Re: Hewitt's live goldbergs

[Kim Ponders <kponders@earthlink.net>]

> Jim Morrison wrote:
>
> > Anybody catch Hewitt's live version of the Goldbergs on performance
today on
> > Friday, I just caught the last third, from the "black pearl" onward,
great
> > stuff, almost made me late for work, I sat in the parking lot riveted.
> > She's my favorite Bach on the piano player, next to Gould.  I like to
think
> > of her as Gould brought back to life as a female.  And they're both
> > Canadians!  And she's played upon CD 318!! The spirit has entered her.
Give
> > her a listen.
>
> I have a CBC recording of Hewitt and Bernardi realizing some of the Bach
> concertos with the Vancouver Symphony.  It's well-recorded and I find
> it very enjoyable to listen to.
>
>John Hill wrote:

 I don't think I could agree on the "Gould brought back to life as a female"
> idea.  Her playing strikes me as being very solid;  carefully thought
> out and well-executed.  But, for me at least, it doesn't take too make
> chances and I don't find the same kind of "throwing caution to the wind"
> that so often comes through GG's interpretations.  I see her
interpretations
> as being much respectful of the composer's intent, or at least what
> we know of that.  Gould's point-of-departure seemed much more about
> "recomposing" the work based upon his own structural analysis and much
> less about a "recreative" enactment.
>

I agree with you that Hewitt's interpretations seem less agressive than
Gould's. But the sensitivity with which she plays the Goldburgs is just
stunning. I don't have the live version, but I do have the studio recorded
variations she put out this year, and I found in some cases--variation 13 in
particular--her playing to be just what you said, carefully thought out, but
passionate also. Intensely so. Really brought me to tears. Perhaps this is
what Jim meant by 'Gould brought back as a woman.'

Best,
Kim
>