#glenngouldbach

[whoopigoldbergvariations]

Joke of the Day: J.S. Bach is depicted sitting in a ‘French Suite’ on the cover  of Glenn Gould’s 1973 recording of ‘The French Suites’ (Vol.1).

These ‘suites’ (an ordered set of songs) are widely accepted to be French only in name. Nobody really knows why they are called that, even on the internet! They don’t have any inherently French qualities, apparently, but the name stuck so that’s that.

The cover art was done by a guy named Clifford Condak, but I like to think it was Gould’s idea, and that he thought it was really funny.

[whoopigoldbergvariations]

As far as I can tell, Glenn Gould’s recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations is considered the top classical album of all time. It isn’t hard to find and it sounds great. He recorded the suite in 1955 at age 22 and then again as an old fella in 1981. No one seems to know why he recorded it again but I’m glad he did. Listening to the two records back to back, all I can discern is that the early one is faster, with possibly a bit more ornament. I honestly prefer the ‘81, the recording is better and I’m in no rush. As a novice I like to hear Bach a bit slower, with the musical phrases enunciated. You can also hear a lot more of Gould’s peculiar grunting on the later version, which I find endearing.

The guy at the empty record store where I bought these said that Bach constructed music like a bricklayer who, given just 4 or 5 bricks, could build a cathedral. I also like the ‘81 because of Gould’s reclining mafioso look on the cover.