Wow, why doesn't American/Canadian TV produce stuff like this anymore? Just so natural, people talking across each other, saying what they think. And Gould is wonderful. This is just gold. Don't ever lose this.
8:40 He gets up but the music continues in his head, he returns to the keyboard some measures later and restarts from the point where the music is now. Many years ago, when I first saw this doc on TV I was blown away that he could get inside the texture at any point without preparation.
No doubt in my mind that music was always playing in his head. He didn’t have to make any effort to keep tempo, he just allowed it to come out of his head through his fingers
Music: 1) Mozart piano Concerto no. 17 2) Bach Partita no. 2 in c minor 3) Webern piano variations 4) Schubert: Symphony no 5 5) Bach: Art of fugue Contrapunctus 1 6) ( end credits) Bruckner string quintet Adagio
Not all twisted up with the insanity installed in so many of us by a totally insane, commercially focused, programmed society controlled completely by sociopathic billionaires.
I love Gould’s recordings best when I can hear him humming alongside! I got my first tape of Goldberg variations 40+ years ago and didn’t realize what that strange noise was in the background and didn’t like it. Now after watching documentaries like this I have come to love him and the humming! He was a genius and wish we had more like him today...
I noticed that on records of Inventions that I bought about the same time. Didn't like it at the time either. Rarely listened to them because of the background noise.
Yes, I love the humming, too! It sounds like he's right in the room with me. We hum together. I have a Playlist called Excellent Humming that contains over 100 selections.
He certainly plays well and interprets the music in ways I appreciate. But the humming. Sorry. I’m glad you like it. But it destroys every recording he does it on. As he explained here he didn’t like live performances. If you’re going to make a name for yourself entirely on recordings how can you be so stupid as to mar the recordings like that? He was a much better pianist than singer and if he had perfect pitch like they say here it would be nice if he could hum/sing in tune. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who would search through the various records/cds in the store and immediately rule his out for the likelihood that he had destroyed the performance with his idiotic self indulgent noises. With the advent of the internet and so many prodigies to choose from I’m convinced he’d never become famous today since most pianists would know that the audience wasn’t interested in his vocal meanderings but in his keyboard playing.
@@phthartic I can listen to many perfectly recorded versions today that have been edited and all sound basically the same to me. I have heard many of them. I didn’t like Gould’s humming (singing) at first but after listening and learning more about him (from watching available documentaries) I have come to love his musical genius! I’m a 73 yr. old classical music lover for 60 years. If you watch “Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould” you may see that he wasn’t “so stupid to mar the recordings like that.” In the late 50’s and 60’s technology couldn’t make everything perfect as is common today. The imperfections make me love him and the time when everything wasn’t made artificially perfect using today’s technology. Today, with the advent of the internet, you never have to hear anything that isn’t perfectly remastered. That’s fine for you. I personally like to know that there is a human being behind that performance. I’m not faulting you for your opinion. I’m glad you are a fellow classical music lover! I just wanted to explain my position and love of Glenn Gould❣️
Was alone in a church, late at night and decided to play the last Goldberg recording through the big system. The humming scared the hell out of me. Very creepy. I packed up and ran!
I really enjoyed the nostalgic images of New York City in the introduction, yet the passage Gould plays between 8 ~ 10 minutes on the time bar, is absolutely the most amazing facility that I've ever witnessed of live human hands on piano keys. You can see why Gould is in the history books.
Maestro Gould. Our Canadian Musical Genius who walked among us...and who left us way too soon.🌹🥀 Thank you for this unique and personal video interview!♥
I don't even listen to a lot of classical music but I was moved by a piece by Gould and was curious about where it came from. This video caught my eye and watching Gould play I was moved to tears to see someone so totally merged with what they were doing that the ecstasy was palpable,
@@marijane8665 Absolutely. --- Not shy at all :) And he follows up by an example of shy (boring) music :) You certainly have to watch "Gould on Mozart".
As with most brilliant people, his personality borders on the Savant side, yet he was still able to function within society, albeit by limited means. So few are born with so much raw intelligence and talent, but they are a social outcast in many ways, but as a Canadian, I cherish him, and the legacy which he has left us.
@@chislehurstbat a close friend of his actually wrote an entire article on glenn gould, and how he believed he may be on the spectrum (he is a psychiatrist). look it up, it's an interesting read.
What?.....Savant?....Asperger syndrome?.... He was a genius, had a great sense of humor and anyone that knew him thought he was a very personable man. Why does everyone today have to find flaws in everyone that is different from them? I have watched hours of Utube videos of Gould interviews and I can tell you that if you think there is something wrong with him it’s you that has to be checked out!
@@marijane8665 agree - it's almost like people need to explain his genius away. He can't be that gifted, no, he was on the spectrum, there we go... annoying and small minded.
