Re: GG The Loser

[Lluís Manent (Teleline) <manent@TELELINE.ES>]

KAte,

I agree 100% on your argumentation. I just tried to explain what is Thomas
Bernhard's novel about, which doesn't mean that it must correspond to the
reality. Glenn Gould is taken in this novel (The Loser) as an example of the
genius. Herewith Bernhard ilustrates the destruction capacity of that "the
genius".

For sure, thisBernhard's idea is rather ungouldinian because Gould was very
modest. He has been accused always of being excentric. I think   that the
"real" exentricity of many and many good and well-renowned pianists is to be
bumptious.

I agree with you when you say  "I do not have the feeling that Glenn Gould,
despite his own search for
perfection, would ever have belittled any other persons honest efforts even
if they were not great artists. On the contrary, i would hazard a guess that
people meeting him would have found him a positive and encouraging
influence. And remember his hatred of competition, which F-minor considered
quite recently; the idea that there should be "winners" and "losers" -
especially artistically - would surely have struck horror to his very soul."


----- Original Message -----
From: "Kate Clunies-Ross" <goldbergs@talk21.com>
To: "F-Minor" <f_minor@email.rutgers.edu>
Cc: <manent@TELELINE.ES>
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 12:53 PM
Subject: Re: GG The Loser


ORIGINAL MESSAGE
>From :  Lluís Manent (Teleline) <manent@TELELINE.ES>   :-

>Bernhard really means, is "The Loser". The sense of the word and the title
"Der
>Untergeher" is  referred to a brilliant pianist that meets Gould in
Salzburg.
>He felt he was the best piano performer of his historical moment till he
>enters in a room where Gould is playing the Goldberg's Variation. From this
day
>he becomes a "Loser" because he realizes that  Glenn Gould has something of
>divine and playing the piano makes no more sense at all. I recommend to you
to
>buy and to read  this novel. Even if fiction and reality are mixed in a
>particular Bernhard's way, you will recognise in the book a lot of emotions
and
>feelings that every Gould admirer has even felt.

Good morning, F Minors

Forgive me if I am misunderstanding this (I have not myself read Thomas
Bernhard's book) but it seems to me that this is a rather  'un-Gouldian'
idea.    I too have met people who think that their own artistic efforts are
devalued because they encounter someone who is more skilful, more
successful, more  of a true artist. ( in fact I have in fact recently had an
off-list disussion on this very topic.)  Perhaps from then on, such people
even refuse to make any further efforts because they realise  that they are
imperfect and  can never be counted amoung the greats. But this is sad; we
surely should all feel free to express our deepest emotions and ideas  if we
feel the urge to create, irrespective of how  well others manage to do this.

I do not have the feeling that Glenn Gould, despite his own search for
perfection, would ever have belittled any other persons honest efforts even
if they were not great artists. On the contrary, i would hazard a guess that
people meeting him would have found him a positive and encouraging
influence. And remember his hatred of competition, which F-minor considered
quite recently; the idea that there should be "winners" and "losers" -
especially artistically - would surely have struck horror to his very soul.

  Sometimes,  I am awestruck by the beauty of Gould's artistry. But it does
not intimidate, even though I know I can not aspire to a fraction of such
ability. to communicate.For  me,  his music inspires, encourages,  and
uplifts;    it never , never diminishes or disheartens.

Kate