Bach Toccata in E Minor played by Glenn Gould

A slumbering work until 6:03, and then transfixing in its tempo.  Some dislike Gould’s intense style, but I find it compelling for the precision and pure approach he has.  It’s a minimalist sensibility, mercifully free of the ornamentation and posturing you see in many pianists.

A few years ago this work was revived in the popular culture by featuring prominently in the French Film, De Battre Mon Cœur s’est Arrêté, otherwise known as The Beat That My Heart Skipped.

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