Glenn Gould - Glenn Gould: The Complete Original Jacket Collection - Amazon.com Exclusive
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Free Music Notes for Glenn Gould: The Complete Original Jacket Collection - Amazon.com Exclusive
Free Music Review: Superb, often definitive performances; Beautiful presentation; Incredible Value
Hit: 5 Stars
Frankly, this is unbelievable. This beautiful and huge set of classic classical CDs for this ridiculous price? This can't last, and I would urge you to go buy this limited edition set RIGHT NOW--before it sells out--then come back and read the remainder of this review.
Glenn Gould is undisputedly one of the great pianists of the recorded era, particularly when performing the works of Bach, and this set basically includes every album he ever released. This is part of Sony's "Original Jacket" series, which is distinguished by straight reissues of albums originally issued during the vinyl era, in exact (but smaller) replicas of the original issue. Luckily for us, Gould recorded exclusively for Columbia (now Sony), so there were no licensing issues. The mastering here is excellent, and sounds like, essentially, flat transfers of the original recorded programs. Given that Columbia's classical division was home to many very skilled producers and engineers, a flat transfer is all that is required.
There's no need to go over the performances here. There is ample documentation of Gould's life and music on the Web. But one point is worth noting: Unlike most classical pianists, Gould preferred the studio to live performance. As a result, in 1964 he retired from the touring circuit and devoted the remainder of his career to studio performances. That means that his (studio) recorded works represent close to the entirety of his career and that his tremendous reputation is based almost entirely on the music represented on these CDs.
There is almost too much music here to digest in any resonable amount of time, but even if you start by only picking and choosing among your favorites, it won't take long to fully justify the price of the entire 80 CD (!!!!) collection. It would be difficult to select discs in this set that WOULDN'T be worth full retail price if sold on their own. The nice book that accompanies the set is a bonus.
This collection is a must for any fan of Gould (which means almost any fan of classical piano).
Free Music Review: Don't Give Away Your Previous Gould Collection
Hit: 5 Stars
This is indeed the Holy Grail of Gouldiana, though it doesn't contain one or two scraps from the "master's workbench" that surfaced in Sony's previous Gould Edition (presumably because those were live performances, and this "Original Jacket" Edition reissues only those studio recordings which Gould originally intended to release for public distribution).
On the basis of my sampling so far (about one-third of the total set), I can say that the remasterings are good, and in fact sound uncannily like the original LPs. My guess is that the producers of this edition thought that for the sake of maximum nostalgia value they ought to return as much as possible to the sound that listeners recall from those Columbia vinyl discs of old. Hence, there is a good deal more tape hiss and other "surface noise" on these tracks than in some of the more heavily doctored (e.g., filtered) reissues of the past decade or so. And of course the by now infamous Disc Thirty-Seven has a prominent burst of white noise at the beginning of Track 30 and some tracking problems elsewhere. Also the bands that separate tracks are absurdly short--almost as if the producers wanted the entire set to sound like one vast cycle of variations on the Goldberg "Aria" from track 1 of the first disc (a fascinating conception, but I somehow don't think it was intended)! So be prepared to lurch from one piece to another, and often from one idiom to another, with only a breath intervening.
No matter; this is still an essential set for the Gould-intoxicated. It may well call for a revision of critical opinion, too, as listeners take the long pilgrimage from 1955 to 1982 with this troubled but transcendental genius.
Just don't give away all of your previous Gould CDs; you may find that you prefer the sound quality (and longer band separations) on those which have been released in recent years, and which have undergone more substantial digital retouching than this new "integral edition."
Free Music Review: an astounding collection
Hit: 5 Stars
In recording technology, Glenn Gould saw a new future for music -- a future not of the public concert, or even of the "embalmed concert moment" (as he referred to un-edited "live" recordings), but one in which the artist was able to splice and edit until he reached a recording as close to his ideal as possible. He also believed that, listening to these recordings at home, free from the social trappings and musical limitations of the concert hall, we would be able to come to a much deeper understanding of the music. With this philosophy in mind, Gould produced in incredible wealth of recorded material that survives and speaks to us even 25 years after his death.
