Top 10 Facts about Glenn Gould

Top 10 Facts about Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould statue- Photo by Mike- Wikimedia

Glenn Gould is a revered Canadian musician born in 1932 who left a rich legacy behind. He presented his music and played the piano differently. Full of quirks and extremely gifted, Glenn Gould is remembered for many firsts and unique interpretations. Born to musical parents, his mother taught him how to play the piano, and by about age three, his musical talents had been discovered.

Here below are the top 10 facts about Glenn Gould, the celebrated classical pianist from Toronto.

1. Glenn Gould Was A Child Protégée

Glenn Gould and Alberto Guerrero, his teacher- Photo by Fawcett5- Wikimedia

Glenn Gould’s musical journey began at a very early age. By the time he was 5, he had already begun composing, having studied the piano from age 3. After his entrance to the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto when he was only 10, Glenn Gould earned an associate degree from the institution.

Gould’s debut performances were in 1955 in his early twenties. These were in New York and Washington D.C. and were highly successful. They earned him a recording contract.

2. Gould Was An Animal Lover

Growing up, Glenn Gould’s family had pets that Gould loved, took care of, and was kind to. He is said to have made an audience out of cows, singing to them! The pianist loved both farm animals and pets- perhaps this helped with his creativity.

3. He Was An Erratic Driver

Glenn Gould was charged in court in Ontario for skidding into a truck, and also charged on a separate occasion for driving with hands off the steering wheel, waving wildly into the air! He was however left off easy on the second charge as he was able to explain it away saying that he needed his hands then to conduct music!

The musician was widely known for his erratic driving and was labeled one of the world’s worst drivers. Glenn is also said to have confessed to being an absent-minded driver, occasionally not stopping at any red light.

4. Glenn Gould’s Music Was Controversial

Glenn Gould- Photo by Don Hunstein- Wikimedia

Glenn Gould developed a unique way of playing music on the piano, and the difference was notable. Pitted against most pianists, Gould’s tempo was either way too fast or too slow, never matching that of his counterparts. His most controversial recordings include Beethoven’s Appassionata and Moonlight Sonata, and Mozart’s Rondo a la Turca.

5. The Musician Loved Working In Studio

Glenn Gould had a very successful career in the concert world. He however hung his concert boots in 1964 in favor of studio sessions where he was the performer, producer, and editor of his recordings. Gould favored works of artists such as Bach, Arnold Schoenberg, and Beethoven- music that mostly used multiple independent melody lines that made harmony when played together (contrapuntal works).

This switch that Glenn Gould made from concerts to recordings in the studio must have been in his favor as he was a ‘certified’ loner. Developing his signature, Glenn Gould isolated himself in 1952 and worked solely with a tape recorder. This is where his signature style of playing hunched over the keyboard came to be.

6. Glenn Gould Was An Eccentric Musician

Glenn Gould’s piano chair- Photo by Mandretta- Wikimedia

From wearing gloves and an overcoat in whichever season, Glenn Gould was nothing short of eccentric!  For years, Glenn Gould performed sitting on the same work chair, perhaps as his good luck charm.

While performing he sure was an attention grabber, not only for his unique posture and behavior in concert but also for his different musical interpretations- he performed Bach’s keyboard works in a way that hadn’t been seen before.

7. Glenn Received Multiple Grammy Nods

Glenn Gould got nominated to the Grammy’s more than 10 times. This was mostly in consecutive years and sometimes for the same titles. He did enjoy three wins. This was for the Best Album Notes, Classical in 1974 (for “Hindemith: Sonatas For Piano”), Best Classical Album which was shared with Samuel H. Carter who produced it (for “Bach: The Goldberg Variations”), and the Best Classical Performance, Instrumental Soloist without orchestra (for “Bach: The Goldberg Variations”) in 1983.

Additionally, Glen Gould won the Grammy for Best Classical Performance – Instrumental Soloist or Soloists without orchestra in 1984 (for “Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 12 & 13”).

8. Glenn Gould Invested In His Own Companies

Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto- Photo by Joseph Brent- Wikimedia

In 1952 Glenn Gould teamed up with his friend Robert Fulford to form a company, legally registered for presenting concerts. It was called New Music Associates. Between 1952 and 1954, the duo produced two concerts.

Glenn additionally incorporated Glenn Gould Limited in 1960, a private company whose purpose was to represent his artistic ventures.

9. Gould Was The First North American Pianist to Russia

Since the death of Stalin, Glenn Gould was the first North American pianist to tour the Soviet Union. He had concerts in Moscow, Leningrad, and recitals on the music of the Second Viennese School at the conservatories in Moscow and Leningrad.

Glenn Gould had a phenomenal Russian tour for two weeks. Concerts were packed with people eager to hear and watch him play.

10. Gould Was Awarded A Lifetime Achievement Award

Though posthumously, Glen Gould was honored with a lifetime achievement award in 2013.  The Recording Academy presented this award to him in 2013. This was an indication that his work did have an impact and was continuing to do so.

Stephen Posen, Gould’s long-time friend and the executor of the Glenn Gould estate received the award on his behalf.

The Glen Gold Foundation in Toronto is a great way in which Gould’s spirit & legacy is honored.  The Foundation celebrates brilliance, promotes creativity & transforms lives via music & the arts.

Gould’s innovation in how he composed, broadcasted, conducted, and interpreted music made his work stand out. Glen Gould did not seek to do things as had been done, but his curiosity and innovation had him push the envelope with rather pleasant results.