Re: GG and Competition and Showing Off

[Daniel Vaiser <vaiser@AIRMAIL.NET>]

Hello Anne and f-minors:

Certainly in the course of his writings, Gould had a dim view of piano
competitions and even devoted an article to it (I believe it is in the
"Glenn Gould Reader", edited by Tim Page).

As to what musicians think of competions in themselves, I'm sure you get
opinions that run the gamut from those who hate them to those who "love"
them, if I may say so.  I do have a question about competitions though (and
it reveals my ambivalence about them),  are there other ways or venues
besides these Competitions that artists who want to devote their life to
performing in public may get either a head start or notice? Competitions
certainly is one way, but certainly there will be artists who do not reach
the finals or the "Top Three" are just as deserving as those who finish in
the Top Three of  "X" Competition. Any thoughts on this? I'm curious to know
how piano, violin, cello, etc. solo performers start their career? Are
competitions a necessary evil . . . . ?

Daniel Vaiser


----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne M. Marble" <amarble@SFF.NET>
To: <F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2001 9:59 AM
Subject: GG and Competition and Showing Off


> What do you think of Glenn Gould's opinions concerning
> competition? For example, the way he regarded musical
> competition as a blood sport? (And for that matter, the way
> he still managed to compete in other parts of his life, such
> as when he played Twenty Questions?) I seem to recall one
> of the biographers theorizing that despite his views on
> competition and showing off in the music world, Glenn Gould
> really did "show off" by playing so well. But to me, that's
> like saying Da Vinci showed off because he painted hands so
> wonderfully.
>
> Piano competitions, particularly major ones such as the
> International Tchiakovsky Piano Competition, get a lot of
> press -- but what do musicians really think of them?
>
> In the music world, for once, Glenn Gould is not alone in
> his views -- and I'm not surprised. Today, on A&E's
> Breakfast with the Arts, I saw an interview with Cipa and
> Mischa Dichter. Years ago, Mischa Dichter had won a silver
> medal in a famous piano competition. The host asked him
> about his views on competition now, and he said, "It's
> inhuman." Wow, shades of Glenn Gould! (He said something
> else before that, but unfortunately, I forgot what it was.
> Did anybody else see it?) He also admitted that luck had a
> large part of it. It was a refreshing attitude overall.