Difference between revisions of "Glenn Gould"

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'''Glenn Gould'''  (September 25, 1932- October 4, 1982) was a Canadian pianist, world famous as an interpreter of [[Johann Sebastian Bach]]'s piano and keyboard works. His technical proficiency was praised, but he was also known for his eccentricities, even when playing.
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[[File:Glenn Gould.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Glenn Gould.]]
  
''"lf you know where the melody is going to go, how long it takes to get there and what it's going to do when it gets there, then why bother to listen to it," he says. He makes an exception of Bach, but only if it's played by [[Glenn Gould]], because he "twists the stuff so that at least there's a question mark inserted into the composition". Gould's "mutation" renders it tolerable for Zappa to listen to."'' ([https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa0146b2 Nigel Leigh] in [[Zappa Plays On]])
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'''Glenn Gould'''  (September 25, 1932 - October 4, 1982) was a Canadian pianist and composer, world famous as an interpreter of [[Johann Sebastian Bach]]'s piano and keyboard works. A child prodigy, Gould was praised for his ability to perform and memorize compositions flawlessly. At the same time, he was also seen as an eccentric, often humming, singing and gesticulating along while playing piano, even on recordings. He had specific rituals that needed to be in order, like having the studio heated at specific temperature, the piano set at a certain height and preferred to use the exact same chair his father had made. Gould also preferred studio recordings over live concerts. His neurotic behavior remains the source for much speculation, with some music historians and psychologists having claimed he was an autist, a hypochondriac, bipolar, asexual and/or had dystonia.
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==Frank Zappa and Glenn Gould==
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''"lf you know where the melody is going to go, how long it takes to get there and what it's going to do when it gets there, then why bother to listen to it," he says. He makes an exception of Bach, but only if it's played by [[Glenn Gould]], because he "twists the stuff so that at least there's a question mark inserted into the composition". Gould's "mutation" renders it tolerable for Zappa to listen to."'' ([https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa0146b2 Nigel Leigh] in ''[[Zappa Plays On]]'')
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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[[Category:Favorite Artists|Gould, Glenn]]
 
[[Category:Favorite Artists|Gould, Glenn]]
 
[[Category:Pianists|Gould, Glenn]]
 
[[Category:Pianists|Gould, Glenn]]
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[[Category:Composers|Gould, Glenn]]
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[[Category:Conductors|Gould, Glenn]]

Revision as of 08:18, 26 May 2026

Glenn Gould.

Glenn Gould (September 25, 1932 - October 4, 1982) was a Canadian pianist and composer, world famous as an interpreter of Johann Sebastian Bach's piano and keyboard works. A child prodigy, Gould was praised for his ability to perform and memorize compositions flawlessly. At the same time, he was also seen as an eccentric, often humming, singing and gesticulating along while playing piano, even on recordings. He had specific rituals that needed to be in order, like having the studio heated at specific temperature, the piano set at a certain height and preferred to use the exact same chair his father had made. Gould also preferred studio recordings over live concerts. His neurotic behavior remains the source for much speculation, with some music historians and psychologists having claimed he was an autist, a hypochondriac, bipolar, asexual and/or had dystonia.

Frank Zappa and Glenn Gould

"lf you know where the melody is going to go, how long it takes to get there and what it's going to do when it gets there, then why bother to listen to it," he says. He makes an exception of Bach, but only if it's played by Glenn Gould, because he "twists the stuff so that at least there's a question mark inserted into the composition". Gould's "mutation" renders it tolerable for Zappa to listen to." (Nigel Leigh in Zappa Plays On)

See also