Seeing Gould's Birthplace and Other Digs

[john grant <dohertygrant@sympatico.ca>]

Something I wanted to share with list members:

Odd that I've been living in Toronto all my life and never happened by
Gould's birthplace!   I took quite a number of philosophy courses with Prof.
Payzant (a terrific professor, I might add) where Gould's name came up not
infrequently.   In my student days I frequently disputed the merits of
Gould's Well-tempered with other Gouldaphiles at U.ofT.   For ten years I've
lived a 10 minute walk from his St. Clair Ave. apartment, across the street
from what used to be the city's music library, and now across the street
from that peculiar sculpture.  But I had never ventured near his boyhood
digs!   I had no idea whatever where in Toronto he had grown up.

That is, until yesterday, when I looked at some residential real estate in
the "Beach," as we say here in T.O. (or is it "Beaches"?--much-disputed
issue).    I noticed a plaque on Southwood Ave, not too far south of
Kingston Rd.   Amazingly, it turned out to be a plaque referencing Gould's
boyhood home!   Southwood Ave., by the way, is a very buzy street, now.   In
Gould's youth it would have been much quieter.   The "Beach" was once a very
quiet, not very well-off part of the sleeply, provincial city of Toronto.
Now it's a very buzy, somewhat upscale address, in a huge and (regrettably)
ever-expanding  metropolis.

John G.

==========================
 J.A.L. Grant, M.A., Ph.D. LL.B, Barrister & Solicitor, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Well-tempered Clavier Bk 1, 1-13,
http://www.mp3.com/stations/bach_wtc_1_part1
Well-tempered Clavier Bk 1, 14-24 http://www.mp3.com/stations/wtc2