Glenn Gould has the knack (and skill) to perform music by great composers, yet still, question their composition while playing the piece. The iconic "Moonlight Sonata" sounds less iconic in his hands, as he takes us what seems to be a different listening experience for the audience. Usually a very romantic piece of music, but on this recording, Gould makes it into the blues. I always get the impression that Gould's purpose is not to give the ultimate version of a piece but to investigate, question, and poke the work, and see how and why it operates in such a fashion.
Gould is like someone with architectural knowledge, and he takes a building by Frank Lloyd Wright part-by-part and studies all the individual pieces that made the building. And therefore get a view how the architect thinks. This is what he does with Beethoven and Bach. I get the impression that he's not trying to interpret the work, more like getting into the composer's head, regarding a particular work.
Thelonious Monk comes to mind when I hear Gould. It's not the melody of the piece, but how they trace the theme through their skills as a pianist. Gould is an excellent musician. A skilled artist. But the reason why we talk or write about him is due to his intellect when connected to his playing. The same goes for Monk. "Appassionata Sonata" is a dynamic and romantic piece of music, but in Gould's hands he brings out the poetry of the melody and brings the pomposity of the work down a notch so we can focus on the construction of the work and its natural sense of beauty. Always an enjoyable experience.
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