Re: GG 20th death Celebration

[Theresa Chen <elisha-jt@juno.com>]

>Who wants to sign up?
Just out of the whim...:-) I don't mind being the alto...harmony is just as important as the cantus firmus. :p

I recently obtained a copy of GG's Goldberg Variation on DVD.  My mother, bless her, saved her Barnes and Noble coupon for me to get this disc.  I must say that I am somewhat disappointed at how the disc was designed--with all the powerful features that DVD has to offer, whoever designed this disc really didn't do much justice.  But, for GG, it was worth the buy.

My mother, who became acquainted with GG's music through me, watched the disc with me and asked me when the film was shot, because she noted that he must be at the end of his life.  I told her the history of the "TWO" types of GG Goldberg, and this one being his second, more pensive and funereal version of the 'two'. (I quoted because there are at least four versions out there in the world)  The purple lips, unhealthy paleness of his skin and the tuft of neglected balding hair, the video was both a fascinating and terribly morbid study of a man clearly in pain.

GG's habits reminds me of a story: When Sylvia Plath's father, Otto Plath (a gifted linguist and entomologist) refused to be treated when diagnosed with diabetes--later died of complications from his gangrene, the doctor who had to amputate his leg said under his breath, "How can a man so brilliant be so stupid?"

Cheers, Theresa/Elisha
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