Born in Toronto Glenn Gould became a legendary pianist. He was a musical phenomenon. His distinctive style was marked by exceptional technical skill. He favored contrapuntal works particularly those by Bach. Gould’s interpretations were often described as brilliantly creative. Some critics found them eccentric.
He was a child prodigy. Gould began piano lessons at age three. He could read music before he could read words. He possessed perfect pitch from age three. He was a composer too. At age five he gave his first public performance. He played at a church service in Uxbridge Ontario. He played in front of 2000 people.
At age ten he entered the Toronto Conservatory of Music. He later attained the highest marks in his piano examinations. He studied with Alberto Guerrero. Guerrero taught him finger tapping a technique to improve finger independence. This greatly enhanced Gould’s skill. His technique allowed him to play at incredibly fast tempos. He maintained perfect clarity for each note.
Gould also recorded works by Haydn Mozart and Brahms. He recorded pre-Baroque composers like Sweelinck Byrd and Gibbons. He included twentieth-century composers like Hindemith Schoenberg Scriabin and Strauss. He was also a writer and broadcaster. He disliked live performance. He stopped giving concerts at age 31. He focused on studio recording and media work instead.
Gould was known for his unusual habits. He often hummed while he played. His humming sometimes appeared on recordings. He had very specific requirements for his recording studio. The temperature had to be precisely controlled. It had to be extremely warm. His chair had to be at a specific height. He played with this chair throughout his career. He would take it with him almost everywhere.
His eccentricities extended to his personal life. He was a teetotaler. He did not smoke. He ate only one meal a day. He was known for canceling performances at the last minute. Conductors had mixed reactions to him. George Szell called him a genius. Leonard Bernstein loved working with him. Yet Bernstein once publicly disclaimed responsibility before a concert. He referenced Gould’s insistence on playing at half the indicated tempo.
Gould died in Toronto on October 4 1982. He suffered a stroke two days after his 50th birthday. His funeral was attended by over 3000 people. He is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto. The first bars of the Goldberg Variations are inscribed on his grave marker. He left half of his estate to the Toronto Humane Society. The other half went to the Salvation Army. His legacy is undeniable. He remains one of the most acclaimed musicians of the 20th century. He continues to influence pianists and listeners. His recordings are highly regarded. His innovative ideas were groundbreaking. His life is the stuff of legends. His story lives on in Toronto.