Re: GG: Gould & competition

["L. Lalonde" <llalonde@lightspeed.net>]

Alun Severn wrote:
> 
> Dear All,
> 
> Has anyone else noted the contradiction in GG's attitude to competition? He
> loathed competitive behaviour and believed all forms of competition to be
> inherently corrupting; and yet, throughout his life, it is noted that he
> played the stock market -- the prime expression of capitalist competition
> -- extremely successfully....
> 
> Another Gould oddity.
> 
> Regards,   Alun

I believe GG's feelings about competition were specific to music.  My 
feeling is that Gould believed music was to exist for its own sake.  
Competition would take the focus off the music and put it on the 
musician.  The same was true for live performances which he also 
loathed. 

Gould recognized patterns.  He appreciated music most which contained 
complex patterns.  When he described the 12 tone system and music 
written with it, he seemed almost euphoric.

Perhaps the stock market offered another opportunity to observe 
patterns.  I have never understood the stock market or how it works, 
but it does seem to me those who are most successful at playing it are 
careful observers, just as Glenn Gould was.

Lori Lalonde