Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould (1932–1982) was a Canadian pianist, composer, and broadcaster celebrated for his recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach and his highly controlled, unconventional performance style.

Goldberg Variations (1955 recording): Glenn Gould’s 1955 recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, which established his international reputation. Its brisk tempos and lucid counterpoint announced Gould’s distinctive approach to Bach.
Contrapuntal listening: Listening for several independent melodic lines sounding together in polyphonic music. Gould made the separate voices of Bach’s counterpoint unusually clear.
Johann Sebastian Bach: German composer and musician of the Baroque period, renowned for contrapuntal music. Bach’s keyboard works formed the central repertoire of Gould’s performing and recording life.
Royal Conservatory of Music: A Toronto-based institution for music education and performance founded in 1886. Gould studied piano there with Alberto Guerrero.
Concert withdrawal: A performer’s decision to stop appearing in public concerts while continuing musical work elsewhere. Gould stopped giving concerts in 1964 and concentrated on recording and broadcasting.
Goldberg Variations (1981 recording): Glenn Gould’s 1981 recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, made near the end of his life. Its slower, reflective interpretation sharply contrasts with his celebrated 1955 version.
Tempo rubato: Expressive flexibility in musical timing that bends the pulse without losing its underlying continuity. Gould generally favored firm rhythmic control over expansive, romantic timing.
Leonard Bernstein: American conductor, composer, pianist, and educator who led the New York Philharmonic. Bernstein introduced Gould’s Brahms concerto performance while publicly distancing himself from its interpretation.
Alberto Guerrero: Chilean-Canadian pianist and teacher who taught Glenn Gould at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Guerrero’s instruction shaped Gould’s keyboard technique and early musical thinking.
Studio album: A music release assembled from recorded performances rather than captured at a live event. Gould treated the studio as a creative instrument, not merely a concert substitute.

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