Re: Forgot to introduce myself

[Alun Severn <alun@ukiah.demon.co.uk>]

Eric wrote:

>      Almost all the music I listen to these days is solo or small
>ensemble composition that, on the whole, contains the more private,
>intimate and progressive musical (and other?) thoughts of the composer [....]

Me too. But I have been thinking over the observations about GG's musical
tastes in Friedrich's biography. On GG's idealisation of "North" as a kind
of intellectual/philosophical concept, Friedrich also notes that this is
reflected in GG's musical taste: he spurned the French composers almost
wholly; knew nothing about Italian opera; recorded almost wholly German,
Scandinavian and "Northern" composers. Interesting.

But I have another question for List members, especially maybe for Canadian
members. I am fascinated by Friedrich's account of GG "finding" his ideal
recording venue in Eaton's Department Store auditorium. Apparently, GG
convinced CBC that rather tha commute during recording sessions to NYC, to
the 30th St Studio, he should have a studio in Toronto. GG bought *all* the
equipment. Studio time, at Kazdin's suggestion, was charged back to the
record company at the going studio hourly-rate.

My question: what was this Eaton's auditorium, and how come a dept. store
had an auditorium? I read that recordings couldn't start until 9pm when the
store shut, and I imagine -- wrongly, I'm sure -- this old-fashioned store,
haberdashery and dustsheets drawn over the display cabinets, and in the dim
lights, GG swaying on his perilous, creaking chair, glorious contrapuntal
music audible throughout the empty store, on each deserted floor.....

Someone tell me that I'm *almost* right -- please?

Best,  Alun

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ALUN SEVERN
1 Chestnut Road, Oldbury, West Midlands  B68 0AX  England
voice: 0121 422 9509    email: alun@ukiah.demon.co.uk
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...[it is my] sober conviction that no piano need feel duty-bound
to always sound like a piano.                            -- Glenn Gould
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