Klarinet Archive - Posting 000963.txt from 1999/10

From: James Leonard Hobby <jhobby@-----.Net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Booing for slow tempo
Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1999 12:22:11 -0400

I realize it was a different time and place, but Bernstein wasn't above a
bit of "tempo adjustment," himself. Witness the performance of the
Beethoven Ninth on the celebration of the dismantling of the Berlin wall.
I think I remember something like up to (down to?) 25 bpm under the
standard tempi, particularly in the fourth movement. I never knew if it
was intended to celebrate the "momentousness" of the occasion, the fact
that the orchestra was an east/west mix supposedly never having played
together, or if it was his age slowing him down. It certainly made for
ponderous listening, though.

Jim Hobby

===================

>Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 22:13:26 -0400
>From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>

>Boos for a slow tempo?

>The recent postings about the slow tempo of a piano soloist reminds me
>of another slow tempo player.

>It was Glenn Gould with the NY Phil playing the Brahms first piano
>concerto.

>Leonard Bernstein came out before the playing and told the audience that
>the tempo of the interpretation was not his but Glenn Gould's.
>Then Gould came out and proceeded to play the concerto at a snails pace,
>the first movement at least.

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