GG listeners

[Thayer A <A.Thayer@rhbnc.ac.uk>]

Dear f_minor.

I want to ask if anyone on the list is a non musician (I mean in the extreme
sense: barely able or unable to read music etc. not in the profesional
sense).
I would be interested to hear what it is that attracts you to the recordings
of Glenn Gould, and why you like listening to him, as opposed to another
famous pianist in the same work. From what I have heard many non-musicians
have large collections of Gould recordings and have been wondering what
exactly draws them to his playing. Most musicians presumably like his
playing for the sheer originality of interpretation (or at least I do,
perhaps some will disagree) and the difference from accepted styles of
playing. Surely this does not come across to a non-musician, so what is it
that draws them into it?
	After the film Shine, many bought the recordings of Helfgott, purely
down to the publicity of his madness and the film 'Shine'. Although I don't
like to compare Gould (undoubtedly a genius) to such a, frankly, poor
pianist as Helfgott I was wondering whether Gould's eccentricities and the
resulting publicity had/have a similar influence on the non-musicians and
caused his popularity among them. I hope someone will tell me I am wrong to
suggest so, but I find it curious that other geniuses such as Claudio Arrau
(to name but one example) has never acheived a similar 'cult' following,
despite great respect from musicians. 

I would be intersted to know what people think,

Andrew Thayer.