Re: Musical Offering / synesthesia

[Jim Morrison <jim_morrison@sprynet.com>]

Here's a link to a general site that I just found on Synesthesia



http://web.mit.edu/synesthesia/www/synesthesia.html


And perhaps more relevant to us, a link to a Russian/English site on
Scriabin and synesthesia

http://prometheus.kai.ru/


Gould made allusions to Scriabin's unusual quality of perception in the two
short video clips that I've seen of him playing Scriabin.  Perhaps they
looked more impressive when they were released years ago.  Anyone else seen
them?

One of my favorite writers, Vladimir Nabokov (another Russian, by chance? or
genetic predetermination? climatic conditions?) also had synesthesia.

Elmer/Bob makes it sound to me like Gould had the condition as well, but I
don't remember it coming up in Ostwald's or Friedrich's bios on Gould.  So
Bob, how about some clarification, did you mean to imply that Gould had
synesthesia? or perhaps someone else on the list knows more about this than
I do can respond?

And yes, the imagined video that Max describes would have been a pleasure to
watch.

By the way Max, listen to Webern's transcription of the ricercar and I'm
pretty sure you won't come away describing that dynamic account as monotone
or gray.  To me it sounds a bit garish, though still enjoyable.  I've been
reading through Hans David's account of the ricercar a 6 and he makes it
sound like one of Bach's most complicated (and therefore not monotone)
pieces.  He says "Evidently he intended to make this fugue a masterpiece in
every respect; and it is, in fact one of his greatest works.  Its
contrapuntal intensity, its beauty of sound, its depth of expression stand
out even among the representative creations of Bach's last period, and its
structure is a perfect example of monumental conception and impeccable
delivery."

Having said that, I do have couple of performances of the work that are
unsuccessful and do sound somewhat "gray."  But in Rosen's hands, the work
is anything but.  The only place I've been able to find that recording is on
Sony compilation disc Baroque Piano, which also includes some Gould as well
as Tureck excellent performance of the Italian concerto.


Bye


Jim