Re: GG and Competition and Showing Off

[Juozas Rimas <JuozasRimas@takas.lt>]

Can people with a severe Tourette focus their attention on something as playing
a whole partita? They would definitely have to twitch somewhere in the middle
:))


Juozas Rimas Jr (not the one playing)
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/141/juozas_rimas.html


----- Original Message -----
From: "Zeldah" <slw@CAPE.COM>
To: <F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2001 7:38 PM
Subject: Re: GG and Competition and Showing Off


It does seem as if Glenn had Tourette syndrome. You can see signs
of this especially in "Two Portraits." When he is speaking in the recording
studio (while his hair is all wild, ha) his eyes keep flinching, and his
head twitches.

He couldn't sit still either, especially in a room filled
with other people. He always needed to be moving. He would most
definetly lose in a staring contest. Ha. But strange things like this
always come with geniuses. They are never completely healthy.

I knew one kid who had severe touretts. Every 5 minutes, while he was sitting
in a chair, he would grab the sides of the chair and bounce it up
and down while he was still in it. It sometimes was quite hilarious.
When he was through with this little spasm, he acted as if nothing happened.
I don't understand how they do not remember what they just did? Hmmm.
And another little boy used to flap his arms like a bird and jump up and
down every couple minutes. Then he would act as if nothing happened.
HAHAH.

Ha, how is it inhuman to compete? I don't think that guy understood
what he said. Or rather, he didn't think of the consequences.
Without competition the whole world be full of communism. Ewww.

Glenn contradicted many of his own theories. He loved to
win, he couldn't stand losing. Maybe this is why he was afraid of competition.
If he lost, it would be so angry with himself. That's alright, he was
a control freek. There's nothing wrong with that. : )

Zeldah


  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Anne M. Marble
  To: F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU
  Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2001 10:59 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.