Photo: Don Hunstein / Attribution (source: Wikimedia Commons)
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.
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
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Monkey
- Origin
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- pianist / composer / harpsichordist / opinion journalist / music publicist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
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. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Bach: The Goldberg Variations (Glenn Gould album) | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Glenn Gould born?
September 25, 1932 – October 4, 1982.
Where is Glenn Gould from?
Glenn Gould is from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
What does Glenn Gould do?
Glenn Gould works as pianist, composer, harpsichordist, opinion journalist, music publicist.
What is Glenn Gould known for?
Notable works include Bach: The Goldberg Variations (Glenn Gould album).
Pianist — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from Canada →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-18
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.