Gould as Christian Existentialist

[WKCaine@aol.com]

    I'd like to invite reactions to a thought.
    I have the definite impression that Glenn Gould was a Christian
existentialist in the Soren Kierkegaardian mold. First, Gould's affinity with
Bach and rejection of Mozart (an Enlightenment figure) suggest a religious
orientation.  Second, Gould lived like Kierkegaard did, and I suspect
suffered in much the same way.  Both men put their lives into play, refusing
to be "distracted from distraction by distraction," and each faced existence
alone with brutal honesty in radical isolation.  Third, Gould was a puritan
of sorts and apparently rejected much of modern life.  Gould's poignant essay
"Toronto" seems to support this last observation.  The essay ends with an
expression of revulsion of Toronto's Young Street (the city's porno district)
and memories of Sunday evenings in church and the benediction, "Lord, give us
the peace that the earth cannot give." The last image is reminiscent of TS
Eliot's poem, "The Waste Land," where the poet reached a similar conclusion
as he turned his back on what he had described.  In a different sort of way,
Gould's commencement address on "negation" ("Advice to a Graduation") fits
the same basic mold, particularly in a Kierkegaardian sense.
    Finally, this interpretation of Gould might also explain, in a roundabout
way, something else we're witnessing nowadays.  The blunt truth is that many
people almost love to hate Glenn Gould and go out of their way to put him
down.  This on the surface is out of proportion.  Why should a mere deceased
pianist generate so much reaction and emotion unless he causes profound
discomfort at the philosophical level?  The current Zeitgeist is intensely
irreligious; maybe Gould is a painful reminder of what some people wish to
forget.
    Now, I quickly and cheerfully admit that the above is highly speculative
and subjective, and readers might justifiably think it's "off the wall."  On
the other hand, my interpretation of Gould is immeasurably more interesting
than the psychological drivel that flows from the pens of some of his
detractors.  The undeniable fact is that Gould marched to different drum
beat, and my interpretation is consistent with that.  Also, putting Gould in
the company of Kierkegaard and Eliot is as high of praise as I can imagine!
  W.K. Caine