In addition to my previous comment, I forgot to say that I was fortunate enough to have met him when I was a child. I was born in Toronto as well, and I too was something of a piano prodigy, but much younger then Glenn. As such, I was introduced to Mr. Gould’s music at a very early age. By pure coincidence, my next-door neighbour had a cottage that was literally only a few lots away from Glenn Gould cottage, and was there many times, not knowing Glenn also was there, and just walking down the road, I bumped into him, absolutely stunned to find one of my heroes standing right in front of me. I can’t imagine how it must’ve looked from his perspective, to see this shy, zip faced kid practically drooling on his shoes! Those few moments are burned into my memory forever, he looked much different in person than he did on TV, a very handsome looking man (I’m gay, and had such a crush on him!), but extremely polite, very well spoken, and so kindly generous by giving me his autograph. I kept a journal, and asked him to wait for a moment so I could run back to the cottage and get that journal, which I still have with his signature, and his comments telling me not to give up on my dream, that he was sure I would make a fine concert pianist….. this is the part you probably won’t believe, many people don’t, but I’m telling you the truth. He said that, because when I mentioned I loved to play, he asked me and my friend to come into his cottage, and then told me to sit down and play something for him, which I did, but I was so nervous playing for one of the worlds greatest pianists of the time. My hands were shaking, I played him the 1sr, 2nd, and 3rd movements of Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin are my three favourite composers of all time), I thought it was absolutely horrible, but he seemed impressed, which is why he wrote what he did, in my journal. All of this happened in a short period of time, about 30 minutes, but it felt like hours. I could not believe I was playing for one of the best pianist that has ever existed or will ever exist, and then he was actually kind enough to complement me, even though I performed absolutely horribly. He was rather quiet, he was very polite, but didn’t really say very much, other than something musically related, and the part about him not liking to shake hands? It’s true, I held out my hand to shake his hand and say goodbye, but instead he patted me on the back, refusing to shake my hand, but telling me it wasn’t anything personal, he just didn’t like shaking hands he said. And that was it. I can so vividly remember sitting in his cottage playing on his old piano, which had a very strange sound to it, nothing like you would hear from a concert piano, and as I played, he kept singing along with the music, it was a bit strange, but I was not going to complain, I was in heaven. I don’t remember the rest of that day, but I will never forget those 30 minutes, ever! In a way I felt sorry for him, he was so far ahead of his time, most people never truly appreciated everything he had to offer, and I also do believe he had some type of mental health disorder, just judging from his behavior, but not in a bad way. I myself suffer from several mental health disorders, not bipolar, but close to it…… my psychiatrist at the time told me that people who are gifted with music, or gifted in any particular subject or field, are often social outcasts, and that’s exactly how I grew up to, I never fit in with anybody, it was often the victim of bullying. Unfortunately I can’t play the piano anymore because of my crippling arthritis. I’m only 52, but have a myriad of health problems that have forced me to quit work, and quit all of my passions, and live on permanent long-term disability. Now I truly appreciate how he must’ve felt, being surrounded by a world that you don’t fit into. My career was cut very short, been diagnosed with stage 4 Crohn’s disease and cancer at the age of 20, after 37 surgeries, multiple treatments, chemotherapy, and radiation, destroyed my ability to play, but I can at least still appreciate it, and I will forever appreciate Glenn for what he did for me in those 10 minutes that changed my life forever.
What an interesting story, and sad you couldn’t play more! I wish I could’ve met Glenn Gould, however I was born after he died. Don’t say you play horribly. Obviously, there was something beautiful in your playing that day. I wish I could’ve played for Glenn, and would be a time traveling dream if time travel was possible…
@@glenngouldschair390 that’s exactly what my music teacher said to me, but I’ve always been my own worst critic, thanks for your kind words, I’m sure you would have loved Glenn, he was indeed truly unique!
@@GIguy Oh yes, just because you have arthritis isn’t an excuse to stop playing piano, unless you walk up and you can’t play, just try once in a while, because God will give you the ability to play beautifully for others if you really wanted to.
@@glenngouldschair390 I do still try, but after about 10 minutes, my hands are throbbing….it’s rheumatoid arthritis, so there’s not too much I can do about it, except medication (which I don’t like taking), and physiotherapy, which helps stretch the muscles and ligaments. I can still play some things.. for example, all 3 movements of moonlight sonata, but then I have to stop, and use ice to help the inflammation and pain, it is just too painful. Ever since I posted my first response, it reminded me of how much I loved to play, and it got me thinking, so I just arranged for acupuncture. I know someone who had the exact same condition, and it really helped him, as I pray it does me as well. Anything with 16th notes is pretty rough, but slower pieces are much easier. To be honest? I haven’t played for ages. I went into a depression when I was told I’d never play again, at least, like I use to (there was no piece I couldn’t play), and haven’t touched my piano in over 2 years now. But thanks to the kind responses I’ve received, I’m giving it another go, I have to. Music is my life…to compensate, I’ve been singing instead (I’m a tenor), but just to touch the keys again feels good. At 52, I’ve beat 4 relapses of intestinal cancer, not to mention 37 brutal surgeries (starting at 21) for my Crohn’s disease. I was supposed to be dead 4 times already. The doctors can’t explain how or why I’m still alive….you mentioned god….THATS why I’m still alive, and nothing will ever convince me otherwise. I know it sounds sad I can’t play anymore, well, like I use to, but if only you knew what I’ve fought my way though, you’d realize why I’m not that upset about my hands. Years of prednisone therapy is why I have both arthritis and osteoporosis. But hey, I’m a cheap date (according to my spouse), because I have only 5% of my entire GI tract left, I can’t drink, barely eat anything, and I’m easy! Lol! (Kidding, I’m happy married for 32 years). So god is indeed good. He saved me in every way a person can be saved, and I owe him everything! God bless you my friend!😇😇😇
I love his dog's smile - I used to have a sheepdog like that growing up. He used to howl at the sound of my trumpet...Especially at the Hindemith Sonata
Eli Maurer +Eli,it isn't just your beloved dog howling at that Hindemith sonata; that would be me howling as well!I had to study Hindemith for four years while majoring in music at school!UGH!!!!!
