Glen Gould - Bach Well Tempered Clavier - The performer's intellect

A good example of the didactic form of the performer's art was strikingly illustrated to me when I listened to the Glen Gould set of Bach's Well Tempered Claver Books One and Two, recently. I had been familiar with these works for years and over the years heard many performances on both harpsichord and piano as well as numerous transcriptions. Gould plays on the piano, and is famous, or infamous, for occasionally humming along. This must be such a problem that his recording people probably gave up trying to get performances without it after while. I maintain that it is a clue to his insights for his playing reveals a deep analytical understanding of the particular structure of each prelude and fugue. There are too many fascinating revelations to discuss in one article, but for example in the C-Minor Prelude of book One there are accents and sustained notes that Gould adds that reveal his compelling harmonic analysis of the piece. The use of changes in note duration and loudness are used in several pieces to illustrate his analytical thinking, The accent of particular voices in the fugues reveals his analysis of the counterpoint. The best example of this latter in in the C# Minor Fugue from Book One. Incidently, this is the same work that provided the theme used in the movement of the Robert Schumann Second Symphony obviously inspired by Bach. Robert Schumann was a member of the Bach Gezellschaft.