ecarroll

TMers,

If you're trolling around for something to do, take time to view this fascinating video (in 7 parts) on the Austrian pianist Friedrich Gulda. Few musicians have had this man's range -- and balls.

YouTube - FRIEDRICH GULDA -So What!?- Pt.1/7

YouTube - FRIEDRICH GULDA -So What!?- Pt.2/7

YouTube - FRIEDRICH GULDA -So What!?- Pt.3/7

YouTube - FRIEDRICH GULDA -So What!?- Pt.4/7

YouTube - FRIEDRICH GULDA -So What!?- Pt.5/7

YouTube - FRIEDRICH GULDA -So What!?- Pt.6/7

YouTube - FRIEDRICH GULDA -So What!?- Pt.7/7


If you're intrepid, let's discuss some of the multitude of ideas presented within?

Best,
EC

mahaberio

Hi Ed,

Thanks so much for posting this!

I've only gotten through the first two videos but it's really fascinating so far. I've had a great recording of some of Gulda's Beethoven sonatas for a long time now but never realized the depth of this performer as a person.

More later,
Matthew

ecarroll

Keep going, Matthew. It really gets interesting (at least to me)...

Best,
EC

mahaberio

I've watched them all now. Wow...a lot of stuff there. It's hard to know where to begin.

I like his idea of his improvisations being legitimate on the basis his personal experience with them (i.e. the "So What!?" factor). I like to look at all music this way. Regardless of form, tonality, compositional technique, etc. music is ultimately all about the experience (not just the listening to) of a piece of music.

-Matthew

siarr

Thanks, Ed - I needed that!

Best as always,

Chas

bill benzon

I've watched them all, though not with fullest attention, so I'm sure I've missed stuff, especially his comments as I have to be looking at the (rather small) screen to read them as I don't speak German. I thought he was perhaps just a bit full of himself in comments he made about crossing over between classical and jazz, after all, he's not the only one to do that. I was thinking of Wynton, but there are certainly others (e.g. Andre Previn).

But, yeah, he's done an interesting range of stuff, all in the name of music.

Makes me wonder why improvisation ever dropped out of the classical side. Yeah, it's still around here and there; there's liturgical organ music, and a few soloists will improvise their own cadenzas (and get their fingers rapped for it), and there's a lot of improvisation in avant-garde music. But, for the most part, it's gone. That's a shame.