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Photo of Glenn Gould

Photo: Don Hunstein / Attribution (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould was born September 25, 1932 and died October 4, 1982 (aged 50). From Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Pianist / composer / harpsichordist.

Pianist from Canada

  • Ontario
  • pianist
  • composer
  • harpsichordist

Glenn Gould, born on September 25, 1932 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was a pianist, composer and harpsichordist. Glenn Gould died on October 4, 1982, aged 50. Recorded honors include Grammy Award for Best Classical Album (1982), Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra) (1982), Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2013) and 3 more. Notable works include Bach: The Goldberg Variations (Glenn Gould album).

My Take

Glenn Gould is, for me, in a class entirely his own. The Toronto-born pianist made Bach's Goldberg Variations virtually synonymous with his name, and comparing his blazing 1955 debut with the meditative re-recording near the end of his life reveals two completely different inner worlds from one work. I find his eccentricity, the low chair, the humming, the hunched intensity, oddly endearing rather than affected. Most striking is his radical choice to abandon the concert stage for the recording studio, a philosophy of solitary perfection few would dare. He died at fifty in 1982, yet a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award still followed. I revere this uncompromising loner without reservation.

This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.

1. Profile

Name (English)
Glenn Gould
Name (Japanese)
グレン・グールド
Reading
ぐれん・ぐーるど
Born
September 25, 1932 – October 4, 1982
Origin
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation
pianist / composer / harpsichordist / opinion journalist / music publicist
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
Libra / Monkey

2. Background

Awards & achievements

  • 1982 Grammy Award for Best Classical Album
  • 1982 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra)
  • 2013 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
  • 1973 Grammy Award for Best Album Notes
  • 1979 Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Solo or Chamber Ensemble
  • 1983 Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Solo or Chamber Ensemble
  • 1984 Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Solo or Chamber Ensemble
  • 1969 Molson Prize

3. Works & records

Filmography / notable works

CategoryTitle
Notable workBach: The Goldberg Variations (Glenn Gould album)

5. About this entry

Tags

  • Ontario
  • pianist
  • composer
  • harpsichordist
Last updated

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.

Frequently asked questions

When was Glenn Gould born?

Glenn Gould was born on September 25, 1932.

When did Glenn Gould die?

Glenn Gould died on October 4, 1982, aged 50.

Where was Glenn Gould from?

Glenn Gould was from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

What did Glenn Gould do?

Glenn Gould worked as pianist, composer, harpsichordist, opinion journalist, music publicist.

What was Glenn Gould known for?

Glenn Gould's notable works include Bach: The Goldberg Variations (Glenn Gould album).

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