RE: [F_minor] re: worldwide popularity polls

["Houpt, Fred" <fred.houpt@rbc.com>]

I heartily agree.  In fact isn't it the case that given any time and any culture, what appears popular in song, art and perhaps myth has a shorter lifespan and depth than those creations that might be more sublime and timeless?  The ethos of "art for arts sake" has its place.  A composer creates out of the need to express.  The performer has the dual task of interpretation and satisfying their own esthetic sensibilities.  Gould's distaste for competition between performers (one that I share) was grounded in the knowledge that there was no sense in giving a prize to one person out of a group, giving that much power to praise or disappoint to such a small group and for what purpose?  It was not like a clear cut case of who could lift the heaviest weight or run the fastest or throw a javelin or discus the furthest.  We are talking about interpretation and tastes change and are fickle at best.  Not only was Gould probably a bit freaked out at having to put himself in front of tens of thousands of strangers and perform, the mere act of doing so probably caused his need for privacy a great deal of stress.  Finally, in a nod to Glenn's love of Petula Clark, now there is a case of a man of great sophistication expressing his delight at a "pop" artist.  Great, eh?

Have thoroughly enjoyed this latest bought of Gouldianna.

Cheers,

Fred Houpt
Toronto 

-----Original Message-----
From: f_minor-bounces@email.rutgers.edu [mailto:f_minor-bounces@email.rutgers.edu] On Behalf Of James Wright
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 8:44 PM
To: f_minor@email.rutgers.edu
Subject: RE: [F_minor] re: worldwide popularity polls

While following this thread I have been reminded of one of the cornerstones of Gould's philosophy and aesthetics, namely his view that the competitive impulse is wholly anti-musical.  For Gould, the artistic spirit must always pursue its goals without regard for things such as popularity polls.  It was this dogged pursuit of higher goals that Gould admired most in the Second Vienna School, for example, in my view.  Gould clearly did not mean that great art must by definition be unpopular, or that the general listening public should be ignored.  On the contrary, Gould dedicated so much of his life and work to communication and education, using all available forms of media.  However competition and popularity, in and of themselves, were of no importance to him.  Nor should they be to the rest of us, in my view, if we understand him.
James K. Wright, Ph.D.
Supervisor of Performance Studies
School for Studies in Art & Culture: Music Carleton University, Ottawa James_Wright@carleton.ca
(613) 520-2600 (ext. 3734)



> Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:07:08 -0500> From: fred.houpt@rbc.com> 
> Subject: RE: [F_minor] re: worldwide popularity polls> To: 
> Sam.Cronk@civilisations.ca; f_minor@email.rutgers.edu> > Good points. 
> As a Torontonian who listens to CBC FM regularly, I can> tell 
> others....that we hear "live from Glenn Gould Theater" several> times 
> a week. Perhaps it is the case that for many Canadians their only> 
> connection to the name Gould is the theater named after him? We take> 
> much for granted as lovers of his life. Canada is a big country and 
> the> further you go away from his bronze statue on Front Street here 
> in> Toronto and the further you are removed from listening to 
> Classical> music and of being older than 40....well, you get the 
> picture? He sort> of disappears in the mist of other interests, other 
> lives. All the more> reason we should continue to tell others who do 
> not know of Gould> joys.....of his wonderful output. Without pounding 
> on a Gould pulpit,> we can just make kind suggestions to those we 
> think might be receptive> and leave it like that. > > All the best,> > 
> Fred Houpt> Toronto> > > > > -----Original Message-----> From: 
> f_minor-bounces@email.rutgers.edu> 
> [mailto:f_minor-bounces@email.rutgers.edu] On Behalf Of Sam Cronk> 
> Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 2:02 PM> To: 
> f_minor@email.rutgers.edu> Subject: [F_minor] re: worldwide popularity 
> polls> > > Just a few facts to think about, based on my ongoing 
> experience with the> Glenn Gould exhibition in Ottawa/Gatineau: fewer 
> than 50% of> museum-going Canadians (who are otherwise literate and 
> thoughtful souls)> know who Glenn Gould is or was. For visitors from 
> French Canada, that> number is much lower. > > We've had visitors from 
> Berlin, Vienna, Tokyo, and Dublin who know> almost every album, every 
> nuance of Gould's performance style, who> couldn't wait until the 
> exhibit opened. But from across Canada and the> US, there is just not 
> an overwhelming sense of recognition or> 
> intellectual/emotional/aesthetic investment. Even among local and> 
> regional music departments, there is a mixed response not to the 
> exhibit> but to "the idea of Gould". Perhaps that's simply a reaction 
> against> hagiography.> > Granted, "museum audiences" don't necessarily know about art music and> Canadians are notorious for forgetting or undercutting our own icons,> but really: neither the face or soundscape are familiar for the majority> outside the academies. Visitors are generally interested enough to find> out more, to walk into the exhibit and see what's the fuss is all about> --- but name recognition is simply not very high. > > Now, whether that is important to this group or to the legacy of Glenn> Gould is another matter, but it is an interesting thought for your> consideration. > > Thanks, > > Sam Cronk> Curator of Canadian Music> Canadian Museum of Civilization> > > > > _______________________________________________> F_minor mailing list> F_minor@email.rutgers.edu> https://email.rutgers.edu/mailman/listinfo/f_minor> _______________________________________________________________________> > This e-mail may be privileged and/or confidential, and the sender does not waive any related rights and obligations.> Any distribution, use or copying of this e-mail or the information it contains by other than an intended recipient is unauthorized.> If you received this e-mail in error, please advise me (by return e-mail or otherwise) immediately. > > Ce courrier électronique est confidentiel et protégé. L'expéditeur ne renonce pas aux droits et obligations qui s'y rapportent.> Toute diffusion, utilisation ou copie de ce message ou des renseignements qu'il contient par une personne autre que le (les) destinataire(s) désigné(s) est interdite.> Si vous recevez ce courrier électronique par erreur, veuillez m'en aviser immédiatement, par retour de courrier électronique ou par un autre moyen.> _______________________________________________> F_minor mailing list> F_minor@email.rutgers.edu> https://email.rutgers.edu/mailman/listinfo/f_minor_______________________________________________
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