GG: best of Gould

[Bradley P Lehman <bpl@umich.edu>]

Anna asked:
>I've gone on and bought more of his CDs,read just about everything on the
>Internet about GG, and want to get some books on him.I know you've
>discussed this before,but could I have some suggestions on what to get?
>It would be much appreciated.

I agree with Karl's recommendations on the books.  Those plus Kevin
Bazzana's dissertation (now book) _Glenn Gould: The Performer in the
Work_.

For recordings: in the past 25 years or so, I've heard (to my knowledge)
all the Gould commercial recordings, plus about 75% of the radio/live/TV
issues that have been variously available on labels other than
CBS/Columbia/Sony.  In my opinion, Gould was at his very best in the
following albums:

- Salzburg recital 1959 (which includes the best of all his available
performances of Bach's Goldberg Variations, plus excellent Mozart and
Schoenberg and Sweelinck)...a phenomenal concert

- Brahms intermezzi, 1960

- Schoenberg solo piano music (all)

- Berg sonata (various performances, all terrific)

- The Solitude Trilogy (radio programmes produced by Gould)


If I had to reduce my entire Gould collection to one item (yikes!), I
think I'd have to go with the Brahms intermezzi, with the Salzburg recital
a very close second choice.


Bradley Lehman, Dayton VA
home: http://i.am/bpl  or  http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bpl
CD's: http://listen.to/bpl or http://www.mp3.com/bpl

"Music must cause fire to flare up from the spirit - and not only sparks
from the clavier...." - Alfred Cortot