Clive Davis reminds that it is the 25th anniversary of Glenn Gould's death this week.
The astounding control that Gould exercised over his commanding facility as a pianist kept a generation (and more) of Bach lovers enthralled. The stories of how he prepped his hands for concerts and recordings are legend.
There is a 3-disc set from Sony simply called "A State of Wonder" that includes the electrifying 1955 recordings of the Goldberg Variations and the progression of his artistry with a re-recording in 1981.
The clip below is from the later period, and it shows a powerfully nuanced version of a simple courante (best to listen without watching) that is balanced to perfection between the inner voices and the courante's melodic line.
Glenn Gould playing Courante from Partita No.4 (BWV 828) by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Canada, 1981.
and of course, his chair - the attempt at at a invariate angle of attack:
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Glenn Gould: A State Of Wonder