Gould did not live to see the advent of the CD, nor of earbuds and portable music players, but when I listen to this remarkable collection on my iPod, I think that Gould would have liked this part of the future (though perhaps not other aspects of our modern zeitgeist) very much.
As for the collection itself -- it's very well compiled, and I had none of the problems with CD37 that others have mentioned, so I think perhaps sony/amazon have resolved that. I am particularly pleased with the preservation of the original jacket, complete with liner notes. Often written by Gould himself, these liner notes are by turns insightful, hilarious, and outrageous, and always a pleasure to read. (The imaginary reviews of his recording of Liszt's transcription of Beethoven's fifth are particularly amusing.) The fact that, by necessity of CD:LP size ratios, the liner notes are very small and sometimes require a magnifying glass is a minor annoyance, and it would be a dream come true if, as another reviewer suggests, Sony released these notes full-size on CD-ROM. A similar project that I would whole-heartedly (and whole-walletedly) support would be a glossy coffee table book of Gould's album jackets and liner notes.
All-in-all, this is a wonderful collection worthy of Gould's legacy.
Free Music Review: Ultimate Collection - Bargain Price - Limited Edition = Get NOW!
Hit: 5 Stars
Glenn Gould was certainly one of the most unique classical artists of the 20th century. His recordings are spontaneous and heart felt, often revealing colors you never even dreamed were there. Every recording has tremendous freshness and originality. The only shame is that we only have 77 CDs of music (3 of the CDs contain interviews, which are quite helpful and enrich the listener's experience).
If you are not familiar with the story of this sometimes eccentric artist, use your favorite web search engine and read some of the volumes of biographical literature available. I will not even attempt to do justice to the life here.
The Original Jacket CD collection contains complete replicas of every studio recorded LP released during Gould's lifetime. In Gould's case, this is certainly a very valid and appropriate presentation of his recorded legacy. Gould took great pride in participating in every element of the recording and production process. While the music could be rearranged and squeezed onto fewer than probably 50 CDs, with Gould it makes perfect sense to present the listener with exactly what Gould took great care to produce without modification. And given that the entire set is available for less than $3 per CD, any gripes about getting short changed by being forced to buy 80 CDs is short-sighted nonsense. And the CDs hardly take up enormous shelf space. The box is 10 inches long with a hinged cover, the equivalent of 24 standard jewel cases. The original album covers are only slightly useful, being that one can hardly read the liner notes. And one must consult the 250+ page book to get CD track numbers, as the sleeves have LP sides/track numbers. But that is a minor quibble.
Don't hesitate. Order the set now. Avid collectors will confirm that these Sony Original Jacket Collections become very hard to obtain very quickly. Limited Editions they truly are.
Free Music Review: Get it while you can
Hit: 5 Stars
Glenn Gould lives up to the sound bite given by George Szell -- "That nut is a genius."
Gould's interpretations are controversial. Some detest his singing along with his playing. Others think he is too mannered, too idiosyncratic in his interpretations, still others regard him as too romantic, especially in his Bach.
However, more than anyone except perhaps Wanda Landowska, he is responsible for the revival of interest in the keyboard music of Bach. Yes, there are other superb interpreters of Bach, among which I particularly like Rosilyn Tureck. But if fascinating insights are your cup of tea, you must own and listen to Gould's Bach.
I also find his Beethoven, especially the late sonatas, to be insightful and revelatory.
This collection provides the entire discography of Gould's Columbia/CBS/Sony studio performances. Yes, I already own many of these performances grouped differently in various iterations and rereleases. Yes, it is sometimes easier to listen to other pressings that combine the works of the same composer into a multi-disc set.
But for those of us who grew up in the LP vinyl era, seeing the original covers replicated and having a chance to reread original album notes is a pleasure not to be passed up.
Amazon has made this set available at an extremely attractive price and in a very well done package. I congratulate them and thank them.
I strongly recommend lovers of the art of keyboard, and especially those like myself who appreciate the insights of Glenn Gould, to buy this set.