In my opinion that was his subconscious response to the contrast between the beautiful natural surroundings where he grew up and the bleak, desolate wasteland of “progressive” industrial society
Wow wow wow! This is an incredible documentary on so many levels. Doesn’t this make you want to go back to a time before the internet and the mobile phone?
I lived a great deal of my life in that time. Now, in my most carefully, deeply thought opinion, I would say the the world is so, for lack of a better word, “expanded” to us by tech, that I don’t think the vast majority of us, regardless of age, are truly ready or capable of handling it all as individuals. One’s life and knowledge in pre-internet days had to follow a more disciplined path. Less detours presented to you. More work, and time it took to learn a thing. It was so different. And look at Glenn. A genius who still fascinates us today. Beyond what most anyone can hope to achieve in their lives today, with all the resources available to us today. What good is all this crap technology doing us?
For sure. I would predict a lot of people are going to turn away from tech and social media in the next few years, or at least learn to manage their use of it better. Glenn Gould's cottage lifestyle will become something more people choose - if they can afford it lol
I work as an artist.. and oh my god i love it to hear that freak talking.. we artists think in a special way. I am sick sometimes to talk to "normal" people about "normal" life.. means not that normal is not good or I am not normal.. but to talk about deeper things is so satisfying..
i would like to add the following.Glenn was an individual artist with his own inner truth and the joy of his music and talents. may in his mind thoughts to his mother flow even a thought, the natural joy of his service to music makes him stand outside the box and there his own struggle later on with his own mantle challenges. i have as thoughts share i gratitude that he walked this way and gave himself to his art. The dead are only dead if you say so. i don't say that, hi lives on in my life. blessing
I am THRILLED to see this film because I have an interview disc on which he discusses his old Chickering (sp?) piano but to actually finally see it and in action! Wonderful!!!
To young musicians: connecting the body to the instrument by singing may perplex recording engineers (technicians) but is in fact the one true way to reach a higher plane.
Yeah, do it in the rehearsal studio if it helps you interpret or feel it better, but when you’re doing the actual recording... shut the hell up so you don’t take the listener out of the experience. The distraction is fatal to the enjoyment of the music.
@@phthartic Not sure I agree - "shut the hell up" implies they they CAN shut the hell up!! I've been a musician for 56 years and always hear about the funny faces I make when playing - I have no control over this, as I have learned: I tried, but every second that my mind is reminding me "don't make funny faces, smile, don't grunt" takes away complete - dare I say this - Zen connection. Oscar Peterson (noted in the next comment) would tell his musicians that if they didn't feel like playing the gig that night to just take the night off - he needed each person to be as connected as he knew he always was - and there are no live recordings that I am aware of yet (willing to learn though) where he is not scatting, grunting, exclaiming, etc., as he was ripping of thousands of notes. I would say that the faces, contortions, and noises (great name for a trio!) should DELIGHT an audience, knowing that they cannot do what the performer is doing and therefore are being taken on the journey of playing an instrument at that level, through them. Just a thought. Cheers.
You’re right. To an extent I was proceeding under the idea that his impulses to make noises could be controlled. It certainly got me thinking. Here are some things I thought about: While I’m not a jazz afficianado, I’ve seen enough of it performed that I’m aware that there are different standards involved from classical music. Little exclamations seem to be expected from the performers. They may even enhance the performance somehow. In classical music performances, VISUAL quirks involving facial expressions or body movements are normal and I would agree that if a performer feels the music “making” him or her do these expressions or movements, forcing him or herself to stop may detract from his performance. But isn’t it interesting that as the musician grew up playing his instrument he learned what movements or expressions could be made without interfering with the performance? A violinist can (and they frequently do) rock back and forth in his seat as the music moves him but a cellist would find rocking impossible without destroying his ability to play. But they find other means of expressing themselves as the music dictates. A wind player might move her eyebrows up and down, and if she’s an oboist rather than a tuba player she might move her body around quite vigorously, but she would find that “scatting” during her performance would rather detract from it. My point is that a musician can and does naturally find ways to allow his body to aid him in interpreting the music that doesn’t interfere with a listener’s and viewer’s enjoyment of it. If Mr. Gould made his admittedly quiet little noises while he was performing on stage he might annoy the conductor or some nearby orchestra members but listeners in the audience would probably not be distracted by them. But he didn’t like to do live performances as I understand it; he preferred recordings where his little quirky noises most definitely did bother at least one listener to the point of avoiding his performances entirely. There are just too many other good pianists to listen to one who is annoying.
Er war in seiner Spieltechnik,Interpretationen und Sichtweisen unbestechlich. Eine Ausnahme in der Musikwelt. Es gilt ihm hoher Respekt und Anerkennung für alle Zeiten.
I wish Gould is still alive. He is a chill-out and humble person as well on top of a true genius! I admire his dedication, full of energetic passion and perseverance!
Wow. Thank you for this. If you told me 15 years ago that I could watch a Glenn Gould channel, I woulda looked at ya funny. This is all marvelous stuff. Hallucinogenic speed at 8:30
Miles de gracias a quienes filmaron e hicieron posible este maravilloso instante de eternidad. Poder observar a un genio alcanzar el éxtasis a través del arte
Lovely vid. I always kind of thought that he did his own vocals over his playing to keep the busy-body part of his brain, that we all have, busy so the other part could play the notes. Such an awesome person.
