Yeah, I like to tinker on the piano. I know my scales, can play intermediate-level sheet music and appreciate a good “Moonlight Sonata” or “Piano Concerto No. 1.”
But, I’m no Glenn Gould.
The mysterious and lanky Toronto-born pianist famous for revolutionizing classical piano in the ‘50s, ‘60s and beyond was as much myth as he was man.
Often seen in a long overcoat, scarf and hat, he made his American debut in 1955 at the age of 22. He was offered a contract with Columbia Records the next day, resulting in his best-selling The Goldberg Variations, and went on to win four Grammy Awards.
What else can you expect from a guy who learned to read music before he learned to read books?
But what Gould fiercely guarded was his personal life – his romances, friendships and eccentricities. And that’s the focus of this week’s instalment of Bravo’s Great Canadian Biographies.
Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould features interviews from Gould’s close friends, his girlfriends and personal assistant, along with little-seen home movie footage, photos and writings.
There’s evidence of his hypochondria, paranoia, love for his mother, and offbeat alternative to the often-conservative classical music scene. (There’s even a tape of him singing to a herd of elephants.)
He stayed up practicing until 3 a.m., wooed a then-married Cornelia Foss (wife of composer and conductor Lukas Foss), didn’t sleep or eat properly, and even scripted the questions and answers in media interviews.
Nevertheless, he remained an important force in music until his death in 1983, at the age of 50.
If you ever get a chance to visit Toronto, there’s a metal statue of Gould sitting on a park bench, head in hand, staring off into the distance just outside CBC’s headquarters.
Yes, he’s wearing his long coat, scarf and cap. But after you watch this intriguing bio, you’ll understand a little more about the man under that seemingly impenetrable exterior.
Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould airs Sunday, Feb. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Bravo!
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