Thought #7. Bach's Goldberg Variations.
Had I been invited to choose my Desert Island Disc , I would have undoubtedly gone for Bach's Goldberg Variations. By no stretch of the imagination could I have picked other than the 1981 Glenn Gould recording of them. Glenn Gould was not fond of live performances. Indeed, he went to great lengths to make it abundantly clear by publishing an essay titled "Let's Ban Applause" in which he stated that "the purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity". I totally embrace the message. The problem of live performances is that more often than not , some audience members cough, whisper, and even yell during events. As if that were not bad enough, they dare to hastily resound the concert hall with premature cheers and applause. Yes, I know I may sound pernickety but silence and sound are inseparable parts of music. Next time you went to...