In my getting-older age, and when watching someone like Gould I think of the Kierkegaard quote "Purity of heart is to will one thing" in the context of a creative endeavor - what I would give to be able to spend hours and hours perfecting a craft at its highest levels, total immersion and sensory engagement and focus, coupled with theoretical craft specific traditional and historical depth, surrounded with the personae of the Art's development in mind and spirit. Encountering someone gifted with this is both inspiring, gifting an opening and lighting the clearing of possibilities, but in one regard, if you happen to be sensitive enough and intelligent and educated enough to discern and yet either mediocre of skill or cursed with persistent distraction or low energy it can also be crushing
The time that slips away from us is also the time that slipped away from Glenn Gould, so the thing is to let it go, not trying to hold it, just feel for a moment that this is it! Like in this meeting.
Poseía la memoria de un genio virtuoso , con una técnica tradicionalmente clásica del piano, supo coincidir su artificio, con todas las relaciones de la interpretación de la obra Barroca , especialmente la de Bach, pianista de géneros universal, pero su sello en Bach , es inconfundible ,he único, totalmente insuperable.
Wow, why doesn't American/Canadian TV produce stuff like this anymore? Just so natural, people talking across each other, saying what they think. And Gould is wonderful. This is just gold. Don't ever lose this.
what do u think he would think of the internet...streaming..performing on it
Glenn spoke frankly indeed.
Because now everything has to be woke.
People were natural back then, that world is gone...everyone is overthinking everything now.
Because (1) it has nothing to do with our culture, and (2) it won't make the TV networks any money.
8:40 He gets up but the music continues in his head, he returns to the keyboard some measures later and restarts from the point where the music is now. Many years ago, when I first saw this doc on TV I was blown away that he could get inside the texture at any point without preparation.
No doubt in my mind that music was always playing in his head. He didn’t have to make any effort to keep tempo, he just allowed it to come out of his head through his fingers
Yes indeed I now saw that 😳
this sequence blew my mind. mesmerizing
It's been a lousy day, but it's redeemed itself with this gem
Glenn Gould understood the essence of life itself: music and nature.
that was his nature, its not the same for everyone obviously
The essence of life is the experience of feelings, energies, culture. Nature and music are powerful expressions of that. So are other forms of art.
What a miracle television is! Seeing Glenn Gould alive in 2021 like it’s happening now...Mystery.
Glenn Gould was the strongest of individuel, he wouldn’t be confined to someone else’s world That can’t be beat.
That’a brilliant!!!
This is an excellent documentary. Glenn Gould is one of the greatest pianists to have ever lived.
Liszt, Bach and sun ra better
how many have you heard?
@@samspianos only one ever. Too poor to pay for more hears
Music:
1) Mozart piano Concerto no. 17
2) Bach Partita no. 2 in c minor
3) Webern piano variations
4) Schubert: Symphony no 5
5) Bach: Art of fugue Contrapunctus 1
6) ( end credits) Bruckner string quintet Adagio
thank you!
Thanks for that!
thanks a lot
Fucking life saver. I was frantically scrambling through this in the comment section.
@@Setsuna-omokage haha no prob
Glenn had a lovely baritone voice.
His ending of the Sinfonia from the Partita No. 2 in C minor is awesome each time. The amount of energy, just insane.
He comes forth immensely likable. Everyone, who knew him, also knew, that he was a loving human being.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Man the way people talked was so friendly and genuine
Not all twisted up with the insanity installed in so many of us by a totally insane, commercially focused, programmed society controlled completely by sociopathic billionaires.
The past is romanticized, it always were. There’s beauty in the current world we live in too, you just have to try.
@@aberdeenabernathy1638 i agree
Beautiful human being. I wish he had lived longer.
Gould's chair is I think in a museum in Toronto. I love this man so much RIP darling genius on this 35 th anniversary of your passing
Gould's chair is at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Canada.
www.glenngould.ca/about-glenn-gould/faqs/
I love Gould’s recordings best when I can hear him humming alongside! I got my first tape of Goldberg variations 40+ years ago and didn’t realize what that strange noise was in the background and didn’t like it. Now after watching documentaries like this I have come to love him and the humming! He was a genius and wish we had more like him today...
I noticed that on records of Inventions that I bought about the same time. Didn't like it at the time either. Rarely listened to them because of the background noise.
Yes, I love the humming, too! It sounds like he's right in the room with me. We hum together. I have a Playlist called Excellent Humming that contains over 100 selections.
He certainly plays well and interprets the music in ways I appreciate. But the humming. Sorry. I’m glad you like it. But it destroys every recording he does it on. As he explained here he didn’t like live performances. If you’re going to make a name for yourself entirely on recordings how can you be so stupid as to mar the recordings like that? He was a much better pianist than singer and if he had perfect pitch like they say here it would be nice if he could hum/sing in tune. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who would search through the various records/cds in the store and immediately rule his out for the likelihood that he had destroyed the performance with his idiotic self indulgent noises.
With the advent of the internet and so many prodigies to choose from I’m convinced he’d never become famous today since most pianists would know that the audience wasn’t interested in his vocal meanderings but in his keyboard playing.
