Re: GG: Who WAS that gloved man?

[vxavier@sfsu.edu (Veronica Xavier)]

Hi, Richard!

I know what you mean about being 'transported'.  There are certain
recordings, certain movements he plays that make every other earthly
consideration seem miniscule to me when I listen to them.  You know that
portion of "Off the Record" at the end, when he plays that Bach Fugue
verrrry slowly with his eyes closed, swinging his head around in those big,
slow circles?  Captivating, isn't it?
I have seen "32 Short Films..." a number of times; in fact I got ahold of a
copy of it in Toronto last year.  Personally, I highly recommend it.  I
think the film itself is very well done, and the soundtrack, I believe,
gives a pretty good sampling of the different types of music he liked to
play.  The writers seemed to be able to explore a number of his different
'idiosynchratic' characteristics without being unflattering about it, as
far too many seem to have been in the past.  I think the result is a
thorough but uncomplicated overview of who he was, or the best one could do
in around two hours.  That's how I feel about it; let me know what you
think if you see it (and I hope you do!).

-Veronica

>Hi Veronica,
>
>Lots of us here in England too have had something like your experience.
>I recently acquired the video of Off the Record/On the Record and got
>enormous pleasure from watching it. Gould is _magnetic_ - I could watch
>this everyday! Evertime I play the Goldberg Variations (I have 3
>versions by him, 1955, 1958 and 1981) I get transported. What a
>wonderful world it sometimes seems, under such influence!
>
>I haven't SEEN 32 Sort Films - have you?
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------

>Richard Landau