Glenn Gould: A Life and Variations

by Otto Friedrich

Book Overview

He was a virtuoso of the piano who inspired an almost religious fervor in his fans, yet he hated performing and left the concert stage forever at the age of 31. He was a tireless advocate of the technology of recording, an artist who looked forward to a time when mere musicians would be rendered obsolete. He was a notorious -- and, some thought, a deliberate -- eccentric, who muffled himself in scarves and gloves, liberally dosed himself with pills,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394562992
• ISBN13: 9780394562995
• Release Date: April 1989
• Publisher: Random House (NY)
• Length: 441 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Great bio

Otto Frierich does an excellent job of putting together the pieces of the unexplainable. His approach to Glenn Gould is journalistic and methodical. Friedrich poured through throusands of personal papers, newspaper articles, audio recordings as well as conducted his own interviews, including some interesting exchanges with the legendary Leonard Bernstein regarding Gould. There are an abudance of newspaper quotations in this book, which is occasionally annoying, and the author at times inserts his own opinion which can be somewhat distracting, but I believe these devices ultimately give the biography a sense of focus and conclusion. Without the minimal type of analysis and opinion that is offered here, this book would be impossible, and from what I've read about other Gould biographies, some biographers have gone on opinion and analytical overkill (much to their own detriment) on this subject. Friedrich's journalistic nature does not permit him to go this far. Instead, one is left with a healthy balance of Gould's dissolution and ambiguity termpered within clearly defined chapters and sections, organized almost as a reference book. Friedrich quite thoroughly follows the Gould-as-a-Canadian-treasure story, especially in the early pages, but as the book progresses Gould is slowly whittled down from national symbol into something more human and recognizable. One is still left with the feeling that it is impossible to truly ever know Gould -- and that nobody has. Still, Friedrich makes it feel like this book is the closest one can ever get to knowing Gould, and recognizing the distance inherent in the subject matter, one has to come away satisfied.

A very good Biography

I found this book to be the best overall general biography on Glenn Gould. Mr Friedrich did not personally know Gould, so we have what is a good look, objectively, of Gould. He had some very good interviews with some of Glenn's closest friends and those whom he worked with. I've read it more than 4 times. We are not overwhelmed from a Musician's biographical data here, but more of what is percieved through others here. Of Course, Friedrich has some personal views but really helps to move the book along. The biggest surprise is finding out how some individuals coped with having discussions (pre-written by Gould), and their responses prewritten for them....Interesting.Great Book....

As brilliant as Gould himself

I am a fanatic when it comes to Bach keyboard music, and so Glenn is my hero. This biography is astounding in its depth, breadth, and compassion. The writing is excellent. Read it... full stop.

The best biography available

Otto Friedrich's biography of legendary pianist Glenn Gould is a dense, finely researched, extensive look at the man George Szell once described with the phrase, "That nut is a genius." I couldn't agree more. As a product of my culture, I was utterly ignorant of classical music growing up, seeing it as that boring music old people listened to when they didn't care anymore about dancing. Glenn Gould changed all that for me. One night at a dinner party, the host heard me say something disdainful about classical music, and he wordlessly turned around and put on Gould's 1955 rendition of the Goldberg Variations. I haven't been the same since. I now own every single recording he ever made; I still find it hard to keep from laughing at people who suggest Gould didn't know Bach better than anyone this side of God. While I can recognize that other renditions have merit, to this day I cannot hear a Bach keyboard piece without comparing it to Gould's version. This book was a wonderful companion to those recordings, and I heartily recommend it to anyone who wants to understand how genius and lunacy go so often hand in hand.

Friedrich's book is the comprehensive work on Gould to date

Otto Friedrich has combined spotless research, objectivity, and real empathy in what will probaly go down in history as the definitive book on this complex artist. His real understanding both of music and of a human being making music conspire to shape together a very readable and rereadable work. Gould has been covered in many ways by many authors, but never so comprehensively under one roof as he is here. Truly a must-read for anybody with even the slightest interest in the piano as it pertains to this century of music.