet.  I use to
think the record producers where crazy to allow such recordings released.
Now, I can't thank them enough.  I am so very tired of conventional business
standard practices and the powers-that-be determining how everything is
suppose to be done.  As if there are no alternatives.  GG is an alternative.
He broke the mold.  And, the music industry has survived.  If you don't
like alternatives, don't buy them.  But, you may miss out on something
wonderful sometimes.  Indeed, GG has some awful moments, but so
do great movie actors with there occasional bad movie.

"Thus, I no longer think of GG as 'another pianist'.  For if I do, there's
no
way to compare 'apples-to-apples'.  No one else plays piano like GG.
No one even sits at a piano the same way.  Another pianist? Not GG.

"So it's rather ironic that the music of Bach, which has been played in
so many different ways, by the most devoted fans, sometimes even
on street corners, played on every instrument imaginable, that when
a pianist from Canada appears on the scene humming along, there is
almost a worldwide panic.   All because a pianist is humming Bach?
If that's all GG did, then the musicians who play Bach on synthesizer,
pan flute, electric guitar, harmonica, etc... must be jailed! (just kidding)

Regards,
Mike"


This is certainly food for thought; if others have managed to get past the
humming problem, perhaps I can too; in fact I think I'll get some Gould
discs out of the library and try again with the above in mind - but I would
still like to get the message out:  Someone, anyone, produce a vocal-free
edition of Gould's recordings and I, for one, will BUY it.  It would be nice
if this were done legitimately, but if the owners of the publishing rights
refuse to see the light, I'd pay premium prices for a devocalized, pirated
series of GG recordings of high quality.

Right now, I'm not interested in Gould the man, nor his mother, nor his
psychological profile, and I'm certainly not interested in the sound of his
voice; I'm interested in his piano playing, and that's all I want to hear.

Bardolph