@@phthartic I can listen to many perfectly recorded versions today that have been edited and all sound basically the same to me. I have heard many of them. I didn’t like Gould’s humming (singing) at first but after listening and learning more about him (from watching available documentaries) I have come to love his musical genius! I’m a 73 yr. old classical music lover for 60 years. If you watch “Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould” you may see that he wasn’t “so stupid to mar the recordings like that.” In the late 50’s and 60’s technology couldn’t make everything perfect as is common today. The imperfections make me love him and the time when everything wasn’t made artificially perfect using today’s technology. Today, with the advent of the internet, you never have to hear anything that isn’t perfectly remastered. That’s fine for you. I personally like to know that there is a human being behind that performance.
I’m not faulting you for your opinion. I’m glad you are a fellow classical music lover! I just wanted to explain my position and love of Glenn Gould❣️
Was alone in a church, late at night and decided to play the last Goldberg recording through the big system. The humming scared the hell out of me. Very creepy. I packed up and ran!
I really enjoyed the nostalgic images of New York City in the introduction, yet the passage Gould plays between 8 ~ 10 minutes on the time bar, is absolutely the most amazing facility that I've ever witnessed of live human hands on piano keys. You can see why Gould is in the history books.
Thats the Partita #2;he is overclocking somewhat;Murray Pereira does a better job
@@samspianos Perahia. Apart from spelling, I completely agree with you.
@@falfield I completely disagree with both of you, apart from spelling.
Maestro Gould. Our Canadian Musical Genius who walked among us...and who left us way too soon.🌹🥀 Thank you for this unique and personal video interview!♥
He's very candid and unassuming and I can only imagine this is influenced by not being around a lot of people. He was a very unique personality.
The conditions in which he was raised were near perfect for him to be as great as he was.
The conviction he plays with is unmatched.
Love the way he talks, everything about it. Heck, I like everything about him. Wish there was a man out there like that for me...
You have finnish last name, are your parents from Finland?
There is one... Me!
LOLs he certainly was a looker too
A few weeks in you wouldn’t be able to stand it. True.
Sorry Rachel, there is no-one out there quite like him.
He was almost sitting on another piano stool..... history making moment right there
I don't even listen to a lot of classical music but I was moved by a piece by Gould and was curious about where it came from. This video caught my eye and watching Gould play I was moved to tears to see someone so totally merged with what they were doing that the ecstasy was palpable,
16:59 "Is this shy music?" PLINK PLONG PLACK PING
The way he set that up was so hilarious. I love Gould
Yes, that is one of my favorite parts! He had a great sense of humor...
@@marijane8665 Absolutely. --- Not shy at all :) And he follows up by an example of shy (boring) music :) You certainly have to watch "Gould on Mozart".
@@rpgisaboutlife4396 Schubert isn't boring!
As with most brilliant people, his personality borders on the Savant side, yet he was still able to function within society, albeit by limited means. So few are born with so much raw intelligence and talent, but they are a social outcast in many ways, but as a Canadian, I cherish him, and the legacy which he has left us.
@Camilla Maxild Seriously? He can't just be brilliant and eccentric. Nah, it has to be on the spectrum.
@@chislehurstbat a close friend of his actually wrote an entire article on glenn gould, and how he believed he may be on the spectrum (he is a psychiatrist). look it up, it's an interesting read.
What?.....Savant?....Asperger syndrome?.... He was a genius, had a great sense of humor and anyone that knew him thought he was a very personable man. Why does everyone today have to find flaws in everyone that is different from them? I have watched hours of Utube videos of
Gould interviews and I can tell you that if you think there is something wrong with him it’s you that has to be checked out!
@@marijane8665 agree - it's almost like people need to explain his genius away. He can't be that gifted, no, he was on the spectrum, there we go... annoying and small minded.
@@chislehurstbat dude all geniuses were "on the spectrum", aka batshit crazy, in a way or another, or in all the ways... Why you're triggered so much?
