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In the Forum: Musical Discussions
In the Thread: Performance of a week.
Post Subject: Gould and ZemphPosted by Lbjefferies7 on: 12/16/2008
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 JANDL100 wrote:
 Lbjefferies7 wrote:
I played earlier the disgusting Zenph "re-performance" of Gould's Goldberg Variations.  This, by the way was the worst performance of the week!  Where is the music?!?  Why did they do it?


It's years since I heard this on an early CBS CD (it's still on my shelves, I'll have another listen later today) but it always struck me then as a disjointed, mechanical run-through.   The later 1981 recording is something else though! - I really like that.

Is it the performance that you don't like, Lbj, or what Zenph have done with it?


Yes, I too prefer the 1981 performance, though the piano did not seem as quite as capable. 

The problem with Zenph is that they convert (kind-of) the audio signal into a high-def MIDI format and then play it back on a Disklaver player piano.  It takes a lot of manipulation to get the transfers to playback decently.  This is the first place they get into trouble. Second, they play it back on, naturally, a Yamaha piano, very nicely made, but second class sound. The recording was quite bad...Strike three.

I've heard just parts of it on a Live Performance LX player system in a ridiculously wonderful piano.  It wasn't a waste (the LX is the only interesting player out there, save for the reliability-challenged Bosendorfer Ceus), but Gould should never have been mentioned...they just use him as a marketing slogan.  Very sad.

Regards,
LBJ

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