Disklavier Helps Restore Glenn Gould Recording
TORONTO — Nearly a quarter century after his death, the artistry of legendary Canadian pianist Glenn Gould gains new life in a never-before-seen CD recording event. Yamaha Corporation of America, along with Zenph Studios, have teamed to create a performance and broadcast taping of Gould's legendary 1955 rendition of Bach's Goldberg Variations.
This taping, which took place on September 25 at the Canadian Broadcasting Company's Glenn Gould Studio, was engineered for the SONY BMG Masterworks label, and marks the first commercial CD recording using the technology of Zenph Studios. Zenph has perfected the ability to turn recordings into live performances that recreate note-perfect renditions of the original. The process captures the information from an audio piano recording and transforms it into high-definition digital data, for playback on the state-of-the-art Yamaha Disklavier Pro™ performance reproducing piano.
This dramatic breakthrough literally captures the pianist's original performance intentions, placing the listener back at the moment of creation and recreating a performance that may previously have been obscured by the limitations of the original recording.
Driven by Zenph's unique software, the pristine playback is delivered by the Yamaha Disklavier Pro, a concert-quality grand piano just like those preferred on stages around the world – but with a built-in ability to record and reproduce live performances with remarkable accuracy. The result isn't a recording, a re-mastering or a reconstruction; it's the exact same performance, heard with a clarity and vibrancy that was once thought to be lost forever.
Gould's renowned Goldberg Variations, for example, are recorded in mono. "We were tremendously impressed with the demonstration; as many times as I've heard the '55 Goldbergs, it was like hearing them for the first time," said Malcolm Lester, managing director of the Glenn Gould Foundation in Toronto.
"Giving voice to Gould's tremendous work and taking part in this historic recording event is a testimonial to the technology of the Disklavier," remarks Jim Presley, Yamaha Disklavier Marketing Manager. "This recording could be delivered through nothing less than the world's premier performance reproducing piano."
Zenph's work has been hailed worldwide, including feature articles in The New York Times, Discover and DownBeat. Zenph is now working with Sony BMG on their first series of jazz and classical albums, which feature stellar playing that will be re-recorded in high-definition surround sound.
"Our technology provides a new way of looking at Glenn Gould's Goldberg Variations, one of the best-known classical recordings ever," said John Q. Walker, president of Zenph Studios in Raleigh, N.C.
Sponsors of the broadcast and performance event include Sony BMG Masterworks, Zenph Studios, The Glenn Gould Foundation, Yamaha Canada Music, Ltd., Yamaha Corporation of America, CBC Radio Two and the Glenn Gould Studio.
About Yamaha Disklavier Pro™ Series Grand Pianos
Integrating state-of-the-art technology into top-of-the-line Yamaha grands, Disklavier Pro Series grand pianos provide a uniquely effective, high-performance solution for studios, institutions and today's most discerning musicians. Their servo-controlled drive system and other advanced components record and reproduce acoustic piano performance with unprecedented power, precision and control.
Engineered to the exacting standards of professional music production, the New Disklavier Pro Series offers incomparable versatility and superior performance for applications from recording, collaboration and academic study to film scoring, music broadcasting and multi-media/Internet content development – as well as an unparalleled source of entertainment and enjoyment for those with the most highly developed musical sensitivities.
For more information about Zenph Studios, please visit http://www.zenph.com.
For more information on Yamaha Disklavier pianos, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; email infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/disklavier.
About Yamaha:
Yamaha Corporation of America manufactures a complete line of musical instruments, professional audio products and customer-driven support products, targeted to both the amateur and professional markets.
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This dramatic breakthrough literally captures the pianist's original performance intentions, placing the listener back at the moment of creation and recreating a performance that may previously have been obscured by the limitations of the original recording.
Driven by Zenph's unique software, the pristine playback is delivered by the Yamaha Disklavier Pro, a concert-quality grand piano just like those preferred on stages around the world – but with a built-in ability to record and reproduce live performances with remarkable accuracy. The result isn't a recording, a re-mastering or a reconstruction; it's the exact same performance, heard with a clarity and vibrancy that was once thought to be lost forever.
Gould's renowned Goldberg Variations, for example, are recorded in mono. "We were tremendously impressed with the demonstration; as many times as I've heard the '55 Goldbergs, it was like hearing them for the first time," said Malcolm Lester, managing director of the Glenn Gould Foundation in Toronto.
"Giving voice to Gould's tremendous work and taking part in this historic recording event is a testimonial to the technology of the Disklavier," remarks Jim Presley, Yamaha Disklavier Marketing Manager. "This recording could be delivered through nothing less than the world's premier performance reproducing piano."
Zenph's work has been hailed worldwide, including feature articles in The New York Times, Discover and DownBeat. Zenph is now working with Sony BMG on their first series of jazz and classical albums, which feature stellar playing that will be re-recorded in high-definition surround sound.
"Our technology provides a new way of looking at Glenn Gould's Goldberg Variations, one of the best-known classical recordings ever," said John Q. Walker, president of Zenph Studios in Raleigh, N.C.
Sponsors of the broadcast and performance event include Sony BMG Masterworks, Zenph Studios, The Glenn Gould Foundation, Yamaha Canada Music, Ltd., Yamaha Corporation of America, CBC Radio Two and the Glenn Gould Studio.
About Yamaha Disklavier Pro™ Series Grand Pianos
 Yamaha Disklavier Pro |
Engineered to the exacting standards of professional music production, the New Disklavier Pro Series offers incomparable versatility and superior performance for applications from recording, collaboration and academic study to film scoring, music broadcasting and multi-media/Internet content development – as well as an unparalleled source of entertainment and enjoyment for those with the most highly developed musical sensitivities.
For more information about Zenph Studios, please visit http://www.zenph.com.
For more information on Yamaha Disklavier pianos, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; email infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/disklavier.
About Yamaha:
Yamaha Corporation of America manufactures a complete line of musical instruments, professional audio products and customer-driven support products, targeted to both the amateur and professional markets.