In addition to my previous comment, I forgot to say that I was fortunate enough to have met him when I was a child. I was born in Toronto as well, and I too was something of a piano prodigy, but much younger then Glenn. As such, I was introduced to Mr. Gould’s music at a very early age. By pure coincidence, my next-door neighbour had a cottage that was literally only a few lots away from Glenn Gould cottage, and was there many times, not knowing Glenn also was there, and just walking down the road, I bumped into him, absolutely stunned to find one of my heroes standing right in front of me. I can’t imagine how it must’ve looked from his perspective, to see this shy, zip faced kid practically drooling on his shoes! Those few moments are burned into my memory forever, he looked much different in person than he did on TV, a very handsome looking man (I’m gay, and had such a crush on him!), but extremely polite, very well spoken, and so kindly generous by giving me his autograph. I kept a journal, and asked him to wait for a moment so I could run back to the cottage and get that journal, which I still have with his signature, and his comments telling me not to give up on my dream, that he was sure I would make a fine concert pianist….. this is the part you probably won’t believe, many people don’t, but I’m telling you the truth. He said that, because when I mentioned I loved to play, he asked me and my friend to come into his cottage, and then told me to sit down and play something for him, which I did, but I was so nervous playing for one of the worlds greatest pianists of the time. My hands were shaking, I played him the 1sr, 2nd, and 3rd movements of Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin are my three favourite composers of all time), I thought it was absolutely horrible, but he seemed impressed, which is why he wrote what he did, in my journal. All of this happened in a short period of time, about 30 minutes, but it felt like hours. I could not believe I was playing for one of the best pianist that has ever existed or will ever exist, and then he was actually kind enough to complement me, even though I performed absolutely horribly. He was rather quiet, he was very polite, but didn’t really say very much, other than something musically related, and the part about him not liking to shake hands? It’s true, I held out my hand to shake his hand and say goodbye, but instead he patted me on the back, refusing to shake my hand, but telling me it wasn’t anything personal, he just didn’t like shaking hands he said. And that was it. I can so vividly remember sitting in his cottage playing on his old piano, which had a very strange sound to it, nothing like you would hear from a concert piano, and as I played, he kept singing along with the music, it was a bit strange, but I was not going to complain, I was in heaven. I don’t remember the rest of that day, but I will never forget those 30 minutes, ever! In a way I felt sorry for him, he was so far ahead of his time, most people never truly appreciated everything he had to offer, and I also do believe he had some type of mental health disorder, just judging from his behavior, but not in a bad way. I myself suffer from several mental health disorders, not bipolar, but close to it…… my psychiatrist at the time told me that people who are gifted with music, or gifted in any particular subject or field, are often social outcasts, and that’s exactly how I grew up to, I never fit in with anybody, it was often the victim of bullying. Unfortunately I can’t play the piano anymore because of my crippling arthritis. I’m only 52, but have a myriad of health problems that have forced me to quit work, and quit all of my passions, and live on permanent long-term disability. Now I truly appreciate how he must’ve felt, being surrounded by a world that you don’t fit into. My career was cut very short, been diagnosed with stage 4 Crohn’s disease and cancer at the age of 20, after 37 surgeries, multiple treatments, chemotherapy, and radiation, destroyed my ability to play, but I can at least still appreciate it, and I will forever appreciate Glenn for what he did for me in those 10 minutes that changed my life forever.
What an interesting story, and sad you couldn’t play more! I wish I could’ve met Glenn Gould, however I was born after he died.
Don’t say you play horribly. Obviously, there was something beautiful in your playing that day. I wish I could’ve played for Glenn, and would be a time traveling dream if time travel was possible…
@@glenngouldschair390 that’s exactly what my music teacher said to me, but I’ve always been my own worst critic, thanks for your kind words, I’m sure you would have loved Glenn, he was indeed truly unique!
@@GIguy Oh yes, just because you have arthritis isn’t an excuse to stop playing piano, unless you walk up and you can’t play, just try once in a while, because God will give you the ability to play beautifully for others if you really wanted to.
@@glenngouldschair390 I do still try, but after about 10 minutes, my hands are throbbing….it’s rheumatoid arthritis, so there’s not too much I can do about it, except medication (which I don’t like taking), and physiotherapy, which helps stretch the muscles and ligaments. I can still play some things.. for example, all 3 movements of moonlight sonata, but then I have to stop, and use ice to help the inflammation and pain, it is just too painful. Ever since I posted my first response, it reminded me of how much I loved to play, and it got me thinking, so I just arranged for acupuncture. I know someone who had the exact same condition, and it really helped him, as I pray it does me as well. Anything with 16th notes is pretty rough, but slower pieces are much easier. To be honest? I haven’t played for ages. I went into a depression when I was told I’d never play again, at least, like I use to (there was no piece I couldn’t play), and haven’t touched my piano in over 2 years now. But thanks to the kind responses I’ve received, I’m giving it another go, I have to. Music is my life…to compensate, I’ve been singing instead (I’m a tenor), but just to touch the keys again feels good. At 52, I’ve beat 4 relapses of intestinal cancer, not to mention 37 brutal surgeries (starting at 21) for my Crohn’s disease. I was supposed to be dead 4 times already. The doctors can’t explain how or why I’m still alive….you mentioned god….THATS why I’m still alive, and nothing will ever convince me otherwise. I know it sounds sad I can’t play anymore, well, like I use to, but if only you knew what I’ve fought my way though, you’d realize why I’m not that upset about my hands. Years of prednisone therapy is why I have both arthritis and osteoporosis. But hey, I’m a cheap date (according to my spouse), because I have only 5% of my entire GI tract left, I can’t drink, barely eat anything, and I’m easy! Lol! (Kidding, I’m happy married for 32 years). So god is indeed good. He saved me in every way a person can be saved, and I owe him everything! God bless you my friend!😇😇😇
@@GIguy Well, if the doctor told me I’d never play again, I wouldn’t really listen. Nothing in life is ever 100% possible or impossible….
I love his dog's smile - I used to have a sheepdog like that growing up. He used to howl at the sound of my trumpet...Especially at the Hindemith Sonata
i read somewhere that he had a pet parrot named mozart..
Eli Maurer +Eli,it isn't just your beloved dog howling at that Hindemith sonata; that would be me howling as well!I had to study Hindemith for four years while majoring in music at school!UGH!!!!!
This is brilliant. I've listened to a lot of Gould's playing, but never to him speaking. He seems like such a nice guy.
Fun too. He always is passionate, ready to laugh and ready to dive into any topic. I recommend his books.
He's not your guy buddy
keiphy sheeg he’s not your buddy, guy
@@alexpate8626 I'm not your guy friend
keiphy sheeg I’m not your friend, buddy 👍😅
A unique and fascinating artist.
I loved how he spoke of his dreams and their imagery. It's a remarkably intimate view into his internal world.
