----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 10:47
AM
Subject: My personal state of
wonder
Dear F moll
Background saga: Oh frabjuous day, calloo callay
etc. A call to say my set had FINALLY arrived in Cape Town on
Fri...the first in So Africa? After about 20 more calls, e-mails
& radio messages my long suffering brother (who loathes organs, is
unhappy re harpsichords and deeply suspicious of Bach) collected, brought
along to a conference in Bloemfontein (12 hours) and I collected (6 hours
drive).
So traveling through a completely deserted landscape I made
my first acquaintance with
(i) the Gould voice. Fascinating to hear him speak,
with such insights and humour and so immensely lucid. Unlike most (prob)
I found him remarkably easy to listen to - with virtually no accent! I
loved the quodlibet, and just the sense of friendship with interviewer,
and (palpably) of knowing what he wanted to communicate and his skill and
control in doing so. Now I need to get a video to see the
mannerisms: any suggestions?
(ii) A great number of you have indicated that the
early Goldberg was the one to make life worth living. As one who has
been immersed in the 81 recording for over a year: Yes, it was an
absolute eye-opener, and I can now comprehend more of the ur-reasons
for the legend. Matthew put it well: the building
blocks. The different tempi, phrasing and subtle quirkiness are a
delight...the passion of a young genius and his love for the music: and
yet. Perhaps one's reaction is related to where one
is in terms of personal development: the 2 recordings move me
differently at diff times: that's nothing new. However, over a lifespan
of moving (horribly early) more into the intellect and less into the
feeling domain my abiding delight is in the coolness
and control of the 81 (the sense of passion within the music), my amazed
pleasure in the 55: (the sense of passion in the person). So to
have at last these 2 recordings is a great gift. Interestingly I found
myself driving more quickly with less attention to a massive thunderstorm
during the 81; and the Meerkat is more vocal with the earlier
version. With the later he tends to get affectionate and gaze out
at MMBA (miles and miles of bloody Africa).
Rgrds
Danielle
Primary address: Omdraaisvlei
P O Box 494
Prieska 8940
Tel & Fax: +27 +53 35 3333 4
danielle@prieska.co.za
Rhodes
University: Department of Education
P O Box 94 Grahamstown
6140
Cellular: 082 923 8828
D.Law-Jackson@ru.ac.za