In my opinion that was his subconscious response to the contrast between the beautiful natural surroundings where he grew up and the bleak, desolate wasteland of “progressive” industrial society
What an amazing portrait of an amazing artist.
Exquisite playing of Bach , both in terms of clarity and timing
Indeed, he had amazing dexterity and precision to match the likes of Horowitz and Richter. A complex and fascinating genius.
God bless Glenn Gould. Nothing or nobody else portrays the beauty and magnificence of the great master.
By Gould's Chair this is a piano heaven this basement is!
For me Gould is the poet pianist. An absolutely beautiful artist. Certainly not love at first sight
I’ve never heard someone singing lines like that while playing very complex passages. Great video
here
in the Beauty of my Sorrow
i feel the presence
of my beloved Glenn
Priceless! A legend in top form.
Wow wow wow! This is an incredible documentary on so many levels. Doesn’t this make you want to go back to a time before the internet and the mobile phone?
I lived a great deal of my life in that time. Now, in my most carefully, deeply thought opinion, I would say the the world is so, for lack of a better word, “expanded” to us by tech, that I don’t think the vast majority of us, regardless of age, are truly ready or capable of handling it all as individuals. One’s life and knowledge in pre-internet days had to follow a more disciplined path. Less detours presented to you. More work, and time it took to learn a thing. It was so different. And look at Glenn. A genius who still fascinates us today. Beyond what most anyone can hope to achieve in their lives today, with all the resources available to us today. What good is all this crap technology doing us?
Well said, there was a lot to be said for the focus people could apply to their art then. Very hard not to get distracted in today's world.
Yes, sure. I agree it's going to take some time, hopefully not toooo long.
For sure. I would predict a lot of people are going to turn away from tech and social media in the next few years, or at least learn to manage their use of it better. Glenn Gould's cottage lifestyle will become something more people choose - if they can afford it lol
@@GavinskisTutorials I know I would, for sure.
only a noble being such as a dog could be good enough to provide companionship to such a genius
I work as an artist.. and oh my god i love it to hear that freak talking.. we artists think in a special way. I am sick sometimes to talk to "normal" people about "normal" life.. means not that normal is not good or I am not normal.. but to talk about deeper things is so satisfying..
I actually think Gould spoke very frankly, no superficial.
i would like to add the following.Glenn was an individual artist with his own inner truth and the joy of his music and talents. may in his mind thoughts to his mother flow even a thought, the natural joy of his service to music makes him stand outside the box and there his own struggle later on with his own mantle challenges. i have as thoughts share i gratitude that he walked this way and gave himself to his art. The dead are only dead if you say so. i don't say that, hi lives on in my life. blessing
This is a great documentary! Thanks for posting this rare gem.
I am THRILLED to see this film because I have an interview disc on which he discusses his old Chickering (sp?) piano but to actually finally see it and in action! Wonderful!!!
Gould and his inimitable humming, and brilliant playing....wonderful.
Merveilleux - Quel génie que ce Glenn Gould ! Merci pour la référence.
the most honest depiction of Gould u'll ever see
Glenn is so dreamy
To young musicians: connecting the body to the instrument by singing may perplex recording engineers (technicians) but is in fact the one true way to reach a higher plane.
The only problem is once you start, Gould and a jazz pianist whose book I have also said you can't stop.
Yeah, do it in the rehearsal studio if it helps you interpret or feel it better, but when you’re doing the actual recording... shut the hell up so you don’t take the listener out of the experience. The distraction is fatal to the enjoyment of the music.
Oscar Peterson agrees.
@@phthartic Not sure I agree - "shut the hell up" implies they they CAN shut the hell up!! I've been a musician for 56 years and always hear about the funny faces I make when playing - I have no control over this, as I have learned: I tried, but every second that my mind is reminding me "don't make funny faces, smile, don't grunt" takes away complete - dare I say this - Zen connection. Oscar Peterson (noted in the next comment) would tell his musicians that if they didn't feel like playing the gig that night to just take the night off - he needed each person to be as connected as he knew he always was - and there are no live recordings that I am aware of yet (willing to learn though) where he is not scatting, grunting, exclaiming, etc., as he was ripping of thousands of notes. I would say that the faces, contortions, and noises (great name for a trio!) should DELIGHT an audience, knowing that they cannot do what the performer is doing and therefore are being taken on the journey of playing an instrument at that level, through them. Just a thought. Cheers.
You’re right. To an extent I was proceeding under the idea that his impulses to make noises could be controlled. It certainly got me thinking. Here are some things I thought about:
While I’m not a jazz afficianado, I’ve seen enough of it performed that I’m aware that there are different standards involved from classical music. Little exclamations seem to be expected from the performers. They may even enhance the performance somehow. In classical music performances, VISUAL quirks involving facial expressions or body movements are normal and I would agree that if a performer feels the music “making” him or her do these expressions or movements, forcing him or herself to stop may detract from his performance.
But isn’t it interesting that as the musician grew up playing his instrument he learned what movements or expressions could be made without interfering with the performance? A violinist can (and they frequently do) rock back and forth in his seat as the music moves him but a cellist would find rocking impossible without destroying his ability to play. But they find other means of expressing themselves as the music dictates.
A wind player might move her eyebrows up and down, and if she’s an oboist rather than a tuba player she might move her body around quite vigorously, but she would find that “scatting” during her performance would rather detract from it.
My point is that a musician can and does naturally find ways to allow his body to aid him in interpreting the music that doesn’t interfere with a listener’s and viewer’s enjoyment of it. If Mr. Gould made his admittedly quiet little noises while he was performing on stage he might annoy the conductor or some nearby orchestra members but listeners in the audience would probably not be distracted by them. But he didn’t like to do live performances as I understand it; he preferred recordings where his little quirky noises most definitely did bother at least one listener to the point of avoiding his performances entirely. There are just too many other good pianists to listen to one who is annoying.
Er war in seiner Spieltechnik,Interpretationen und Sichtweisen unbestechlich. Eine Ausnahme in der Musikwelt. Es gilt ihm hoher Respekt und Anerkennung für alle Zeiten.
thank you mr Gould. One of the true greats
What a gem is this doco!
Such a brilliant and priceless documentary
I wish Gould is still alive. He is a chill-out and humble person as well on top of a true genius! I admire his dedication, full of energetic passion and perseverance!
The man's a genius.
That man had more musicality than almost anyone.
What a really Happy Man he was !
He was an artist of the highest order!
If I could only take one CD to a desert island, it would be Gould Goldberg Variations (1955)
1981 so much sweeter
GORGEOUS!
Wow. Utterly fascinating. And what a pianist... spellbinding
Wow. Thank you for this. If you told me 15 years ago that I could watch a Glenn Gould channel, I woulda looked at ya funny. This is all marvelous stuff.
Hallucinogenic speed at 8:30
Thank you so much! Great artist...why not a longer life for such a genius...dear God?!
this is a wonderful upload thank you so much love you Glenn miss you so much an intellectual musical genius
RIP. Un grande, un grande. A Michelangelo of piano!
Love that old piano sound. Hopefully, it is still around.
He is!
@@paulcolin2760 The Chickering. It is on display at the Glenn Gould studio, which is attached to the CBC building in Toronto.
Wonderful documentary. Gould could actually be very funny. Just loved the part where he and his friend were discussing Webern's "shy" music.
Thank you , ELSmusso. Glad you liked the "shy music". I like Glenn's Beethoven better than his Webern.
GG was a very funny guy. He had to be because he was so serious, if you understand what I mean.
Yes, twoleg, I do. He was ultra sensitive to everything. But he seems to have found freedom in his music.
Thank you very much, Aleksandra. I love Glenn Gould .
Perfect. Thank you. Makes me think how much Bach would have enjoyed hearing Glenn Gould.
His style of play is hypothetic and mesmerizing! 😎
Thanks for bringing things like this to the digital world NFB.
They're having so much fun!
Miles de gracias a quienes filmaron e hicieron posible este maravilloso instante de eternidad. Poder observar a un genio alcanzar el éxtasis a través del arte
Isn't he marvelous!
Just wow! 1080p quality.
Feel so envious
The guy who started up the power tool at 10 minutes ish despite the interview.. What a legend.
Boat engine
Hah it’s like Gould singing over his own playing, just this time someone is humming an engine over his speaking
Glenn Gould is truly a magnificent person.
Woah I never knew one would choose a piano with such precision!
Lovely vid. I always kind of thought that he did his own vocals over his playing to keep the busy-body part of his brain, that we all have, busy so the other part could play the notes. Such an awesome person.
Love this video with Glenn Gould🍃
In my getting-older age, and when watching someone like Gould I think of the Kierkegaard quote "Purity of heart is to will one thing" in the context of a creative endeavor - what I would give to be able to spend hours and hours perfecting a craft at its highest levels, total immersion and sensory engagement and focus, coupled with theoretical craft specific traditional and historical depth, surrounded with the personae of the Art's development in mind and spirit. Encountering someone gifted with this is both inspiring, gifting an opening and lighting the clearing of possibilities, but in one regard, if you happen to be sensitive enough and intelligent and educated enough to discern and yet either mediocre of skill or cursed with persistent distraction or low energy it can also be crushing
Thanks for uploading this interview. Amazing to see him so young.
This documentary is very interesting. Gould was truly an out-of-the-box individual.
Exceptional documentary! Thank you for posting.
I really really enjoyed this. Thanks for posting.
The Bach interpreter by excellence
I…I’m in love..
Happy birthday, Glenn!
The time that slips away from us is also the time that slipped away from Glenn Gould, so the thing is to let it go, not trying to hold it, just feel for a moment that this is it! Like in this meeting.
Poseía la memoria de un genio virtuoso , con una técnica tradicionalmente clásica del piano, supo coincidir su artificio, con todas las relaciones de la interpretación de la obra Barroca , especialmente la de Bach, pianista de géneros universal, pero su sello en Bach , es inconfundible ,he único, totalmente insuperable.
... erm... sublime. Thank you. Damn.
Thank you for posting this.
I wish I could listen to him live :(
I saw the clip where Gould play the music at the piano in the film "The house that Jack built", and here I am.
Genius, amazing...
Terrific role play!!
The total 86 // overall life easer
If you're left behind
Glenn Gould was the greatest exponents of Bach.
I love his Bach
Thanks for sharing this gem. Documentary is exquisite and Mr Gould himself is quite amusing.
A remarkable insight of the maestro.
Gould: "what do you think it would happen if you kidnapped a child..."
Friend: *frightened*
Im in love with his dog
I love this :)